New Hampshire Fire Marshal: Trump Smashed Elton John’s Attendance Record at Manchester Arena

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President Trump posted several tweets Friday night pushing back against “fake news” reports that he spoke to an empty arena at a campaign rally in Manchester, New Hampshire Thursday. Photos showing empty seats behind Trump and in the upper level of SNHU Arena were used by liberal activists and media to promote the hashtag #EmptySeatMAGATour on Twitter. The activists and media ignored the thousands of Trump supporters outside the arena who watched from outside because they were not allowed in after the doors were shut by authorities. Activists falsely claimed a campaign to reserve tickets and not show for the rally had succeeded, but officials involved with the rally said there was a record crowd inside, regardless of the empty seats.

TGP reported Thursday night about the issue of hundreds of empty seats while several thousand Trump supporters were kept outside.

The Daily Mail reported earlier Friday the Manchester deputy fire marshal said Trump’s crowd was 11,500 with maybe a few more, while an arena official told the Mail that the empty upper deck seats were from people packing the floor instead.

Manchester Deputy Fire Marshal Mitchell Cady told DailyMail.com that Trump was right – that his crowd numbered ‘just over 11,500.’

Calling the president’s tweet ‘a topic of discussion around here,’ Cady revealed that ‘the arena staff said Elton John was around 11,300’ in April 2004.

Cady also said his office estimated that at least 8,000 people stood outside the arena in an overflow crowd area, watching the rally on jumbo TV screens.

…An official at the SNHU Arena who declined to be named, saying, ‘You’re not going to get me involved in all this political fighting,’ said Friday that empty ‘nosebleed seats’ would have been offset ‘by all the people cramming themselves into the standing-room space on the arena floor.’

‘The Trump people wanted the fire marshal to let more people in, and at some point they say no,’ the official said. But there were tons and tons more outside. It’s not like they couldn’t fill the place.’

Trump posted Friday night after the #EmptySeatMAGATour hashtag trended most of the day on Twitter with reports on The Hill and Raw Story pushing the empty arena.

“Great time in New Hampshire last night. Placed was maxed out, totally packed, with thousands coming to the arena floor at start. Thousands more outside that were not allowed in per code. Energy was really great to see. We will win New Hampshire in 2020!”

“Look at the tremendous overflow at packed arena in New Hampshire last night. Sorry we couldn’t get you in, will be back soon!”

“Biggest crowd EVER, according to Arena people. Thousands outside trying to get in. Place was packed! Radical Left Dems & their Partner, LameStream Media, saying Arena empty. Check out pictures. Fake News. The Enemy of the People!”

The Hill article did not mention the thousands outside the arena.

As did Raw Story:

The overflow crowd of supporters outside the arena was huge, as video and photos show:

https://twitter.com/MikeySwetz/status/1162152728950444032

https://twitter.com/Shadowbanned941/status/1162155238037610496

But inside there were hundreds of empty seats, mainly in the upper deck but also about a dozen were seen behind Trump when he spoke.

https://twitter.com/spettypi/status/1162165702494756870

Trump’s post of photos from the rally are framed on the lower bowl.

This video by a Trump supporter shows more than a few empty obstructed view seats. The pan of the video shows hundreds of empty seats all around the upper deck, more than is usually seen during a Trump rally–and matches the photo by reporter Ben Simmoneau.

https://twitter.com/thejtlewis/status/1162452514475859968

This report by WCVB-TV on the thousands outside the arena notes at the end an estimate of a thousand empty seats.

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Maybe next time the advance team can talk to the the fire marshal about increasing capacity if the floor can be packed while the upper deck is barely filled.

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Kristinn Taylor
Kristinn Taylor has contributed to The Gateway Pundit for over ten years. Mr. Taylor previously wrote for Breitbart, worked for Judicial Watch and was co-leader of the D.C. Chapter of FreeRepublic.com. He studied journalism in high school, visited the Newseum and once met David Brinkley.

You can email Kristinn Taylor here, and read more of Kristinn Taylor's articles here.

 

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