The rally was interrupted for ten
minutes after activists made it inside the Peabody Opera House in St
Louis, with Trump complaining about the delay, saying: 'The problem is
nobody wants to hurt each other anymore'
Police move in to arrest a group of
demonstrators after they began chanting slogans and waving banners
comparing Trump to the KK during his rally in St Louis today
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.
Thousands of anti-Trump protesters,
some Black Lives Matter activists and veterans of the Ferguson
demonstrations, wave banners and chanted slogans outside the venue
Trump supporters were also out in
force, with lines for the rally stretching around the block and
thousands of people left to listen on loudspeakers outside
Police were forced to erect metal
barriers between the two factions as tempers repeatedly threatened to
boil over, with Trump supporters chanting 'build the wall'
Quizzed
by Inside Edition on why he hit the black demonstrator, McGraw
responded 'we don't know if he's ISIS', before adding: 'Next time we see
him, we might have to kill him.'
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.
The fresh
violence comes two days af John McGraw, 78 (left), was arrested after
allegedly punching a black activist at a Trump rally (right) claiming
'we don't know if he's ISIS'
Security
were forced to erect steel barriers to keep the two parties apart as
tensions threatened to boil over, video from the event shows.
According
to local reports, many of the anti-Trump protesters were from Black
Lives Matter, and had previously been involved in rallies in Ferguson
following the shooting of Michael Brown.
Trump
had to answer questions at Thursday night's GOP debate about violence
involving his supporters clashing with opponents at rallies.
Friday's
gathering in St. Louis was his first public campaign event since
Wednesday's rally, and Trump lashed out at the criticism.
'You
know, they talk about a protest or something. They don't talk about
what's really happing in these forums and these rooms and these
stadiums,' Trump said. 'They don't talk about the love.'
He
added that he and his supporters aren't angry people, but they 'do get
angry when we see the stupidity with which our country is run and how
it's being destroyed.'
Trump was quizzed over whether his
rallies incite violence at the GOP debate on Thursday night, a claim he
denied, saying people don't report on the 'love' shown by supporters
Trump supporters wait in line outside
the UIC Pavilion in Chicago where Trump is expected to hold another
rally tonight with more heavy security planned
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.'
Republican candidate Donald Trump greets supporters at the end of a rally at the Peabody Opera House
Trump signs merchandise including books and hats at the end of his rally in St Louis today
Gutierrez
said he had no plans to enter the event. Instead, he would rally in a
parking lot outside with a message focused on welcoming all.
'We're
not going to let Donald Trump take us back to the 1950s,' said
Gutierrez, a Chicago Democrat, who has long rallied for immigrant
rights. 'We've worked too hard.'
Organizers
of a student-led group, who expected hundreds of participants, planned
to meet on campus and march to the arena where Trump will speak and set
up shop in a nearby parking lot.
Members
of Black Lives Matter Chicago, which has held largely peaceful smaller
protests following a police-involved shooting in Chicago, also planned
to participate.
Chicago
police said they were coordinating with the Secret Service, university
police and fire department officials on logistics.
'People can expect to see a very visible police presence,' police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement.
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