[C]apitol Police say they expect a crowd of between 3,000 and 5,000 at Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Vermont kick-off rally Saturday on the Statehouse lawn.
Chief Matthew Romei said a gathering of that size is “well within” the capacity of the grounds, site of the 2020 Democratic presidential candidate’s first event in the state since announcing a second run for the White House.
Romei said law enforcement has largely been taking direction on security measures from the Sanders campaign. He said there will be a few set entrance points, with the campaign wanding rally-goers as they enter the lawn.
“We’re working with all our typical partner agencies to make a successful happy Saturday — if the weather complies,” Romei said. “That’s the wild card component. The biggest thing we’re keeping an eye on at the moment is the weather.”
Early forecasts show scattered thunderstorms with a high of 68 degrees on Saturday.
A press release said the event, scheduled to get underway at 2 p.m., will “highlight Sanders’ career in public service and celebrate the impact it’s had on Vermont through the years.”
Sanders kicked off his 2016 campaign with a rally on the Burlington waterfront that drew a crowd of more than 5,000. This year, he planned to do the same, but because of icy conditions on the waterfront, he launched the 2020 campaign in Brooklyn, where he grew up.
Brandi Carlile is scheduled to perform at Saturday’s event. The singer-songwriter and Sanders supporter is also playing sold-out shows on Friday and Saturday at the Shelburne Museum.
So far, Sanders has been spending much of his campaigning in states with early primary elections, such as California, Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. The last press conference he held in Vermont was in July 2018.
The Montpelier City Council approved a road closure for State Street for the event. Susan Allen, assistant city manager, said food vendors have also been authorized to set up in the area. She said the city is “confident” it can accommodate the rally.
