Protests erupt outside Army-Navy game as Trump attends in Baltimore

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND: Protests broke out outside the annual Army-Navy football game on Saturday as President Donald Trump attended the high-profile event, drawing a visible security presence and raising tensions around the stadium. Demonstrators assembled on nearby streets to voice opposition to Trump, while the game itself proceeded as scheduled under tight law enforcement monitoring.

Local police and federal authorities maintained a strong presence around M&T Bank Stadium as crowds gathered hours before kickoff. Officers blocked off sections of nearby streets and monitored demonstrators as fans continued to enter the venue for the 126th edition of the historic rivalry game between the US Military Academy and the US Naval Academy.

Trump greeted by protesters outside stadium

Outside M&T Bank Stadium on December 13, a group of protesters gathered as Donald Trump arrived for the Army-Navy football game. Social media footage circulating online showed demonstrators holding signs opposing Trump along the route leading to the stadium. 

The protests were widely anticipated following Trump’s past remarks about Baltimore, including previous comments suggesting the deployment of the National Guard to address the city’s crime rate. Baltimore, a heavily Democratic city, has frequently ranked among US cities with higher violent crime rates, particularly in categories such as homicides and robberies. 

Despite the demonstrations, officials reported no major disruptions to the game or fan access. Security teams maintained designated protest areas while allowing the event to move forward as planned.

Protest planned by left-wing group against Trump

A video shared by social media account Old Row showed protesters chanting and holding signs near the stadium. The Free State Collision, a left-wing activist group, had earlier confirmed plans to demonstrate during the game.

The group previously told Baltimore Fishbowl that it intended to organize protests in response to Trump’s attendance at the event.

“Baltimore refuses to be silent in the face of authoritarianism,” a spokesperson for Free State Collision said in a statement to the outlet.

“Protest is not un-American, but fascism is. This country was born in dissent against tyranny. We want to send a message to our neighbors who are feeling isolated and afraid to speak out: you are not alone. This is not normal, not okay, and not America’s future.”

Protest coincides with deadly attack in Syria

The protests took place on the same day that two US Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in an ambush attack in Syria. US officials said the attack was carried out by ISIS.

Trump addressed the incident in a post on Truth Social, confirming the deaths and pledging a strong response.

“We mourn the loss of three Great American Patriots in Syria, two soldiers, and one civilian interpreter,” Trump wrote. “Likewise, we pray for the three injured soldiers who, it has just been confirmed, are doing well.”

He added that the attack occurred in a dangerous region not fully under Syrian government control and said there would be “very serious retaliation.”

Trump’s attendance at the Army-Navy game marked his second consecutive appearance at the annual rivalry, which determines the winner of the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. The game continued without incident despite the demonstrations outside the stadium.