President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited El Paso Wednesday afternoon to meet with first responders and survivors of Saturday鈥檚 mass shooting.
Those who greeted the president include Gov. Greg Abbott, Sen. John Cornyn, Sen. Ted Cruz, El Paso Mayor Dee Margo and others.
Residents, however, turned out in force to protest the visit.
It was hot and humid at El Paso鈥檚 Washington Park, but hundreds of protesters were there holding signs that declared: 鈥淣ot Welcome,鈥� 鈥淏rown and Proud,鈥� and 鈥淔uera Trump,鈥� which translates to 鈥淭rump Get Out.鈥�
Callie Weston brandished a large sign that read 鈥淏an Assault Weapons Now.鈥�
The evening of the shooting, which killed 22 people, she said she visited asylum seekers at a local detention center.
鈥淎nd I said them, 鈥榊ou realize, you were safe. You were one of the few people in El Paso, because you were locked up in a detention center, you were safe,鈥欌�� said Weston.
Also in Washington Park was Karen Powers, who staffed a table registering people to vote. She said Trump was not welcome in her city.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like inviting the murderer to the funeral to me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 that gross.鈥�
Many of the demonstrators carried signs blaming Trump directly for inspiring the alleged shooter through his anti-immigrant rhetoric.
Richie Huerta was one of the demonstrators and said he thinks assault weapons should not be available to civilians.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not fighting a war here. Now, it seems, that鈥檚 what it looks like,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 know people need a handgun or whatever to have for their own protection and everything, but you don鈥檛 need those kind of rifles here in the United States. Leave that to the Army.鈥�
Less than a mile away, Trump was at the University Medical Center meeting with their staff and other first responders 鈥� as well as survivors of the shooting. Before coming down to Texas, Trump also visited Dayton, Ohio where a mass shooting took place early Sunday morning killing 10 people including the shooter.
There were small crowds of protesters near the side streets of the El Paso hospital.
Back at the Walmart where the shooting took place, El Pasoans continued to gather near a memorial outside the store. According to reports from the El Paso Police Department, some protest groups began 鈥渃lashing against each other.鈥�
The memorial was meant to honor the victims. Do not dishonor them by clashing against each other. Stop the hate鈥� EL PASO POLICE DEPT (@EPPOLICE)
After visiting the hospital, the president went to the El Paso Region Communications Center. According to reports, protestors stood on the street outside where someone held up a large white bed sheet with the words 鈥淩acist, go home.鈥�
Inside, Trump told first responders that they are 鈥渢he best鈥� and shook their hands.
鈥淎ll over the world, they鈥檙e talking about the job you鈥檝e done,鈥� the president said.
Incredible afternoon in El Paso, Texas. We love you, and are with you, all the way! 鈥� Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
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