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President Trump at the game
Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images
Top-tier college football mixed with politics when President Trump attended the game in Tuscaloosa between the University of Alabama and Louisiana State University.
During the first timeout of the game, when audiences at home were sent to commercial break, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump rose in their luxury box to cheers, applause and chants of “USA, USA.”
It was Trump’s third visit to a sporting event in two weeks and the first at which he was not booed. Leading up to the event, there was much discussion about what his reception would be at the football game.
However, not all were pleased with the president’s much-anticipated appearance.
Toward the end of halftime, seven students wearing shirts that spelled out “impeach” stood up and waved red and white pom-poms.
On Tuesday the University of Alabama Student Government Association emailed a statement about the game to students. The email was signed by Jason Rothfarb, the vice president of student affairs of SGA.
The email read, “Any organizations that engage in disruptive behavior during the game will be removed from block seating instantly for the remainder of the season.”
It’s unclear whether or not this statement was the reasoning behind the lack of booing. Some students found the email “suspicious” and potentially impeding on their First Amendment rights, especially considering how rowdy the notorious Alabama student section is known to be.
Rothfarb later said that his comments were mischaracterized and clarified that he meant to urge students to avoid altercations with staff, other students and game attendees, and not to impede on First Amendment rights.
The visit sparked protests on campus and off, with the infamous baby Trump balloon present in Tuscaloosa. The balloon was slashed down by a man, who was later arrested by police after he attempted to flee.
The day before the game, a small group of University of Alabama students protested against Trump’s visit, holding signs that read “Love trumps hate,” “Trump is racist” and “I hate Trump more than Auburn.” Student Tori Jones helped organize the protest in coordination with the Student Civil Justice Coalition.
"I organized this sit-in to protest the arrival of Donald Trump to our university,” said Jones’ statement on behalf of the student organization. “Trump gave the University of Alabama little notice he was coming, putting all of our student body at risk. Moreover, Donald Trump also brings with him a culture of systemic racism.”
“While systemic racism exists at the University of Alabama, Trump only exacerbates the problem,” the statement continued. “The SCJC and I did not feel as though we should stand back and do nothing as this man came to our campus. This sit-in was to demonstrate not only our discontentment with Trump, but also our discontentment with the culture at UA that allows him to feel comfortable coming here at all."
Jones told Al.com that most passersby responded well to the protest, with just a few people cheering “Trump 2020” at the students who had gathered on the steps in front of the library.
The LSU Tigers beat the Alabama Crimson Tide 46 to 41 in the highly anticipated game.
