Donald Trump Rally Results In Screaming And Violence, Trump Complains That He Has To Be ‘Gentle’ With Protesters
A rally for Donald Trump in St. Louis on Friday got loud and bloody before the Republican presidential front-runner was able to speak.
According to the River Front Times, a massive line had already begun to form in front of the Peabody Opera House at around 8 a.m., with Donald Trump supporters wrapping around the block, waiting to see him speak.
Many anti-Trump protesters showed up to the rally, including one man who reportedly enraged Trump supporters by stomping on an American flag in front of them. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, other protesters held signs accusing Donald Trump of spewing hatred and compared him to Adolf Hitler. Other protesters were less aggressive.
“We’re just trying to join with the Muslim community saying hate speech has no place here,” said an Episcopal priest among the protesters. “We stand with our Muslim American bothers and sisters, our Jewish brothers and sisters, our Christian brothers and sisters for this community. We’re not going to let Donald Trump’s hate speech divide us.”
Raw Story shared the other side of the pre-rally ugliness, including Trump supporters shouting some vicious threats and insults at protesters. One woman Tweeted a video of a man shouting anti-Muslim slurs.
This guy though #TrumpRallypic.twitter.com/cfTUHfAVWu
— Marissa (@southards_3) March 11, 2016
Another video shows a supporter of Donald Trump screaming at a young woman and calling her a whore.
Hard to believe that anyone would get assaulted at rallies with these sorts of attendees pic.twitter.com/ShhTKouFwL
— Lachlan Markay (@lachlan) March 11, 2016
Police were forced to make several arrests after confrontations got dangerously heated. One man was escorted away from the Donald Trump rally, bleeding.
A bloodied man dragged from Trump rally. pic.twitter.com/eyQxFL8Uht
— Trymaine Lee (@trymainelee) March 11, 2016
Other videos show near-altercations, with supporters of Donald Trump threatening violence and provoking fist-fights.
Battle lines drawn at Trump rally pic.twitter.com/Y9yRTnjOAm
— Trymaine Lee (@trymainelee) March 11, 2016
When the rally began and Donald Trump was finally able to speak, the event was continually interrupted by protesters, according to local news KMOV. As Donald Trump occupied the stage, security had to carry out a multitude of angry protesters, though they appeared to leave the Peabody Opera House peacefully. But that peacefulness is something Donald Trump seemed to complain about.
“They’re allowed to get up and interrupt us horribly and we have to be very gentle,” said Donald Trump said. “They can swing and hit people, but if we hit them back, it’s a terrible thing.”
He also added, “These are not the people who made our country great.”
Donald Trump also made a point to defend the actions of many of his supporters, trying to qualify that they aren’t naturally angry or violent, but they can provoked by the “stupidity” of the current government.
“[They] do get angry when we see the stupidity with which our country is run and how it’s being destroyed,” Donald Trump said.
Donald Trump also seemed to encourage violence in retaliation against anti-Trump protesters, citing an incident last Friday in Palm Beach Florida that resulted in similar physical altercations.
“The audience hit back. And that’s what we need a little bit more of.”
Despite Donald Trump’s frustration toward protesters and the expectation to deal with them peacefully, he did note that many of his rallies involve a lot of love and positivity that never gets reported.
“You know, they talk about a protest or something,” Trump said. “They don’t talk about what’s really happing in these forums and these rooms and these stadiums. They don’t talk about the love.”
Do you think protesters should leave Donald Trump alone? Do you think it’s right to fire back at them?
[Photos via Twitter and Joe Raedle/Getty Images]
