Trump rally in Phoenix

All morning, I'd been debating whether to go to downtown Phoenix (after work) to witness the "activities" around the Trump rally. I was having second thoughts, because apparently, many downtown businesses & county offices announced plans to close early:

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/downtown-phoenix-offices-businesses-restaurants-bars-closed-trump-rally-9615480

"The city has already announced that it plans to close the streets surrounding the Phoenix Convention Center, and additional traffic restrictions will be in place on Washington, Jefferson, and Van Buren streets. While doors don't open until 4 p.m. and the rally doesn't start until 7, it's safe to say that downtown will be crawling with cops and Secret Service agents all day long.

And at worst, clashes between protesters and Trump supporters (some of whom plan to come armed) could lead to Charlottesville-style violence.

A number of county offices and downtown businesses have already announced plans to close early on Tuesday, citing road closures and parking restrictions." 

Then I read the NYTimes which gave an indication of the groups that were planning to attend:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/22/us/trumps-rally-in-arizona-what-you-need-to-know.html?mcubz=0

"Several opposition rallies and marches have been planned, according to the Arizona Republic. By Tuesday, more than 3,900 people had indicated on Facebook that they would attend one event, Protest Trump Downtown Phoenix, across the street from the convention center. Another 2,700 said they planned to attend White Supremacy Will Not Be Pardoned, organized by the Puente Human Rights Movement.

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Another rally, Never Again: Jews and Allies Against Hate, was planned by David Schapira, a Tempe city councilman, and State Senator Robert Meza for the State Capitol earlier in the afternoon. A church in Phoenix also scheduled a march from the convention center to the Capitol Tuesday evening.

The Phoenix New Times reported that one group associated with the anti-fascist, or antifa, movement had called for “an anti-fascist & anti-colonial contingent against Trump’s rally” on Tuesday."

So I decided to go.

From the eastern part of the valley, I rode the light-rail (which was packed as it always is during big events) to downtown Phoenix. 
I was surprised that the light-rail did not stop at the station next to the convention center. But apparently, the police did not want protesters (which our train was filled with) to confront Trump supporters.

We stopped at the next station and walked a few blocks back to the convention center. For a moment, I was at the other side of the police line facing the anti-Trump protesters:

     

The police officers told us to keep moving so I walked with some
people to the other side to stand with the anti-Trump protesters:  

I stood with the protesters (everything was peaceful). But then I heard a commotion.

Right after I took the picture above, protesters started running towards the location where I was standing because the police sprayed tear gas into the crowd. I saw the thick cloud of tear gas approaching me so I ran as well. Still, some of the tear gas got to me so I coughed for a while and had to spit as well.

I watched a recap of the Trump speech after I got home where he was making fun of how small the crowd of counter-protesters were. If the crowd was so "small", why did the police spray tear gas to disperse it? 

I gotta say, I was disappointed with the overwhelming response (because we were peaceful). Granted, I did not know what was happening with the protesters who were closer to the convention center. However, the crowd I was with, did not deserve to be tear gased for just exercising a constitutional right. But I guess that's just life under the Trump administration.