Donald Trump’s campaign trail is getting uglier by the day. At two of his rallies on Monday, he had attendees forcibly removed, including protestors, press, to black students who were there peacefully. On Monday night in Valdosta, Georgia the GOP candidate had black students immediately removed, even though the students were there silently, and left visibly upset by their school and security’s choice in removing them from the premises.
That same Monday morning, a number of protestors were kicked out of a Donald Trump campaign rally at Radford University in Virginia. What seemed to begin as peaceful as it could, turned into ruckus of the highest order.
Protestors peacefully holding hands in the crowd, chanting “Black lives matter,” and “no more hate!” were promptly removed from the premises.
Protesters join hands, shout “No more hate” and are removed from Trump rally in southwest Virginia pic.twitter.com/AqKrWpY12L
— Fenit Nirappil (@FenitN) February 29, 2016
This Trump rally in Radford, Va. has been interrupted by protestors (who have been escorted out) 7 times this rally. Thats more than usual
— Joe Perticone (@JoePerticone) February 29, 2016
In response to the chants of the protestors, Donald Trump supporters had an “All lives matter” one of their own. In true Trump fashion, the candidate inquired whether one of the protestors (who was also escorted out,) was “from Mexico” or not. According to Trump, the protestors are “the enemy.”
Trump just called activists “the enemy”
— Annie Andersen (@Annie_Andersen) February 29, 2016
As if the debacle with the protestors alone wasn’t enough, veteran White House reporter, Chris Morris, who is on assignment working the campaign trail for TIME Magazine was choke slammed by a secret service agent for his attempts to leave the press box and photograph them. According to TIME, unlike other presidential campaigns that allow the press to freely roam about doing their respective jobs, Trump has a very strict policy against such.
Secret Service agent choke slams reporter pic.twitter.com/jdsHOlylSB
— Joe Perticone (@JoePerticone) February 29, 2016
“[…] I regret my role in the confrontation, but the agent’s response was disproportionate and unnecessarily violent. I hope this incident helps call attention to the challenges of press access,” says Morris. He also adds that he is alright, and will be hitting the trail again very soon.
Suffice it to say, a circus is to be expected, but this was a lot for anyone to digest. With the polls for the Virginia Presidental primary closing today at 7:00 pm ET, one would think things would have been a bit more.. calm?
