"like they we're"
I was taught apostrophe placement in early grade school. Where did you not learn it?

The only thing he waved around was a phone.

It didn't go like that at all. An ICE goon shoved a woman down into the snow and Pretti went to help her.

Kegseth having a snootful again, I see...

But crowd size can change as it goes from place to place for any number of reasons.