DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — A man charged after rushing the stage at a Donald Trump rally in Ohio is due in federal court.
Authorities say 22-year-old Thomas DiMassimo, of Fairborn, Ohio, jumped a barricade and charged at Trump during the rally at a Dayton International Airport hangar. He was arrested and charged with illegally entering a restricted area.
An initial hearing is scheduled Friday before a magistrate. The misdemeanor count carries a potential one-year prison sentence.
DiMassimo’s attorney has said the Wright State University student meant only to express his political views. Video from the rally shows DiMassimo touched the stage where Trump was speaking as Secret Service agents and other security converged.
The airport rally March 12 was Trump’s first after well-organized students succeeded in keeping him from taking the stage in Chicago.
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I wonder if he’ll be acting as his own attorney? He is, after all, a certified genius.
I have no sympathy for this guy. Protesting is fine. This crosses the line. This type of behavior should be aggressively repudiated despite the fact it happened to a guy as loathsome as Trump.
I think the charges should be dropped against the young man. For it was Trump who “instigated” the young man’s actions.
However, the correct thing to do is to arrest Trump for inciting riots on his campaign trail. He is nothing but a puny bully and he alone can’t stand up and fight toe to toe with anyone, because he is a weakling.