A group of people supporting President Trump gathered on Sept. 25 at South Entry Park on the corner of Canyon Road and Mountain View Avenue. Onlookers in cars stared, honked and sped by. Some thrusted their middle finger out the window. 

Members of the crowd were holding different flags, including American Flags, “thin blue line” flags in support of police officers, “Trump 2020” flags and Gadsden flags, which feature the “don’t tread on me” slogan. The crowd played country music and the national anthem through large speakers throughout the event.

John Schultz, an Ellensburg local and president of “Reclaim Ellensburg,” was accredited as the organizer of the event. 

“Reclaim Ellensburg is a citizens organization of the local people of Ellensburg and Kittitas County,” Schultz said. “This is a political rally, we’re here supporting President Trump and other conservative candidates for office, and that’s mainly what our purpose is here today.”

Schultz said the rallies have been going on for a couple of months now, and typically on a rally day about 40 people will show up. He said the people who come to the rallies are working people who take time out of their days to attend the events.

Schultz said they had experienced verbal and physical harassment in the past from people opposing what they were rallying for, but those types of interactions “don’t serve their purpose” so they try to avoid it.

“Our main goal for the rally is to try to raise awareness of the coming election and get people to get out, exercise their rights and vote,” Schultz said.

Brad Chalcraft, a Cle Elum resident, was a participant of the rally. Chalcraft was holding up an American flag and “Trump 2020” flag. 

“I’m concerned about our country and where it’s going…I have three kids and two grandkids that I’m out here for,” Chalcraft said. “So this is why I’m out here, for them, this is going to be their country.”

Chalcraft said the reasons he was at the rally were to stand up for American freedoms, liberties and the constitution. He said people don’t realize how important it is to have these things, and people take them for granted. 

“These colleges that are teaching kids how to hate our country is beyond me. There’re people dying to get in here … because they’re enslaved,” Chalcraft said. “If Joe Biden gets in [office], that’s exactly where they’re going to put them, in slavery, financial slavery.”

Chalcraft said while the rallying group gets a lot of support, he would like to see more.

“I would love to see more that are aware of what is going on in our country, because a lot of people are not aware. Yes, they’re Trump supporters and they’re Americans but they’re not aware of how important this election is,” Chalcraft said.

Randy Patterson, a Kittitas County citizen, said he came to the rally to show support for America, Trump and the Republicans running for office in Washington.

“This is all about freedom or Marxism, and this is a free country. If you want Marxism, move. Move to Venezuela or some creepy damn country. Leave this one alone,” Patterson said.

 He said he believes it is important to rally in support of America, Trump and Republicans because America is a free country, and he does not want to see socialism in America.

“We will not give this country up, we will fight you, we will kill you. It’s as simple as that: You start screwing with the [veterans] in this country, they will come out of the woodwork,” Patterson said.