Crowds of protesters holding "Dump Trump" signs and voicing their opposition to the Republican front-runner Saturday morning brought traffic to a halt.
An hour ahead of the scheduled Donald Trump rally in Phoenix, Arizona, drivers were forced to stop their vehicles at Shea and Palisades Boulevards.
Maricopa County sheriff's deputies arrived and summoned tow trucks to start hauling the violators away, KPHO-TV reported.
Protesters began lining up in Phoenix early Saturday morning in advance of Donald Trump’s campaign event at the Phoenix Convention Center.
“We don’t want you here in Arizona,” protester Salvador Reza told KPHO-TV. “We don’t want your hate.”
Protesters planned a several-block march to where Trump will speak later Saturday morning.
“We want to make sure that people know that not everyone is in agreement with Donald Trump,” Reza said. “There’s more than 50 percent of people who don’t want him.”
Reza was specifically addressing Trump's hardline stance on immigration.
“He’s already talking about building walls, not bridges. In the modern era, that’s not acceptable,” Reza said.
TheBlaze's Leigh Munsil was in Arizona Saturday covering the protest and the rally:
Heading to the protest now, coming up the other side from behind the barricade. Decent line of cars waiting to turn into Shea— Leigh Munsil (@Leigh Munsil) 1458406514.0
Scene on Shea BLVd outside Trump rally https://t.co/JlNvt2WGOZ— Leigh Munsil (@Leigh Munsil) 1458407162.0
"Fascism is way more dangerous than shutting down a street" a female protester told me outside Trump event— Leigh Munsil (@Leigh Munsil) 1458407307.0
Trump supporters tell officers: "We want to see you do something."— Leigh Munsil (@Leigh Munsil) 1458407738.0
Officer gives protesters a first warning to get off the streets. First warning was at 10:22 a.m. Next in three minutes.— Leigh Munsil (@Leigh Munsil) 1458408166.0
First warning. https://t.co/7UmUj3Fvug— Leigh Munsil (@Leigh Munsil) 1458408648.0
First warning has happened, protesters show no sign of moving.— Leigh Munsil (@Leigh Munsil) 1458408233.0
Protesters still holding strong https://t.co/X4jb9Z1qfN— Leigh Munsil (@Leigh Munsil) 1458408646.0
Protesters cheered when they announced they successfully shut down Shea and 87. Are now walking the four miles (unconfirmed) to the rally— Leigh Munsil (@Leigh Munsil) 1458409127.0
Protesters starting to get into yelling matches with officers as we move toward rally— Leigh Munsil (@Leigh Munsil) 1458409431.0
Many protesters wearing cloth or masks over their faces.— Leigh Munsil (@Leigh Munsil) 1458409687.0
Keep checking TheBlaze for more updates.