Police in California issued a firm warning to protesters Wednesday that violence would not be tolerated ahead of Donald Trump’s scheduled rally following clashes between anti-Trump protesters and police in New Mexico a day earlier.
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However, the violence outside the Anaheim event didn’t reach the level reported in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where cops were injured in a melee with protesters the previous night.
According to reports, some protesters shouted expletives and others held provocative signs, but only one demonstrator was thrown out of the rally for disruption.
Donald Trump supporters celebrated the outsized presence of riot police in Anaheim at the latest Trump rally to attract protesters, several of them beaten and arrested.
Numerous cars also sported Mexican flags while their drivers shouted at people to support their protest against Trump.
In his speech in New Mexico, the state with the highest percentage of Hispanic residents of any U.S. state, Trump startled observers by criticising Governor Susana Martinez, the nation’s only Hispanic governor and head of the Republican Governors Association. Police in Bismarck, N.D., said Wednesday they would dedicate about a quarter of their force for security when Trump heads to the state today.
Some participants openly admitted that they set out to cause disruption yesterday.
A top Republican National Committee (RNC) official on Thursday joined others from the GOP in defending Gov. Susana Martinez in the wake of criticism of the New Mexico governor from Donald TrumpDonald TrumpThe Hill’s 12:30 Report RNC official defends Susana Martinez after Trump criticism GOP Senate hopeful wants to go beyond Trump’s Muslim ban MORE – drawing into question moves toward party. “And then I said, ‘Let’s see what kind of chaos we can get into.'” She said she came to the protest in her pajamas and stole some Trump T-shirts from vendors during the confusion. He also called Elizabeth Warren “goofy” and said he taken to calling her “Pocahontas”. New Mexico is the nation’s most Hispanic state. The mayor and police were tallying up the damage that spread to several blocks near historic Route 66.
It was not until long after the rally that police were finally called in to disperse the protesters.
A couple dozen remained, however, occasionally throwing rocks at officers.
Despite the demonstrations in Southern California not showing the same degree of violence which was seen in Albuquerque, Anaheim Police still arrested 11 people as the crowd chanted “F*** Donald Trump!”
Yaquelin Orozco, a Guatemalan mother of two, attended the protest for her husband who was recently deported to Mexico. Drivers in passing cars revved their engines, and passengers waved large Mexican flags, while protesters yelled, “Viva Mexico!” Following Trump’s speech, large groups of people flooded into the streets around the OC Fairgrounds, harassed motorists and smashed a police cruiser’s windshield.
Senior Trump advisor Tana Goertz rejected the idea that Trump’s attitude said anything about his feelings towards women and Latino voters but was just a case of him being honest after he was personally snubbed.
“I supported him from the beginning, even when there were 17 (Republican candidates)”, said Steve Love, a real estate broker from Granada Hills.
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By nightfall, the family atmosphere gave way to protesters with tattoos of the Sureños 13 gang, a loosely organized collection of Latino gangs that pay tribute to the Mexican mafia. Some of them warned rally attendees to be careful since the gang “ran these streets”.
