Rosemary

We’ve attended many Trump rallies. Tonight’s was different. As independent media, we’ve attended many Trump/MAGA rallies over the years. Typically, these events are predictable—energized, but generally orderly. We approach attendees, offer interviews, and often have pleasant, even insightful, conversations. Sometimes people decline, and we move on. We rarely feel unsafe or threatened. But tonight’s rally at Macomb Community College was different. We arrived later than usual, knowing Trump would be arriving late himself. The crowd outside was rowdier than usual, and something felt off. People were visibly drunk and high—generally not atmosphere we’ve come to expect. We were even offered drugs, something we had never experienced before. Things took a darker turn when one of our team members was sexually harassed by a man who grabbed her and tried to forcibly kiss her. This crossed a line we couldn’t ignore. The energy had shifted. Feeling unsafe, we made the decision to leave early, along with hundreds of others who, like us, saw Trump start his speech and then headed for the exits. This experience was a stark contrast to the rallies we’ve covered in the past, where we’ve always felt we could do our job without fear. Tonight was different, and if this is a sign of what’s to come, it’s deeply concerning. We’ll continue to cover these events because it’s our job, but what happened tonight in Macomb County was not acceptable. When you cultivate a culture that marginalizes women, subjugates them and when your rhetoric shows a clear disrespect we can’t be too surprised that supporters would act this way. We still processing the events of the night and we are home safe now. Thank you for listening