Protesters, supporters greet presidents as summit begins
MANALAPAN — Pomp, protests, arrests and traffic jams greeted the leaders of the United States and China Thursday in Palm Beach County.
As Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived Thursday afternoon for meetings with President Donald Trump, three people were arrested on obstruction charges when they tried to run into, or in front of, the motorcade bringing Xi from Palm Beach International Airport to the Eau Palm Beach Resort and Spa in Manalapan, the Palm Beach County Sheriff ’s Office said.
The arrests came as Chinese in Manalapan protested that government’s treatment of religious minorities, and nearby, Vietnamese denounced China’s influence in that country.
Authorities did not report any issues when Air Force One landed a short time later and Trump traveled to his Palm Beach Mar-a-Lago compound, where he was to dine with Xi on Thursday night and hold additional talks today before Xi departs. Trump is to leave for Washington on Sunday.
Both motorcades Thursday had traveled east on Southern Boulevard to State Road A1A in Palm Beach before Xi headed south to Manalapan. Palm Beach police reported no incidents, although they did confiscate some gasoline and a generator that protesters were using to power their sound system.
The sheriff ’s office arrested five indi-