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And I'm in Keystone, SD, just down the hill from Mount Rushmore. I'll be covering the Trump fireworks event as it happens, outside the security cordon. Follow @ShannMarvel and @mattgadephotog for @FORUMCOMCO coverage inside the venue.
The Trump fan scene and merch game here in Keystone competes well with any campaign event I covered during the 2016 race. And I see a lot of recycled Trump t-shirt designs. (Also, unfortunately, President Lincoln tripped on a boardwalk rock.)
Protesters march through downtown Keystone, SD. Many of those on the sidewalks shout "four more years" in response.
More protesters march through Keystone. Seems like several small groups of protesters here, loosely spaced. Police are following them through town.
Protesters are now blocking the entrance into Mount Rushmore.
A wheel has been taken off this van blocking the entrance to Mount Rushmore. Police pulling out restraints, telling media to back up or we'll be arrested.
Police just announced over a megaphone that the protesters blocking the entrance to Mount Rushmore are an unlawful assembly and if protesters don't disburse, they'll be arrested. Again, zero traffic in and out of the monument.
I've been pushed to the side of the protest by police, with other media, counter-protesters and some people with tickets to the event. Video isn't posting to Twitter due to cell bandwidth issues.
These are Pennington County sheriff deputies. They are not in aggressive posture here. They're handing around water down the line.
Some pro-Trump guys are here yelling at the protesters.
Deputies are now pushing us back about from the protest line blocking the entrance to Mount Rushmore.
Police again calling this an unlawful assembly, telling protesters to move back to the original protest area along the road, telling them the road cannot be blocked. Action feels imminent now.
So these riot police are now marching on the protesters.
Riot police advancing into protesters. Pulling people through and arresting them. Two so far.
We're being told to get back because they going to be deploying something "unpleasant"
Gas masks are going on. Those with shoulder insignias show 114th Fighter Wing, air national guard based out of Sioux Falls. Others don't have shoulder patches other than the US flag on the right, "SF" on the left.
National Guard is shields up and readying to advance. Someone says "gas gas gas"
The clash.
National Guard takes the van line. Some protesters getting pepper sprayed.
Protesters who remain are now between two lines of riot armored national guard and police.
Two semi two trucks have pulled up. Presumably to remove the vans blocking the road.
Some young protesters are being shepherded out: "the safe zone is the tent, anyone not in the tent is going to get hit." About 30-40 protesters left on the road. And I see a shotgun with orange markings behind the line of natl guard.
Wow, Trump just flew overhead. That's Air Force 1, probably a Mount Rushmore overflight, just up the road. He's due to land at Ellsworth AFB in 15 minutes.
Vans are being towed away. And there's this deputy sheriff with sergeant stripes, wielding a shotgun with "less-lethal" orange markings.
Gas masks going back on, joined by gloves. Gear checks taking place.
And then there are these police to the side with long guns.
Police counting down, say those left on the road now have one minute to leave.
And that's it, all troops move in and eveyone left blocking to road to Mount Rushmore arrested and loaded into vans.
And how's that for timing. There's Marine 1, with President Dolald Trump aboard, heading to Mount Rushmore for a night of speeches and fireworks.
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