At the end of a Donald Trump rally in San Jose, California, on Thursday night, protesters began throwing eggs and punches at Trump supporters leaving the event, according to several news reports.
Video captured by an NBC News reporter showed a crowd of protesters yelling insults and throwing food at a Trump supporter leaving the event.
Watch: The moment a Trump supporter, surrounded by protesters, is egged in the face, hit by other food. pic.twitter.com/qYFdwJWvrS
— Jacob Rascon (@Jacobnbc) June 3, 2016
The San Jose Police Department said that a few arrests were made and one officer was assaulted, but did not provide specifics on the arrests, according to ABC News.
Several fights broke out between Trump protesters and supporters. News reports characterized many of the clashes as being instigated by protesters, but in some cases did not specify who initiated them. One man was punched and knocked to the ground, leading one person’s arrest, according to CNN. And at another point, a crowd surrounded a Trump supporter, punching him in the face, CNN reported.
Trump supporter just got caught in the middle. Some protesters attacking, others shouting for no violence pic.twitter.com/m0dpwFKYcg
— Nicky Woolf (@NickyWoolf) June 3, 2016
A video from Marcus DiPaola, described by the Washington Post as a freelance photographer, showed one instance of someone getting punched in the face.
I called 911 but no one answered. Donald trump protest in San Jose, CA pic.twitter.com/LwaWyeYZfq
— Marcus DiPaola (@marcusdipaola) June 3, 2016
DiPaola told the Washington Post that he called 911 after witnessing the incident, but that he hung up when he was put on hold. He then told an officer about the punch, but was told police “didn’t have the man power” to address the incident, according to the Post.
A video from ABC News showed a Trump supporter with blood on his face who said he was beaten up.
Our video of Trump supporter who says he was beaten up coming out of @realDonaldTrump rally. pic.twitter.com/PQSxjXfonl
— Tom Llamas (@TomLlamasABC) June 3, 2016
ABC News also reported that protesters smashed the taillights of a car they believed belonged to a Trump supporter and also began banging on police cars.
Protesters jumped on cars, threw eggs and water bottles at Trump supporters, according to the Washington Post. The paper also reported that protesters took “Make America Great Again” hats and burned them.
Protesters burn a #Trump2016 Make America Great Again hat after rally pic.twitter.com/RVvn8dC1SG
— Alex Stone (@astoneabcnews) June 3, 2016
In one video posted to YouTube, a Trump supporter with blood on his head and neck told reporters that someone grabbed his Trump sign, began following him, calling him a racist, and spitting on him.
Police struggled to maintain order outside of the San Jose Convention Center. ABC News reported:
Police instructed protesters over loud speakers to return home, but at one point, between 100 and 200 protesters remained, taunting riot gear-wearing police. As about 200 police officers began marching in lines pushing the crowd out of downtown San Jose, some protesters threw street signs and empty cans.
Police had been completely overwhelmed by the protesters. Now trying to regain some order. pic.twitter.com/QUXcNZgVbq
— Candace Smith (@CandaceSmith_) June 3, 2016
BREAKING: The police in San Jose have appeared to lost control. Trump supporters being terrorized and beaten up by mobs of protestors.
— Tom Llamas (@TomLlamasABC) June 3, 2016
A video from an NBC News reporter showed police tackling a protester at one point.
Police rush protesters, plainclothes officer tackles one, who is then surrounded and detained. pic.twitter.com/Zwo05DZMLQ
— Jacob Rascon (@Jacobnbc) June 3, 2016
Fights between cops and protesters starting pic.twitter.com/TKkNoHiEBy
— john r stanton (@dcbigjohn) June 3, 2016
The violence in San Jose is the latest in a string of violent protests outside of Trump rallies. Just last week, protests at a Trump rally in New Mexico devolved into violence.
On Thursday night, Hillary Clinton’s campaign chair, John Podesta, condemned the violence outside of Trump’s rally in San Jose.
Violence against supporters of any candidate has no place in this election.
https://t.co/PY4vYYszVf— John Podesta (@johnpodesta) June 3, 2016
