Tucson: Republicans greeted by swarms of anti-Bush protestors

Well over 500 people showed up to protest an appearance by President Bush Monday morning to rally the minions behind his Social Security overhaul plan. Demonstrators chanted and jeered at the nearly 1,500 republicans who showed up to hear Bush speak.

Senators Jon Kyl and John McCain and representative Jim Kolbe also attended the event.

Protestors stood sandwiched in between two lines of republicans waiting to enter the Tucson Convention Center. Eventually, protestors completely swarmed around the republicans, yelling chants like “Hey Bush, what do ya say, who would Jesus bomb today?” Bush-goers came prepared with signs and stickers that said “Fix Social Security Now.”

Much name-calling and general yelling ensued, with each side accusing the other of being “idiots” and “uninformed” along with “where do you get your news from?” (obviously not Indymedia) and “you don’t know what you’re talking about.” And of course, the age old “Get a job!” The police stood back during most of this, stepping in only a couple times.

After all the republicans had entered TCC and been properly harassed, the rally drifted down to where the motorcade was expected to enter the convention center. At this point, there were several hundred people lining both sides of the road and filling in the landscaping around the TCC’s west side tunnel entrance.

Hardly more than 20 minutes after Air Force 1 was seen flying overhead, the motorcade roared into the convention center. Dozens of Tucson police officers lined up in front of the rally. People booed and yelled as Bush’s limo sped by.

Although some people left, a majority of the crowd hung around to see the motorcade off. Even more police came out to form a line during Bush’s exit.

Two people were arrested – a mother and her daughter – after the young girl allegedly threw an egg at the motorcade. Officers ripped the two off the sidewalk and took them across the street, where they were almost ran over by the tail end of the motorcade procession. A large group of republicans had gathered across the street, waiting to get to their cars, and began to cheer when they saw the arrest.

Once again, a few hundred pro-Bush cretins faced off with demonstrators while working their way back to the parking lot.

All in all, about 100 TPD officers and commanders were present during Bush’s stay, working closely with Secret Service agents who were constantly surveying the crowd.