Trump Blames "Communist" Bernie Sanders Supporters For Violent Chicago Event
Charles Rex Arbogast / AP
Donald Trump said "fervent" supporters of Bernie Sanders were to blame for the violence that caused his campaign event in Chicago to be canceled on Friday evening due to security concerns.
The rally was scheduled to take place at the University of Illinois at Chicago Pavilion, but protests and scuffles both inside and outside the arena caused the event to be called off at the last minute, leaving sullen Trump supporters to file out to the cheers of protesters.
Speaking to supporters at a rally in Dayton, Ohio, on Saturday, the Republican frontrunner criticized what he said was the "disgraceful" behavior of anti-Trump protesters. He called the demonstrations "a planned attack" carried out by "organized, professionally staged wise guys."
"What happened yesterday was incredible," Trump said. "It was determined that if we go in it could
cause really bad, bad vibes."
"You have to understand they want me to tell my
people, ‘Please be nice.’ My people are nice!" he said to cheers. "They caused no problems. They were taunted, they were harassed by these other people."
Trump said some of the protesters represented "our communist friend" Bernie Sanders.
"Bernie, he should really get up and say to his
people, 'Stop!'" Trump said.
The real-estate developer said there were no Hillary Clinton supporters at the rally because they lack the "fervor" of Sanders supporters. "Say what you want about Bernie, at least there’s fervor," he said.
Charles Rex Arbogast / AP
Sanders told reporters on Saturday his supporters were “responding to a candidate who has in many ways encouraged violence.”
“The issue now is that Donald Trump has to be loud and clear and tell his supporters that violence at rallies is not what America is about and to end it,” Sanders said.
In the aftermath of the Chicago event, Trump's opponents for the Republican nomination have also said he is ultimately responsible for the actions of his supporters due to his often incendiary rhetoric.
"I think a campaign bears responsibility for creating an environment, when the candidate urges supporters to engage in physical violence to punch people in the face,” Ted Cruz said. “The predictable consequence of that is that it escalates."
Speaking Saturday, Trump mocked his rivals for saying such behavior would not occur at their rallies. "They don't have any people at their rallies!" he said.
UPDATE: Sanders has since released this statement:
As is the case virtually every day, Donald Trump is showing the American people that he is a pathological liar. Obviously, while I appreciate that we had supporters at Trump’s rally in Chicago, our campaign did not organize the protests.
What caused the protests at Trump’s rally is a candidate that has promoted hatred and division against Latinos, Muslims, women, and people with disabilities, and his birther attacks against the legitimacy of President Obama.
What caused the violence at Trump’s rally is a campaign whose words and actions have encouraged it on the part of his supporters . He recently said of a protester, ‘I want to punch him in the face.’ Another time Trump yearned for the old days when the protester would have been punched and 'carried out on a stretcher.’ Then just a few days ago a female reporter apparently was assaulted by his campaign manager.
When that is what the Trump campaign is doing, we should not be surprised that there is a response.
What Donald Trump must do now is stop provoking violence and make it clear to his supporters that people who attend his rallies or protest should not be assaulted, should not be punched, should not be kicked. In America people have a right to attend a political rally without fear of physical harm.
LINK: Donald Trump Calls Off Chicago Rally As Protesters Clash With Supporters
LINK: Trump’s Opponents Are Blaming Him For His Violent Chicago Campaign Event