Even people, left and right, that don't like Trump are sympathetic if not supportive of the candidate in the face of literally violent attacks and rioting such as this. And when you have the Mayor of San Jose blaming the unrest on Trump himself, with the city's police department standing on the sidelines while innocents and peaceful participants are being brutally harassed, egged, and even beaten, then something is seriously out of whack.
At the San Jose Mercury News, "San Jose Police chief defends handling of protest":
San Jose Police Chief Eddie Garcia released a statement about the violence after the Donald Trump rally Thursday night in downtown and his department's handling of the 400 protesters:That doesn't sound quite accurate, actually.
"The violent behavior exhibited by some protestors last night was reprehensible, completely unacceptable and unrepresentative of our democracy and this City. We saw demonstrators behaving poorly and our officers clearing the streets as safely and expeditiously as possible. Officer safety and crowd control techniques are critical and cannot be abandoned when protestors scatter from area to area faster than the police lines can move.
"Furthermore, de-escalation techniques are important -- not just when someone has a weapon. We are not an "occupying force" and cannot reflect the chaotic tactics of the protestors. Instead, we achieved our goal of clearing the streets and making arrests in an appropriate manner. Our officers should be commended for both their effectiveness and their restraint.
"Let me be clear: the violence that occurred last night was not unchecked. Four arrests have already been made, and I have immediately assembled a task force, headed by the Bureau of Investigations Chief Shawny Williams, and in coordination with the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office, to review all video evidence and investigate all reported assaults or other crimes from last night's incident. I'm calling on the public as well as media outlets to submit all video evidence to our Police Department so we can root out those whose intentions were to disrupt our civil democratic process and put the safety and welfare of the public and my officers at risk. We will work tirelessly to hold them accountable and bring them to justice."
Folks on Twitter last night reported the police did not declare an unlawful protest until well after the rally let out, and innocents were being assaulting by the anti-Trump demons. CNN's Sara Murray has an excellent timeline of events.
More, at Memeorandum, "Ugly, bloody scenes in San Jose as protesters attack Trump supporters outside rally."
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