PHOTOS: The other side of the fence

Former President Donald Trump arrived for his first campaign trip at the South Carolina Statehouse on Jan. 28, 2023. Although the event was limited to 500 guests, this boundary — and the fence — did not stop Trump supporters from showing their adoration for the potential 2024 presidential candidate. Aside from a few verbal altercations between a Trump supporter and a trio of counter protestors, the day was peaceful. As the sun set over the Statehouse, people pulled out their phones and streamed Trump's message, experiencing the event in their own way — on the other side of the fence.

People arrived on the South Carolina Statehouse lawn as early as 2 p.m. for Donald Trump's late afternoon appearance on Jan. 28, 2023. A fence wrapped around the Statehouse grounds separating the majority Trump supporter crowd from the 500 individuals that were escorted into the private event.

CEO of MAGA Mall Ronald Solomon stands at the corner of Main and Gervais selling his MAGA merchandise on Jan. 28, 2023. “It’s really fun because one day, I might be at a black tie party at Mar-a-Lago, and another day, I might be on a street corner selling the hats,” Solomon said. He travels the country selling his merchandise, taking pride in giving part of his proceeds to MAGA Republicans' campaigns.

CEO of MAGA Mall Ronald Solomon has been selling his MAGA merchandise since 2016. “I go all over the country," he said. "I've seen more of this country in the last few years than I have in my entire life.” He sold his original designs on the corner of Main and Gervais on Jan. 28, 2023.

Law enforcement stayed on the inside of the fence, keeping watch over the remaining crowd of people attending Trump's first campaign stop on Jan. 28, 2023. The child (right) witnessed one of the few verbal altercations of the day.

Attendee JT Bessinger (left) and protestor and third-year media arts student Katelynn Basile (right) engage in a verbal altercation with each other at the Statehouse on Jan. 28, 2023. A crowd gathered outside of the Statehouse on Saturday as former President Donald Trump spoke inside to invitees and members of the media.

A child plays with grass while waiting outside of the Statehouse during Trump's first campaign visit on Jan. 28, 2023. Some children wore MAGA merchandise while standing with their families on the Statehouse lawn.

JT Bessinger (right) yells at counter protestors in one of the few conflicts on the Statehouse lawn on Jan. 28, 2023. "You have hijacked the gay community," he said as he continued to express his views to a very supportive, surrounding crowd. The protestors photographed the only to actively mix in the larger group of Trump supporters.

While hundreds of people made it into the Statehouse for former President Donald Trump's private campaign event, many remained gathered on the lawn on Jan. 28, 2023. Chants of "U-S-A" could be heard at different times of the day, as some attendees demonstrated their support for Trump's 2024 campaign.

Kelli Powell, a representative of World Wide South Carolina on Telegram, hugs a friend over the fence before she enters the Statehouse for Trump's speech on Jan. 28, 2023. Powell was not one of the 500 that got access to the private event, however, she stayed out on the Statehouse lawn and enjoyed her personal "Jesus juice."

A mix of Ben Tillman statue protestors and anti-Trump protestors gathered on the sidewalk outside the South Carolina Statehouse on Jan. 28, 2023. "I would like to see (Ben Tillman's statue) melted down and made into a urinal, so I could properly express how I feel about this man as a former governor of South Carolina," Andy Lopez (right) said on behalf of the group.

A woman (left) wears as a hat that says "JESUS is my savior, TRUMP is my president," while standing along the fence outside the Statehouse on Jan. 28, 2023. The MAGA branding of bright red and American flags could be seen across the Statehouse lawn, as former President Donald Trump's private campaign event brought many local Trump supporters back into the public eye.

Virgina Mills holds an American flag while standing outside of the Statehouse on Jan. 28, 2023. Mills aligned herself with the Democratic party for about 30 years, before shifting ideologies. She said the Democratic Party weaponizes minority groups and overly generalizes them as struggling.

A man wears a MAGA hat as he stands outside of the Statehouse during Trump's campaign visit on Jan. 28, 2023. Attendees arrived in the early afternoon, hoping to hear from their ideal 2024 presidential candidate.

A man holds a Trump-looking balloon outside of the Statehouse on Jan. 28, 2023. A small group of regular Ben Tillman statue protestors added anti-Trump rhetoric to their usual sidewalk presence. They remained peaceful even as police officers removed them from their spot for blocking off the walkway.

People young and old waited on the Statehouse lawn on Jan. 28, 2023. Decked in American flags and MAGA hats, supporters turned out on both sides of the Statehouse fence for former President Donald Trump's Columbia visit.