Trump campaign cancels Pavilion event

Protesters line up across the street from the UIC Pavilion, which the Trump campaign had rented for an event. Photo: Jenny Fontaine

The Trump campaign canceled its event scheduled at the UIC Pavilion Friday night.

About 6,360 people were inside the UIC Pavilion for the 6 p.m. event when the Trump campaign announced it was canceled around 6:30 p.m. Another 4,000 people were in line to enter the Pavilion and about 2,500 protesters were outside, according to UIC Police and UIC Pavilion estimates.

“Yesterday’s rally and protests attracted thousands of individuals who sought to make their voices heard through the political process,” UIC Chancellor Michael Amiridis said in an email to the campus community Saturday. “We fully supported the rights of all groups to assemble and express their political views and worked hard with the organizers to facilitate the events.

“I want to thank our students and other members of the UIC community who participated peacefully in these events. UIC strives to create an environment where opposing points of view can be heard and debated and we expect our students to conduct themselves accordingly.”

UIC Police, Chicago Police, Illinois State Police and the Secret Service provided security for the event. UIC Police arrested three people not affiliated with UIC after they refused to leave the Pavilion. The Chicago Police Department reported four arrests.

“The vast majority of attendees at today’s events exercised their constitutional rights of free speech and free assembly peacefully. The abrupt announcement of the cancellation of the event created challenges in managing an orderly exit from the Pavilion,” UIC Police Chief Kevin Booker said Friday.

“The University of Illinois at Chicago worked with all appropriate agencies to address the security concerns associated with an event of this nature including the Secret Service, Chicago Police Department and Illinois State Police as well as campaign and protest organizers.”