Anti-Trump Protesters Clash With Supporters In San Jose
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- At least four people were taken into custody after a group of protesters attacked Donald Trump supporters who were leaving the candidate's rally in San Jose, California.
As CBS2's Dick Brennan reported, the Thursday night incident outside the San Jose Convention Center involved some of the worst clashes yet at a Trump rally.
PHOTOS: Trump Protesters, Supporters Clash In San Jose
Anti-Trump demonstrators were seen rocking cars that carried his supporters, people were seen burning Trump hats, and a massive fist fight broke out.
The outburst began as supporters left the rally. Protesters left the designated area and began to pursue Trump supporters – throwing eggs and burning a flag and Trump hats. Many of the supporters were carrying Mexican flags.
"I was assaulted several times while inside the anti-Trump protest trying to get out to the street to get picked up by my parents," one Trump supporter said.
Protesters also went into the parking garage and banged on cars. Police then moved in to make arrests.
Trump responded on Twitter saying, "Rally last night in San Jose was great. Tremendous love and enthusiasm in the hall. Big crowd. Outside, small group of thugs burned Am flag!"
Trump also spoke about the violence Friday afternoon.
"They got accosted by a bunch of thugs burning the American flag – burning the American flag," Trump said at an event in Redding, California. "And you know what they are? They're thugs."
Inside the rally Thursday night, Trump insisted he can still get support from Hispanic voters.
"We're doing well with Latinos," he said. "Nobody knows about it yet."
John Podesta, chairman of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, also condemned the violence saying, "Violence against supporters of any candidate has no place in this election."
CBS2's Dick Brennan also asked Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders about the violence in San Jose.
"I think violence is totally unacceptable, and I condemn it 100 percent," he said.
This is not the first time a Trump appearance has ended in violence and arrests.
In April, raucous protesters and supporters confronted each other in the San Francisco Bay area city of Burlingame. Protesters clashed with police in riot gear outside the Hyatt Regency Hotel, where the California Republican Convention was held.
In March, protests outside a Trump rally in New Mexico turned violent as demonstrators threw burning T-shirts, plastic bottles and other items at officers, overturned trash cans and knocked down barricades.
Also in March, a Trump rally planned in Chicago was abruptly postponed, following massive clashes between protesters.
Meanwhile, Sanders could be facing his last stand on Tuesday. The Democratic race lands in New Jersey and California, and Clinton is predicting the race will end there
"If all goes well -- if all goes well -- I will have the great honor as of Tuesday to be the Democratic nominee for president," Clinton said.
CBS2's Brennan asked Sanders if he is getting pressure to drop out. He ducked the question, and also would not categorically say that he will stay in the race until the convention.
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