Trump’s Rally Drew Criticism From Haitian Locals; Thousands Denied Entry, Dozens Seen Leaving Early, Political Ties to Coliseum Owners
NASSAU COUNTY, N.Y. — Last night, former President Donald Trump held his first rally since the recent West Palm Beach assassination attempt at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, which was ultimately filled to capacity.
Thousands gathered to watch the GOP nominee proclaim his love for Long Island and the state of New York — which he says he believes could be switched from red to blue — while sharing his plans for a closed border, mass deportation and much more.
Haitian residents have come together to protest former President Donald Trump this evening at his rally in Uniondale, NY. @DCReportMedia pic.twitter.com/EiiIv1naYO
— Jack Walsh (@jdwalsh23) September 18, 2024
While DCReport was unable to gain entry into the event despite waiting for many hours, we dug for some stories through our on the ground reporting, which consisted of interviewing locals, examining the permitter and conducting research.
Haitian Locals Protest Against Trump
A couple hundred local Haitian residents took to the front entrance of the coliseum to protest Trump’s recent rhetoric which they believe is anti-immigrant, and anti-Haitian, per his quote in the last presidential debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.
”In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs,” Trump said. “The people that came in, they’re eating the cats, they’re eating…they’re eating the pets of the people that live there…”
“We are here to protest against Trump, against false accusations toward Haitian immigrants in this country. We do not eat cats, we do not eat dogs,” said Eve Fils, a nurse hailing from Queens. “We will work hard to vote blue against him.”
We will work hard to vote blue against him.
Fils noted that she came from Haiti to the United States and fell in love with democracy, but feels that other voters do not share the same concern as she does regarding Trump’s controversial past.
“Coming here from Haiti, where we don’t have democracy, when I came here, I fell in love, and I still fall in love with this country, with the system,” she said. “And for Trump to go against the system for the first time in the history of this country — we cannot have peaceful transfer of power because of his ego — that hurt me a lot. It’s painful when I see American people not concerned about that.”
Another protestor, Anne Marie, a retired nurse who lives in Uniondale, just near Hofstra University, believes Trump’s recent statements make him unfit. She too is upset by the “cats and dogs” statement, and has been in the U.S. since 1978.
“Trump is not fit to be president of the United States because the United States is a superpower country who can help all other countries to do better. So Trump is not fit. He’s not educated enough.”
Thousands Denied Entry, Dozens Left Early
Coliseum doors opened at 3 p.m., with many supporters arriving just shortly after 8 a.m., according to CBS News New York. Additionally, the arena was filled to its 16,000 capacity, with thousands getting rejected the opportunity to see Trump’s display, after waiting in the parking lot for, in some cases, hours on end — including DCReport.
Our small nonprofit news team was not able to get inside at the #TrumpRally in NY tonight, but we’re here digging up stories from the ground up. Thousands of Trump supporters watch on the big screen — many of whom have been here for hours, @jdwalsh23 reports. pic.twitter.com/0u5VdtkP3y
— DCReport (@DCReportMedia) September 18, 2024
However, not too long after Trump took the stage, DCReport caught dozens of supporters leaving the stadium, from what a handful of bystanders described as a bad echo, making it difficult to hear any of what Trump was saying. A couple of other rally goers denied questions upon their exits.
Attendees walking out of @realDonaldTrump’s rally in New York tonight… our @jdwalsh23 reports that he’s been told the echo is horrible, and it’s very difficult to hear inside. #trumprally pic.twitter.com/jMO0TTmAWD
— DCReport (@DCReportMedia) September 19, 2024
Notably, various X accounts are showcasing an empty rally toward the end of former President Trump’s speech, with some expressing that there was indeed a packed house at one point and time.
Here’s the promised footage of empty seats at the NY Trump rally @TheGoodLiars pic.twitter.com/8A8fBLMPSt
— Jonathan Howard MD (@19joho) September 19, 2024
Las Vegas Sands in Control of the Coliseum and Tied to Trump; Mega Donors
Las Vegas Sands is now in control of the Nassau Coliseum, a company owned by the Adelson family. Sheldon Adelson, the former founder and CEO, died in 2021, but was Trump’s largest donor in both his 2016 and 2020 campaign’s. Essentially, it remains a significant possibility that Trump’s political connection to the family may have led him to hold his rally at this specific location, or perhaps come to Long Island in general, as he trails Harris largely in many New York presidential polls.
Notably, former President Trump said that the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which he gave to Dr. Miriam Adelson, the widow of Sheldon, was “equivalent” and “much better” than the Medal of Honor, drawing stark criticism in comparing the two. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is given to civilians for successful public service among numerous other reasons, while the Medal of Honor is the highest combat military decoration.
In July, The Nassau County Legislature Rules Committee “voted to approve a 42-year lease on the Nassau Coliseum, and surrounding property known as the Hub, for the Las Vegas Sands Corporation,” which is the former home arena of the New York Islanders, according to Long Island Press.
The idea: to build a casino on the same property of the coliseum, which former Islanders team owner Charles Wang attempted to create with The Lighthouse Project, but residents vetoed in August, 2011.
“The Lighthouse Project would have upgraded the arena and built hotels, restaurants, shops, and more around it, which is what Islanders owner Scott Malkin is in the midst of building at UBS Arena,” The Hockey News explained.
Moving ahead, ABC 7 New York confirmed on August 7 “The Las Vegas Sands is now set to take control of the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale. There are still obstacles to clear before the launch of the casino can get underway, including getting approved for a gaming license from New York state.”
The plan has received large criticism from many local residents, who do not want a casino in sight on the path to get to Hofstra University just nearby.
The Say No to the Casino Civic Association said in a press release on their Instagram that the 18-1 approval vote was “shameful,” making the claim that the Las Vegas Sands is a “predatory gambling company.”
“This lease is a dangerous example of the power of money in politics and the pay to play system at work in Nassau County,” they continued.
