Happy Bay Area Trump supporters fear being protested

ByKatie Marzullo KGO logo

Friday, January 20, 2017

Bay Area Republicans happy, fear being protested

The City of Oakland says it's prepared for large demonstrations in the wake of Donald Trump's inauguration, but many businesses aren't taking chances.

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Many events are scheduled for Friday and Saturday in celebration of the Trump Inauguration, but they aren't being publicized. Organizers fear the parties may be disrupted.

Bay Area Republican Juan Hernandez is in Washington D.C. for the inaugural festivities. "The Republican Party is an awesome party to belong to," he said. "And we know how to party."

During the campaign, Hernandez was attacked by protestors at a Trump rally in San Jose. He says it's great to now be celebrating a win with friends. "Here we can be out and proud, and over there we can't," he said.

For Republicans who couldn't be in Washington, Len Duncan has organized an inauguration viewing party in the South Bay. "It's all people who are so happy, ecstatic, is the word about Trump's win and Mike Pence's win and are looking forward to total change and what we want to see in government," he said.

The party is by invitation only and Duncan is keeping the location under wraps for fear that protestors will cause problems. His friend and fellow republican Frank Jewett wishes that weren't the case. "Our democracy, our republic works and I think that's the thing that we celebrate," Jewett said. "We celebrate the change of what has served us for more than two decades."

Campus Republicans at Santa Clara University tell ABC7 News they're hosting a celebratory bar-b-q on Saturday so they don't miss class Friday morning.