Republican presidential
candidate Donald Trump has cancelled a rally in Chicago, calling off the event
due to safety concerns after protesters and supporters clashed at the University of Illinois in Chicago. Chaos ensued after
organizers announced the rally was canceled shortly after 6:30 p.m. at the UIC
Pavillion. Police ejected at least a half dozen anti-Trump demonstrators,
including one man who snuck on stage and approached the podium.
Chants of
"Trump" and "Bernie" alike filled the arena as police
dispersed the masses. Joe Fritz, 20, who came
to hear Trump speak, said a woman punched him as he stood in a crowd of
protesters outside the arena after the rally was canceled. Fritz said the woman
landed a glancing blow to his chin after he questioned her for yelling epithets
toward cops standing nearby and about Trump. Fritz said the woman was with
a girl who was about 10. "I told her, 'What
kind of example are you setting?'" Fritz said.
Fritz said he and his
friend were then surrounded by other anti-Trump protesters who screamed at them
before police pulled them out of the crowd. Still, the scuffles
were brief, and some protesters said the security concerns were overstated. "(Trump) felt us
tonight and felt our power tonight," said Angelica Salazar, 30, of West
Chicago. Salazar, who went to speak out against Trump's anti-immigrant
rhetoric, said she did not feel unsafe. Matthew Ross, a Chicago
activist, said suggestions from Trump that protesters presented a security risk
don't hold up.
"Have you seen
what his supporters have incited at their rallies?" said Ross, who said he
had water thrown at him by Trump supporter after it was announced that the
rally was canceled. " I think what he (Trump) is doing is inciting
violence."The Chicago Police
Department said late Friday that four men and a woman were arrested at the
rally. Police officials did not detail charges or release names of the
individuals taken into custody.However, CBS News said its reporter, Sopan Deb,
was detained by law enforcement while covering the scene.
Attendees complained
about the demonstrations that halted the event, suggesting they blocked Trump's
right to free speech."This is
ridiculous," Tom Keevers, a Trump supporter from the city's North Side,
said after the cancelation was announced over the loudspeaker. "I'm a
conservative. You wouldn't see conservatives shutting down a Hillary Clinton or
Bernie Sanders rally!"
Trump officials
announced on Friday that the campaign has scrapped plans, at least for
now, for a rally in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday afternoon. He still
has several rallies on his schedule for this weekend and into next week,
including stops in Dayton, Cleveland, Bloomington, Kansas City, Mo., and
Boca Raton, Fla.
The Secret Service
security supporting the GOP presidential front runner's campaign could not
complete its preparation work in time to hold the event at the Duke Energy
Convention Center, said Eric Deters, a local spokesman for Trump's
campaign.
"Trump wants
to come here, and the campaign is still looking to find a location for
either Sunday or Monday," Deters said. Source: USAtoday