Of all the presidential candidates campaigning this year, Republican front-runner Donald Trump has been continually beset by protesters at his many campaign rallies-cum-monologues. Whether a silent Muslim woman or #BlackLivesMatter activists roughed up by the crowd (which Trump wholeheartedly supported), the frequency with which these interruptions occur is quite high. So, it should come as no surprise that a lone figure tried to disrupt Trump’s rally in South Carolina on Tuesday. What should cause some alarm, however, is 1) how the protester was dealt with and 2) Trump’s response to the situation.
Two men in the crowd tackled the protester, who was subsequently removed from the rally. This sent the majority of rally attendees into a wild cheer, and when Trump caught wind of what had happened, he joined in on the festivities.
“Raise your hand. Who is the person that took action over there? Come here! I love these guys. I love these guys. I love these people. Come here!”
Trump invited the two men onto the stage with him to reward them for tackling the protester, who’d been “screaming profanities and raising his middle finger to the crowd.” Neither man gave their name, though the second identified himself as an Iraq War veteran, which sent the crowd into a boisterous “USA!” chant for several moments.
Both he and the first man gave brief, impromptu statements to the crowd.
FIRST MAN: “We need to get some fresh blood up there, some fresh thinking. Donald Trump, you’re the best we’ve got by far!”
SECOND MAN: “If it wasn’t for Mr. Trump right here, I don’t think any of us would have the voice that we have. This is the only man that’s going to really bring America back.”
After thanking the two men for their actions a final time, Trump retook the podium and accused the aforementioned protester of suffering from mental instabilities.
(Via Huffington Post)