WASHINGTON — With organizers for the March for Trump rally expecting thousands of people from around the country to attend this upcoming weekend's event, "Emergency No Parking" measures impacting numerous streets around the District began on Thursday.
The March for Trump, which will begin at noon on Saturday at Freedom Plaza and then head to the Supreme Court building, is one of several events planned in D.C. this weekend by right-wing groups.
According to organizer Chris Barron, the goal of the march is to show support for President Donald Trump and to call "for every legal vote to be counted" in the presidential election.
"This is an opportunity for folks all across the country to urge him not to concede until every legal vote has been counted and to show support for the integrity of our elections," Barron said. "At the end of the day, Vice President Biden may actually win. If so, we’re going to respect that, but there is a process. Let’s have a process where both sides feel like this is a legitimate election and everyone feels like their voices were heard.”
Women for America First is one of the main groups organizing Saturday's rally.
Concerns have grown about possible clashes with counter-protesters in the District.
Barron told WUSA 9 that he believed the events for Trump would stay peaceful and he hoped that other groups who disagree with the rallygoers would give them space.
"There is very little violence at Trump rallies," he said. "We’re going to do everything we can to make sure that these are peaceful events. We certainly hope that folks who may disagree with us politically will still allow us to have our opportunity to exercise our freedom of speech and our freedom of assembly.”
Barron added that organizers have been urging attendees to wear masks and stay socially distant during the rally.
On Thursday evening, DC Police began Emergency No Parking measures that impacted streets near Black Lives Matter Plaza, Franklin Square, and McPherson Square.
Many other streets will be impacted around town beginning on Friday afternoon and lasting through Sunday night.
A full list of the Emergency No Parking areas and road closures can be found here.
Ahead of Saturday's march, Barron hoped the group could send a special message to the president and the rest of the country.
"The biggest message is to the president and to let him know that we support him and that we stand with him," Barron said. "Donald Trump was a breath of fresh air after years of feeling the establishment simply wasn’t listening to their base. The folks who voted for the president still stand with him, still support him and want him to fight until every last legal vote is counted.”
