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Coverage of the 2016 presidential election from NPR News and related blogs, including candidate profiles, interviews and talking points.On-air specials will also be broadcast as Election Day approaches, including the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary.WRVO also provides coverage of regional elections both on-air and online.

Hundreds of protesters demonstrate outside of Trump rally in Syracuse

The presidential candidates and their surrogates traveled throughout upstate this weekend, trying to drum up support and encourage New Yorkers to vote for them in Tuesday's primary.

Meanwhile, more than 250 people protested outside Donald Trump’s rally in Syracuse on Saturday. Many were students upset with Trump's language on immigration.

Zainab Abdali is a sophomore at Syracuse University and was one of several Muslim students protesting Trump.

“When someone says things about Muslims, about Mexicans, about all people of color, who makes fun of people with disabilities, I don’t see an option to stay at home anymore,” Abdali said.

She was joined by Fatima, who did not want to give her last name, and is from Trinidad and Tobago.

“The rhetoric is really isolating, I came out to feel a sense of community here and just to know that I’m welcomed, at least by some people here and that is really encouraging,” Fatima said.

For 26-year-old Devin Housley, the protest was as much against intolerance as it was against Trump.

“It’s almost overwhelming that there’s so much not love," Housley said. "People are standing for something that we pride America on not being anymore and trying to move away from. It’s really scary that we see not only older people but a younger generation of people supporting Donald Trump.”

Credit Tom Magnarelli / WRVO News
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WRVO News
A 14-year-old saxophonist playing outside the Trump rally in Syracuse.

Protesters were backed up by an assortment of musicians, such as the feminist punk band Malvinas. And on the other side of the street, as Trump supporters waited in line, a 14-year-old saxophonist, with no political affiliation, played for donations so he can save up and one day go to college.

Trump also held a rally in Watertown later in the day.

And former President Bill Clinton campaigned for his wife, Hillary Clinton throughout Saturday. The Democrat went to Albany, Watertown, Syracuse and Binghamton stumping for his wife, the current front runner in the race.

For complete coverage of this weekend's campaigning, tune in to Morning Edition on Monday.

Tom Magnarelli is a reporter covering the central New York and Syracuse area. He joined WRVO as a freelance reporter in 2012 while a student at Syracuse University and was hired full time in 2015. He has reported extensively on politics, education, arts and culture and other issues around central New York.