They came early and often.Supporters of Republican front runner Donald Trump show up in droves and converged in downtown Evansville Thursday morning to see the businessman in person. However, Trump's visit didn't come without a relatively large group of protesters. One protester, 36-year-old Kelley Barnes of Evansville, was swiftly arrested by Evansville police officers after allegedly 'mooning' Trump supporters.
They came from all over but arrived for one reason: Donald Trump. Allyson Hall and several of her friends were the first to claim their spots at the Old National Events Plaza.
"We came here around 4:30 this morning. It was way too early," Hall said as she let out a hearty laugh. "I like what [Trump] says. He speaks from the heart. He says what a lot of people are thinking but he has the guts to say it. He loves his country. You can truly tell he loves his country."
Hall may have been the first but she surely wasn't the last. Thousands of people, many of whom couldn't get inside because the venue was at capacity, lined an entire city block downtown. The line, which began on the north side of the convention center, snaked all the way around, spilling out into the Back 40 parking lot.
One of the first people to take her seat was Sandy Mahandy of Evansville. Wearing Trump-emblazoned clothes and holding an American flag, Mahandy was elated and excited to see her candidate.
Trump wasn't her favorite at first.
"Oh, heck no. I hated him. I could not stand that man on The Apprentice. He got rid of Brett Michaels," Mahandy said. But the more I watched, the more I did research, when I researched Cruz and all the others, they don't stand a chance."
Mahandy, like other Trump supporters in the Hoosier State, was particularly excited to see the Indiana primary be relevant.
"He is not a corrupt politician. He gives me hope for the future. I'm 57 years old and I've never even been to the polls. I have never voted," Mahandy said. "And honestly, when has Indiana ever counted? We actually count this year. It's like we finally matter to the United States. We never have before."
For James Shrode, a veteran of the Army, supporting Trump is something far more personal.
"He is going to see that the VA is straightened out," Shrode said. "Our veterans have been forgotten. Let's bring our country back to reality to what it was, with real values."
Shortly before the doors opened, Mahandy wondered aloud where the protesters were. A few hours later, she got her answer.
Shouting, screaming and chanting, Trump protesters and Trump supporters lined the sidewalks outside the Old National Events Plaza, facing each other. Each group would trade chants, often laced with vulgarities. Many times, each group would try to shout the other down.
In the middle, were a number of Evansville police officers and Vanderburgh County sheriff's deputies. The law enforcement officers essentially served as a buffer between the shouting factions, ensuring no one from either side sparked a melee.
As the rally let out, the two groups walked to the back of the convention center, congregating at the corner of 9th and Walnut St.
It flanked Trump's exit route.
The two groups resumed the shouting and chanting as officers and deputies tried to ensure that no one walked into the street. At one point, protester Kelley Barnes walked across the street to where Trump's supporters were congregated. After being conjoled by officers to go back to the protesters side in an effort to prevent an incident, Barnes walked back across the street.
Then, she appeared to 'moon' the Trump supporters.
Officers quickly responded and took her into custody. She was arrested on indecent exposure and was booked in to the county jail on a $50 bond.
Despite her arrest, Evansville police said there were no major incidents.
