Donald Trump rally called off in Chicago amid protests, violence and chaos

[umbertino]

Rivals for Republican nomination say ugly scenes at University of Illinois Chicago were Trump’s own fault and inevitable result of his divisive rhetoric

 

 

Ben Jacobs, Ciara McCarthy and Zach Stafford in Chicago

 

Saturday 12 March 2016 05.10 GMT

 

 

 

A Donald Trump rally in Chicago had to be called off on Friday amid scenes of violence and chaos unparalleled in the recent history of American political campaigning.

 

The scrapping of the Republican frontrunner’s appearance due to what his campaign cited as “safety concerns” led to uproar and fights inside the University of Illinois Chicago Pavilion and in the streets outside.

 

Scuffles broke out between Trump supporters, protesters and police, and a number of arrests were made, including of at least one reporter. As the mayhem took hold, Trump was reduced to complaining about the situation on the air, telling MSNBC: “It’s sad when you can’t have a rally. Whatever happened to freedom of speech?”

 

The rally had been due to take place at a university that is one of the most diverse in the country, at a venue situated in the heart of Chicago, a Democratic stronghold where there are few registered Republicans.

 

Before the rally was even due to start, the scene for the evening was set as protesters inside the pavilion vented their opposition to the presidential candidate’s positions on immigration, race and other issues where his rhetoric has proven divisive.

 

The shouts on both sides were often crude and vulgar. Trump supporters yelled “Go back to Univision” at Hispanic people and hurled a racially charged insult at an African American woman; while those opposed to the candidate shouted “**** Donald Trump” and taunted police officers.

 

Police walked up and down the arena stairs holding sheaves of plastic handcuffs amid fraught but as yet non-violent scenes. Attendees grabbed signs from each other’s hands and several dozen people were ejected from the event long before formalities were scheduled to begin. At least one section of young people was cleared out by police long before the event began, including many of Middle Eastern appearance. “Just because I look like them doesn’t mean I’m with them,” said one.

 

Then it was announced that Trump wasn’t coming – and the arena erupted into chaos.

 

College students shouted “We shut it down” while loyal supporters of the Republican frontrunner shouted “We want Trump”.

 

Fights and scuffles broke out as protesters swapped blows with Trump supporters and activists eager to celebrate their apparent victory shouted “Bernie, Bernie” and “Si se puede” (“Yes we can”), while waving signs supporting the Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders.

 

After the postponement was announced a Trump campaign statement said: “Mr Trump just arrived in Chicago and after meeting with law enforcement has determined that for the safety of all of the tens of thousands of people that have gathered in and around the arena, tonight’s rally will be postponed to another date.

 

“Thank you very much for your attendance and please go in peace.”

 

Despite Trump’s statement that he had consulted law enforcement, the Chicago police department emphasised it had no involvement in the decision.

 

There is a growing catalogue of violence at Trump events. In the past week alone an attack on a non-violent protester led to criminal charges against a Trump supporter, and Michelle Fields, a reporter for conservative website Breitbart, was allegedly assaulted by Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s campaign manager.

 

Trump’s rhetoric has done little to keep it in check. When the Republican frontrunner appeared in St Louis earlier on Friday, for an event that entailed more than 30 arrests, he complained: “Part of the problem and part of the reason it takes so long [to kick protesters out] is nobody wants to hurt each other any more.” Trump added: “There used to be consequences. There are none any more. These people are so bad for our country. You have no idea folks, you have no idea.”

 

Much of the violence after the Chicago cancellation was concentrated around a parking garage adjacent to the University of Illinois Chicago Pavilion. Protesters crowded the sidewalks, pushing at barricades formed by police as they tried to block Trump supporters’ cars from leaving.

 

A spontaneous blockade of a parking garage formed, creating a standoff between screaming Trump supporters in the multi-level lot and screaming protesters on the ground below.

 

From high up Trump supporters reportedly spat down on protesters who were chanting “**** Donald Trump” and preventing anyone leaving. Eventually, after police cleared a path for people to depart, protesters jeered and gestured at each car and its occupants making their way past barricades and a long column of mounted police.

 

In the parking garage afterwards, Nerijus Meskauskus, a Trump supporter from Oak Lawn, Illinois described being assaulted by protesters. He told the Guardian that he had been holding an American flag and smoking a cigarette with fellow Trump supporters after the rally when someone came up and grabbed the flag. As Meskauskus described it, he was surrounded by protesters and punched “six or seven times” before “cops grabbed me and pulled me over the barricade”. He said protesters were “trying to jump the barricade to attack me”.

 

The scenes of violence sparked condemnation for the tenor of Trump’s campaign from his top rival for the GOP nomination, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas. “A campaign bears responsibility for creating an environment,” said Cruz. “The predictable consequence of [Trump’s comments] is it escalates. Today is unlikely to be the last such instance.”

 

The Ohio governor, John Kasich, took a similar line. “Tonight the seeds of division that Donald Trump has been sowing this whole campaign finally bore fruit, and it was ugly.”

 

Marco Rubio, the Florida senator, had harsh words for the protesters, telling Fox News there was “an industry” of protest movements in Chicago with some participants “probably being paid to do this.”

 

Political violence on the scale witnessed on Friday is rare in American politics.

 

Famously the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago witnessed repeated clashes between the police and anti-war protesters culminating in what a federal commission called “a police riot”.

 

But the three-way conflict between Trump supporters and protesters with the police caught in the middle is something unusual and represents a disturbing trend in an election where many of the norms and mores of American politics have gone by the wayside.

 

In the meantime, the protesters had succeeded in their goal for the evening. As one, Violet Ornelas, 28, gleefully told the Guardian: “If he can’t even handle Chicago, what makes him think he could handle Isis?”

 

 

1 2

Police break up skirmishes between demonstrators and supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump after his Chicago rally was called off.

Photograph: Scott Olson/Getty Images

 

 

2 2

Scenes inside the University of Illinois Pavilion where a Donald Trump rally was scheduled.

Photograph: Scott Olson/Getty Images

 

 

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/mar/12/donald-trump-rally-called-off-in-chicago-amid-protests-violence-and-chaos

 

 

 

 

 

Trump campaign dogged by violent incidents at rallies

 

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/mar/11/donald-trump-campaign-claims-violence-rallies

 

 

 

 

Carson endorses ‘very cerebral’ Trump

 

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2016/mar/11/ben-carson-endorses-donald-trump-us-election

Edited March 12, 2016 by umbertino

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

***///

 

A vile assault on American Freedom by the hate, bigotry and manipulating MOVEON(dot)ORG.

 

Free Speech denied by the violence and hate speech of ignorant, brainwashed sheep being manipulated by

someone they claim to hate -- a 1%er who put $15million of his own dollars into stopping Donald Trump.

 

Yes, George Soros said he would do it, and he did.

 

Unleashing his little goons to mount a twitter and facebook call-to-arms to destroy Freedom,

create CHAOS, stifle Free Speech and The People's Right t Assemble to hear Trump speak.

 

It was sabotage... inciting riot,  crime after crime...

 

Launching his army of brown-shirt thugs, supplying the supposed illegal down-trodden by the bus load,

supplying the signs and tag-lines: "black lives matter", "si se puede", "hitler, hitler, hitler"...

 

Any wonder it mirrored Ferguson...?  soros did THAT, too.

 

And, like Ferguson, every anti-Trump person the media attempted to interview could NOT answer why they were there,

and those who did, used foul language , were inarticulate, or merely spewed identical tag-line phrases fed them

by their master controllers. We never did get a straight, intelligent answer from a single one of them.  Not one.

 

 

It was all SO  OBVIOUS.

 

It was all so PATHETIC.

[WheresmyRV?]

And after yesterdays debacle Trumps poll numbers went even higher. 

[Thaiexpat]

Marco said it correctly: it is an industry. Powerful people don't want Trump to win. Money to control groups to prevent freedom of speech (likewise, the freedom to protest). You really  think the Circus Maximus will let you decide the next ruler/leader? Thumb up? Thumb down? This has been years in the making: misinformation, brain-washing, out-right lies. I lost faith in the system decades ago. I realized it is all a show. Those who really control, wont give-up the power they have amassed. So bring on the Circus Maximus! Gladiator fights, free bread for the masses. Give us the best show possible and we'll vote for whomever. 

Locke once described the "best 'government'" when the individual is in CONTROL of themselves-the best state.

Dunno, just saying.....Peace

[RV ME]

So the professional protesters, backed by Soros cash, shut down free speech because they claim the speaker they’re protesting is a fascist or a nazi.  The rent-a-mob, carrying mostly Bernie signs, believe in some warped way that they are engaging in “free speech” by shutting down someone else’s right to speak.  In their ignorance they believe that “freedom” prevailed because they successfully canceled a Trump Rally by blindly following their bought and paid for leaders.

 

These usefully idiots can’t even see the irony in that they are the real brownshirts following the fascist playbook by supporting a socialist by violently shutting down opposition they can’t counter intellectually.  Intimidation can be defined many ways, but freedom is not one of them.

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

***///

 

RV ME --  You've wrapped it up perfectly !  That's EXACTLY what went down there.

 

100 PLUS+1's !  

[millionaire in training]

SAD.........

 

Agreed with you both RV ME and Thaiexpat.  

 

I thought the same thing "what his polls go even higher over this"  

[jg1]

So the professional protesters, backed by Soros cash, shut down free speech because they claim the speaker they’re protesting is a fascist or a nazi.  The rent-a-mob, carrying mostly Bernie signs, believe in some warped way that they are engaging in “free speech” by shutting down someone else’s right to speak.  In their ignorance they believe that “freedom” prevailed because they successfully canceled a Trump Rally by blindly following their bought and paid for leaders.

 

These usefully idiots can’t even see the irony in that they are the real brownshirts following the fascist playbook by supporting a socialist by violently shutting down opposition they can’t counter intellectually.  Intimidation can be defined many ways, but freedom is not one of them.

Yep and all the media I found this morning were stating that trump and his  people were to blame for the problems at his event. What a bunch of horse poo. 

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

Yep and all the media I found this morning were stating that trump and his  people were to blame for the problems at his event. What a bunch of horse poo. 

***///

 

We are now in an alternate universe.... what was up is now down & vice-versa...

 

never thought we'd live to see the GOP panickers in bed with the liberal media ! 

 

 

Now everybodys' true colours come out...

 

the GIANT SUCCUBUS pulling Our Republic down the dark hole to hell is the one and the same --

a TWO-HEADED HYDRA  -- media & as-usual-politicians !

[Sage449]

If Trump wins, they'll assassinate him like Kennedy.

[yota691]

Look at who is behind funding the protesters

 

 

As reported by NYT: The billionaire George Soros and other liberal donors will bankroll a new $15 million campaign to mobilize Latinos and other immigrants this fall, hoping to channel outrage at the political rhetoric of Donald J. Trump and other Republicans into a surge of votes for Democratic candidates in November. Strategists involved said the new spending would be the largest Democratic voter-turnout effort ever devoted exclusively to Latino and immigrant voters. Most of the money will be spent through organizations in Colorado, Florida and Nevada, states with large or growing Latino and Asian populations that will be pivotal in the presidential race and in the battle for control of the Senate. The outreach, which will be coordinated through a new “super PAC” called Immigrant Voters Win PAC, will be more explicitly political and partisan than past efforts, the strategists said: The goal was to not only turn out committed Latinos already voting Democratic but also find and persuade immigrant swing voters. Ultimately, organizers hope to get at least 400,000 new Democratic voters to the polls in November.

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

***///

 

Thank you YerYOTAness for bringing this in for us.  Let the People Know The Truth and The Country is Safe.

 

 

The so-called evil 1%ers SO reviled by the low-information voting crowd turns out to be their slave masters....  

 

 

 

We're outta PLUS+1's, see you later for a big fat one of those !     You earned it (and more !)

[bohica]

I believe it is possible to know more about a person by learning about those who oppose them rather than by knowing who supports them.  I see Black Lives Matter groups, which truly are nothing more than domestic terrorism, I see Islamic groups, I see Bernie groups and I see other liberals all attacking Trump.  Makes me wonder if Trump might not be the person we actually need to start supporting.  If Carson sees Trump as a thinker in private life, that also is a major coup for Trump.  I am really beginning to lean in favor of Trump.  I think he scares that water out of main stream politics.  

[DinarMillionaire]

Figures the media and politicians are blaming Trump and his supporters. When in reality we know it's the Liberal pieces of fecal matter that are causing the ruckus. Without the stinking, low life, indoctrinated, uneducated, lefts useful idiots, there would be no problems at Trumps rallies and not so much in America for that matter. It figures that that is Obuttho community organized territory.

[pattyangel]

When they come out and demonstrate/ protest as such fools, they just boost Trump up to the top!!! 

 

The boundaries of the civilized people are being pushed to their limits.  Hang in there and don't stoop that low!!! 

 

The people are sick and tired of all this division caused by this administration and their goons.

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

***///

Yes, Ma'am, PrettyPATTYangel !  Roger that and Will Do !