As hundreds of protesters outside his rally here Friday afternoon chanted obscenities, waved Mexican flags and clashed with police, Donald Trump reveled on stage in the drama his candidacy has created.
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Scuffles broke out between pro and anti-Donald Trump groups as the Republican presumptive presidential nominee held a rally in a city near the Mexican border, along which he has pledged to build a wall if nominated.
“I marvel that this presidential election has come to this”, said San Diego City Councilman Todd Gloria, a Democrat who joined the protest.
Fresno and San Diego geared up for protests at Donald Trump campaign events Friday, following similar events around the country that led to violence and arrests.
Authorities said 12 people were arrested, including one for trying to climb over a railing, but there was no major violence or mass arrests as at Trump rallies in other cities.
“Fantastic job on handling the thugs who tried to disrupt our very peaceful and well attended rally”, Trump tweeted.
The incident comes just two days after 14 protesters were arrested at a Trump rally in Anaheim. Trump said from the podium.
Demonstrators in the Southern California city of Costa Mesa last month damaged police cars and threw bottles, leading to 17 arrests.
Trump suggested broadcast networks were unwilling to go along with his demand that at least US$10 million raised from the encounter be donated to charity.
The initial thought was that Trump wanted to debate Sanders to take away attention from Hillary Clinton.
The billionaire, according to his lawyer, is expected to testify in the class-action suit, which goes to trial in San Diego in November.
Pointing to a supporter’s sign, Trump said, “I really like when they put up ‘Latinos for Trump.’ ‘Latinos for Trump.’ I love it. We’re going to do great with Latinos”.
However, since securing the Republican nomination, Trump has toned his rhetoric against Latinos down considerably, a move that some observers believe is a bid to appeal to swing voters and independents who are hesitant to vote for presumptive Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton.
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A count by The Associated Press on Thursday found that Mr Trump has reached the required number of delegates to officially clinch the Republican nomination.
