Two mundane political demonstrations devolved into a tense, profanity-laced powder keg when they literally came face to face Friday outside U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik's Glens Falls office.

The police-supervised confrontation is becoming a familiar scene in the community, as the recurring liberal protests outside the Republican lawmaker's office have awakened an enthusiastic counter presence from local supporters of President Donald J. Trump.

A few dozen members of the recently formed "American Patriots Express" organization staked out the roundabout in the core of the city to show support for "legal immigration" and the president, as critics of Trump's immigration policy assembled in a nearby field and planned to march to Stefanik's office.

David Vanscoy, a founding member of GOP group, said they came together originally with about 15 people in response to to a local impeachment movement this summer. The South Glens Falls resident said supporters of the president are often afraid to display their position publicly for fear of retaliation.

"We're showing our community ... that it's O.K. to come out and stand up for yourself and stick up for yourself," Vanscoy said.

As the liberal activists — chanting "love, not hate, makes America great" — made their way by the roundabout and toward Stefanik's office, a portion of the American Patriots Express began moseying along on the opposite side of the street in the same direction.

After briefly chanting at each other from across the street with the aid of bullhorns, the liberal activists crossed over and the groups began a more intimate exchange, with some activists getting inches from each other until law enforcement moved in to difuse the situation.

The singing of patriotic songs and recitation of the pledge of allegiance by the liberal group was initially met by chants of "Trump" and "go home." Things quickly got more personal and heated, as both sides hurtled insults and the pro-Trump supporters shouted a variety of expletives that they later defended as their 1st Amendment right.

After about 10 minutes of unintelligible yelling, the two sides began to lose steam and started to disperse, throwing out passing potshots as they separated.

Both groups faulted their ideological opposites for bringing in activists from outside the district, which spans the North Country and skirts down around Saratoga Springs into the towns of Stillwater and Milton.

Ellen Egger-Aimone, a liberal organizer from Saratoga Springs, contended that it wasn't a big deal for her to cross district boundaries, although she faulted the other side for bringing in supporters. She also noted that her group, Saratoga Progressive Action, includes members in Stefanik's district.

James Zecca, a Trump supporter from Utica, traveled to the neighboring district with a warning about the dangers of organized liberal activists. He noted that his GOP congressional representative was narrowly unseated last year after being targeted by persistent protests.

"We don't want to see that happen in the North Country," said Zecca, who credited Stefanik's supporters with being prepared and organized.

The liberal groups have another march scheduled for Sept. 21 in Glens Falls.

David.Lombardo@timesunion.com • 518-454-5427 • @poozer87