Protesters — and police — prep for Trump's Hawaii visit

HPD conducts motorcade training ahead of Trump visit
Published: Sep. 29, 2017 at 10:43 AM HST|Updated: Oct. 31, 2017 at 2:44 PM HST
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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The president and first lady are set to stop in the islands Friday before kicking off a trip to Asia.

The one-day stopover is prompting a flurry of preparations.

Police were in Kahala on Tuesday morning practicing motorcade maneuvers. Meanwhile, organizers are hoping for big crowds at a planned rally Friday.

The White House has started telling local officials that President Trump is planning to stay in Waikiki.

Law enforcement and security officials say there have been attempts to encourage the president to stay somewhere less busy. But it's ultimately his decision.

The news drew mixed reactions from Waikiki regulars.

"He can stay wherever he wants to stay, but what about all the people? There's going to be traffic when he moves around," said waterman Sam Rodrigues.

"When you have a dignitary, they have to stop the traffic and make it safe for everybody. The police have been pretty good," said paddler Jon Miki.

Meanwhile, both Trump supporters and opponents are getting ready for the presidential visit.

Shirlene Ostrov, chair of the Hawaii Republican Party, was in Washington, D.C. on Monday discussing Trump's upcoming visit with White House staff.

"The president is very focused on his national security agenda. He is not planning to do any kind of public appearances, but he does know that there are people in Hawaii that support him and his agenda out here in the Asia Pacific," said Ostrov.

An anti-Trump group -- Hawaii J20 -- is also planning for the president's visit.

On Friday, they'll be holding a rally at the state Capitol building called "Hawaii-3, Trump-0," reflecting the number of times the state has blocked the president's travel bans. "We're very proud of the state's role and I think we just couldn't let this opportunity pass without making some comment," said Gaye Chan, Hawaii J20 member.

While on Oahu, Trump is set to visit the USS Arizona memorial and get a briefing from U.S. Pacific Command.

Gov. David Ige said Monday he has not gotten specifics on Trump's itinerary in Hawaii, which is not unusual given security concerns.

He added that he does plan to welcome the president and first lady when they arrive and tell the two, "Aloha."

"I don't intend to have a heated issue or political debate on the tarmac," Ige told Hawaii News Now.

He added, "Whenever any president visits the state of Hawaii, i think it's an opportunity to learn about the people, place and culture. We all learned a long time ago that when we work together we accomplish great things."

After his visit, Trump will head to Asia on a tour that includes travel to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, the Philippines through 14.

The Asia tour will include a series of bilateral, multilateral and cultural engagements with various leaders, starting with Japan on Nov. 5.

He will also participate in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vietnam and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in the Philippines. According to a White House statement, "President Trump will discuss the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific region to America's prosperity and security."

He's also expected to talk about economic ties with trade partners as well as resolutions to the ongoing North Korea threat.

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