GOP front-runner Donald J. Trump was in Little Rock, Ark. last night for a rally with what he claimed was a “record crowd of 12,000 at Barton Coliseum.” Here’s the photo he tweeted out of the event:
THANK YOU to everyone in Little Rock, Arkansas tonight! A record crowd of 12K. #Trump2016https://t.co/MjtIq2ii0Q pic.twitter.com/I9WkPN3pWm
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 4, 2016
But the actual attendance is in dispute as photos shared online and reports from the scene show many empty seats:
https://twitter.com/SopanDeb/status/695047023708520452
@Fictonic @realDonaldTrump I am here & can assure you that's not true. There is a solid crowd of 6,000 here, but venue is half-empty.
— Jeremy Diamond (@JDiamond1) February 4, 2016
Ralph Shoptaw, GM of Barton Coliseum, just said crowd here broke 11,500 attendance record. But it's half-empty. And that's full capacity.
— Jeremy Diamond (@JDiamond1) February 4, 2016
@1fedupvoter nope. Seating capacity in stands is 7,100
— Jeremy Diamond (@JDiamond1) February 4, 2016
Optics tonight not ideal for @realDonaldTrump, who was hoping to pack arena after Iowa loss. Still several K here pic.twitter.com/ozkMZ4GTFf
— Jeremy Diamond (@JDiamond1) February 4, 2016
https://twitter.com/dmartosko/status/695070136655486976
https://twitter.com/dmartosko/status/695206505486876674
Photos of Trump's 'record crowd' shows Arkansas venue was half empty https://t.co/hE8uy5nFfP pic.twitter.com/uDJB0nqrIB
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) February 4, 2016
During his speech, Trump brought who he said was the “fire marshal” up on stage to verify his record crowd, but it turns out it wasn’t the fire marshal but the general manger of the state fair:
https://twitter.com/SopanDeb/status/695043453311320064
https://twitter.com/dmartosko/status/695083906228301824
The Daily Mail attempted to get the general manager/fake fire marshal on the record, be he declined to comment:
Donald Trump boasted that he attracted a record-setting crowd to a livestock arena at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds on Wednesday night, but photos taken while he spoke inside the Barton Coliseum tell a different story.
Minutes before the billionaire Republican presidential candidate arrived on stage – nearly two hours late – the general manager of the state fair told the crowd that they had set a record.
‘In 1974 we had ZZ Top here and we set our all-time record of 11,451,’ Ralph Shoptaw said on stage. ‘I have just been informed that we have broken that record. Over 11,500. So welcome, Mr. Trump to Barton Coliseum.’
Shoptaw didn’t say who informed him of the head-count. He also did not respond to a request for comment.
When Trump entered the arena and looked out over a half-empty venue, he claimed Shoptaw was the fire marshal and reiterated that he had set a new attendance record.
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