His comments at the campaign rally prompted chants of “U.S.A.!”
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“If we start closing our borders to some people based on their religious beliefs, that is completely unconstitutional… we start going to a World War II Germany kind of situation and I don’t want that in my country”, the 31-year-old historian added. Then, after a countdown, a mass of protesters surged forward, with those behind digging their heels into the sidewalk and pushing with their shoulders against the demonstrators in front of them. At least one person was arrested.
Shawn Inglima Gil Mobley (r.) cheers on protesters gathering at an anti-Trump rally at Columbus Circle, across the street from Trump International Hotel & Tower Saturday afternoon.
Three people were arrested for blocking the roadway.
And Trump has incorporated reactions to them into his usual campaign speech. “Donald Trump has a right to speak out and the people have a right to go in there and hear him speak”, Arpaio said.
By the time that the road had been blocked, Trump’s rally was already packed and a long line of people waited to get in – so while the protesters made a point by fouling up traffic, they did little to prevent Trump from getting a full audience. One of the counter-protesters who held a sign that read “build the wall”, left the protest early after his presence was met with strong protester response.
At a Trump rally in Tucson, Arizona, a black Trump supporter was seen punching and stomping on a white protester who had donned a KKK hood in an attempt to disrupt the rally.
In Tucson, Trump was accompanied by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who endorsed the candidate in January and, like Trump, is a staunch advocate of deporting immigrants who are in the country illegally. The Phoenix Police Department, which worked security at the event, said protesters threw water bottles at officers, who responded by using pepper spray on protesters. “Really disgusting”, Trump said of the protesters, according to Real Clear Politics.
Only a dozen or so protesters stood at the entrance to Trump’s rally. “We told them we were not going to move”. “I believe he would be a real danger if he gets into office”, she said.
Most of the presidential candidates are campaigning heavily in Arizona, just days ahead of the state primary on Tuesday when 58 Republican and 85 Democratic delegates will be up for grabs.
Several hundred demonstrators in New York City are continuing to protest Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump.
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Trump, who has repeatedly accused Mexico of sending violent and unlawful migrants to flood the United States, has made illegal immigration the signature issue of his campaign.
