After dodging loud protests outside the Hyatt Regency in Burlingame, Republican presidential candidates Donald Trump spoke at the California Republican convention in Burlingame Friday.
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Trump told several hundred state delegates and passionate supporters that it “was not the easiest entrance I’ve ever made”.
“We we went under a fence and through a fence”, Trump said. “They stared punishing and beating me up”, said Trump supporter Adam Harry, who says he took some abuse after walking through a crowd.
Despite the chaos outside the GOP convention in Burlingame on Friday, the scene inside the Hyatt was relatively calm as Trump tried to solidify his support among California Republicans. He said the businessman would get “crushed” in the November general election. Some protesters infiltrated the hotel building and hung a giant banner reading, “Stop Hate”.
After the rally, Trump thanked the people of Orange County for hosting the event.
A man wearing a red, Trump-campaign “Make America Great Again” hat was struck while being jostled by a group of shouting protesters.
The tough-talking sheriff proclaimed, “If they think they are going to intimidate you, and the next president of the United States, not going to happen”.
Trump drew thousands of supporters to the rally, some of whom were unable to fit inside, and found themselves gathered outside facing off against the anti-Trump crowd.
Burlingame police said in a statement on Thursday night that they prepared for the protests against Trump by drawing officers from law enforcement agencies throughout the region.
Protesters have disrupted campaign rallies for Mr Trump across the country, denouncing the frontrunner’s rhetoric against Muslims and immigrants.
In a campaign in which Trump and his supporters have been derided for marginalizing women, Latinos and other ethnic groups, the crowd gathering around the candidate at the advertised their minority status. “We didn’t want it to be like Costa Mesa”, Herrera said.
The disturbances came after at least 20 people were arrested following protests at another electoral event of the likely GOP candidate at Costa Mesa in Southern California. Ted Cruz, of Texas, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich – will make their pitch to hundreds of party officials and millions of Californians watching on TV or the internet.
After Trump swept all five states that held primaries Tuesday, the nomination landscape suddenly favors the real estate mogul.
Mr Trump is viewed suspiciously by two camps in California – those who want to expand the party and those who view some of Mr Trump’s positions as betrayals of the conservative movement.
The contest in the nation’s most populous state Los Angeles County alone has more people than MI is vastly complicated, playing out in what amounts to 54 separate races on a single day one in every congressional district and one statewide.
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The California primary will award 172 delegates. Whoever wins the popular vote June 7 will secure the remaining 13 delegates.
