Photos by Andrew Goff.

“Berners” are being turned away as the Arcata Theatre Lounge is at capacity for the first Democratic presidential debate, LoCO‘s Andrew Goff reports from the scene. Fans of the Democratic socialist senator from Vermont flocked to the Arcata venue for the first Democratic presidential debate, which got underway shortly before 6 p.m. here on the West Coast.

The debate is airing on CNN and streaming on CNN.com.

A “Trump impersonator” opened the event, and the assembled crowd was, if not exactly delighted by the performance, at least polite, Goff reports.