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Some Trump backers were forced to move through a gauntlet of protesters, many of whom were shouting at them, calling them “bigots” and singing, “Sha-na-na-na, na-na-na-na, hey, hey, goodbye.”
Some Trump backers were forced to move through a gauntlet of protesters, many of whom were shouting at them, calling them “bigots” and singing, “Sha-na-na-na, na-na-na-na, hey, hey, goodbye.”
Earlier on Friday at a rally in St. Louis, Trump continued to taunt those who interrupt his events while promising that police and security would be “gentle” as they removed them.
“They’re allowed to get up and interrupt us horribly and we have to be very, very gentle,” Trump said in response to one of nearly a dozen interruptions as he spoke in St. Louis at the regal Peabody Opera House. “They can swing and hit people, but if we hit them back, it’s a terrible, terrible thing, right?”
Throughout his St. Louis speech, Trump was deeply critical of the protesters, all of whom appeared to leave the venue largely without incident. Police later said that 31 people were arrested and charged with general peace disturbance, and one person was charged outside the venue with third-degree assault.
The presidential candidate panned the protesters as weak “troublemakers,” ordered them to “go home to mommy” or “go home and get a job” because “they contribute nothing.””These are not good people, just so you understand,” Trump said. “These are not the people who made our country great. These are the people that are destroying our country.”
In Chicago, several protesters were removed from the arena before the rally was canceled. One section appeared to be filled with youths protesting his appearance, a majority of them African-American, Latino, Arab-American and Asian-American.
Before the official who announced the cancellation took the stage, a female protester shouted “f— Trump” while holding a “No Hate” sign. People in the upper balcony threw debris at her.
As of 6:50 p.m., there had been no arrests or injuries, said Chicago Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. Interim Superintendent John Escalante is on the scene. The Police Department was notified by university officials that the event would be shut down.
Leading up to the postponed rally, the crowd of protesters grew and police officers, including one on horseback, expanded the area to accommodate their larger numbers.
Nineteen-year-old Radia Mchabcheb said she came from Villa Park to stand against Trump. “There’s no support for hateful kinds of speech, especially for presidential candidates,” she said.
Protesters chanted “Hey, hey. Ho, ho. Donald Trump has got to go.”
A few Trump backers lashed back at demonstrators, shouting, “Build the wall!” a reference to Trump’s pledge to build a wall on the Mexican border — and have Mexico pay for it.
While emotions ran high, a phalanx of Chicago police officers worked to keep Trump’s fans and foes on opposite sides of Harrison Street.
Thousands turned out to see Trump, while outside the pavilion thousands of demonstrators had gathered.
Trump’s visit before Tuesday’s presidential primary in Illinois raised concerns on campus, with dozens of UIC faculty and staff signing a petition begun by a student leader asking how security would be handled and who would pay for it. More than 40,000 people signed it.
A 24-hour vigil leading up to Trump’s campaign stop and organized by Latino community leaders began late Thursday.
Chicagoan and paramedic Deirdre Fennessy held up a sign with a swastika that replaced the “U” in the Republican presidential front-runner’s name.
“Chicagoans don’t want him here,” Fennessy said.
“We’re not paying attention to them,” said a Trump supporter from Villa Park who gave his name as “Tony” and said he immigrated from Italy 40 years ago. He praised the hotel magnate’s “management skills.”
Most people who turned out for Trump were white. Farice Campbell, a 21-year-old African-American man from Chicago, said he came out of curiosity, and to see Trump supporters up close.
“We came to see in real life how this all plays out, and the reasons to support Trump,” Campbell said.
With him was 18-year-old Portia Torrens, of Oswego, who is also black.
“This is a huge part of history,” she said. “It’s good to be a part of it.”
After a large number of demonstrators sneaked into the event and began a coordinated protest inside, Trump told the crowd: ‘Part of the problem and part of the reason it takes so long is nobody wants to hurt each other anymore, right?
‘And they’re being politically correct the way they take them out. So it takes a little bit longer,’ the River Front Times reported.
Demonstrators pulled off their jackets to reveal anti-Trump slogans, or produced banners, at least one of which compared Trump to the KKK.
Trump repeatedly summoned police to remove the demonstrators, and seemed to become irritated after it took ten minutes to escort them out.
It is not clear how the activist was injured, but there were multiple scuffles between Trump supporters and demonstrators.
Other reports indicated that the man was not arrested, but instead had his wounds treated and was allowed to walk free.
The fresh scenes of violence come after Trump supporter John McGraw, 78, was caught on camera hitting Rakeem Jones, 26, at another event in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on Wednesday.
In response to the alleged attack, R&B singer Chris Brown urged black protesters to travel in groups to avoid being attacked.
According to the New York Daily News, the singer said: ‘Man, this s*** is getting crazy. Black people getting assaulted at f****ing rallies where you’re supposed to talk at.
‘What you need to start doing – all these black people, go together 40, 50 deep. See what they do then. Keep touching us, motherf*****.’
Trump has repeatedly refuted allegations that his often incendiary rhetoric, particularly against Muslims and Mexicans, has incited violence.
Organizers at Trump rallies have also been advising attendees on how to deal with demonstrators, saying they should chant and wave banners while waiting for the authorities, and have warned against getting physically involved themselves.
Thousands of people turned out to hear Trump speak in Missouri on Friday with a line hours long stretching around the block for tickets to be allowed inside the 3,000 seat theater.
Thousands more were left standing outside where they listened to the speech on loudspeakers, with anti-Trump protesters chanting slogans nearby.
TRUMP supporter John McGraw punching protester
Earlier Friday at a news conference in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump applauded his supporters who have taken on protesters who he says have gotten physical at his rallies.
‘The audience hit back,’ he said. ‘And that’s what we need a little bit more of.’
Later Friday, Trump will hold an evening rally at the University of Illinois at Chicago — a civil and immigrant rights organizing hub with large minority student populations.
Trump’s visit has already created waves on the campus. Dozens of UIC faculty and staff petitioned university administrators to cancel the rally, citing concerns it would create a ‘hostile and physically dangerous environment’ for students. Chicago police plan a heavy presence.
Rep. Luis Gutierrez, student activists and longtime Chicago organizers are all planning to protest outside the university venue over issues that include what they called Trump’s disparaging comments, particularly about Muslims and Mexicans.
‘Donald Trump’s campaign, it incites hatred and violence with the things he says with marginalized groups that are very prevalent UIC,’ said Casandra Rebledo, a 19-year-old nursing student. ‘This is something we feel is a form of empowerment.’
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