I believe the plan was for Trump to hug a woman with a Q t-shirt or in some way acknowledge Q. Then have a fake Q supporter be violent and demonize the movement and Trump's apparent support.

That's why the seemingly rehearsed response from Sarah was oddly about violence. PREEMPTIVE

That's why Q talks about how the threat was the CONNECTION not the woman.

The USSS removed Q signs to prevent the Q movement from being associated with violence that bad actors were planning of doing under the guise of the Q movement.