Violence and pepper spray at anti-Trump march in New York

Police in New York pepper sprayed a crowd of protesters marching toward Trump International Tower on Saturday after pushing and shoving broke out between the NYPD and some of the protesters.

Videos of #CrushTrump protesters cleaning their irritated eyes emerged online after the large group clashed with NYC police officers.

"The police pepper sprayed the crowd indiscriminately," according to eyewitness James Woods, a journalist at US Uncut. "Multiple officers used pepper spray, at least two were arrested, including one photographer."

Thousands of protesters held banners and signs as they walked from Central Park to the Trump Tower on 5th Avenue.

Violence just broke out at the anti trump rally with a number of people myself included getting peppered sprayed pic.twitter.com/hLHTETsZJg— Luke Rudkowski (@Lukewearechange) March 19, 2016

#CrushTrump NYC marching pic.twitter.com/UtsYThc9Yw — Cassandra Fairbanks (@CassandraRules) March 19, 2016

#NYC: #CrushTrump March got pepper sprayed by NYPD! #Antifa pic.twitter.com/jw7JBlrKvO — Ash J (@AshAgony) March 19, 2016

There was a heavy police presence from the beginning and cops shadowed the crowd as they walked through midtown Manhattan.

However, the situation escalated when police stopped the protesters from crossing the street at Central Park South, NY Daily News reports.

The protest - discussed on social media using the #CrushTrump hashtag - was reportedly organized by a group called Cosmopolitan Antifascists, along with pro-immigration groups.

In a statement posted to their Facebook page after the protest, Cosmopolitan Antifascists said that it wants to "make this coalition stronger with other groups and grow the city together with passion" in challenging "the tyranny" of Trump and "fighting for the rights of those in need."

This latest protest is just one of many anti-Trump incidents to have occurred in the last week. On March 12, Police used pepper spray to disperse a group of anti-Trump protesters outside a Trump rally in Kansas.

On Tuesday, a Trump rally in Arizona was delayed after protesters blocked a major road in Phoenix. Once the rally did get underway, violence once again broke out.

This time between a Trump supporter and protester who was dressed like a member of the racist group the KKK, the attacker was subsequently arrested by police.

VIOLENCE at another Donald Trump rally, this time in Tucson, AZ. Man hits and kicks protester: pic.twitter.com/7FWuSeE0Jt — Frank Thorp V (@frankthorpNBC) March 19, 2016

Trump Tower #CrushTrump NYC pic.twitter.com/pzM4Gh1kIS — Cassandra Fairbanks (@CassandraRules) March 19, 2016

On Saturday, Donald Trump's son, Eric Trump, received a threatening letter containing a "granular" substance.

While secret service protection only applies directly to the presidential candidate at this early stage in the race, the US Secret Service and the FBI are investigating how the letter ended up inside Eric Trump's luxury Trump Parc East apartment.

Reader Comments

Highland Fleet Lute · 2016-03-21T00:10:56Z

When a group of normal people encounter a group of fascists, their immediate instinct is to chase them down and see them off, not muddy the waters and obsess endlessly over wilted fleur du mal Hillary Clinton.

Thank goodness there are still normal people in New York.

LIARSUCK · 2016-03-21T06:38:03Z

ANTI-TRUMP ACTIVISTS

Doesn't it bother you that George Soros has bankrolled these activists? Stating this is ALL TRUMPS doing!! Soros pulled the same trash in Ferguson as well. So, instead of slamming TRUMP why are you silent regarding Soros and his ilk?? Do you honestly think these Activists are doing this out of there own accord?? YOU and I both know it's about money-always is!

[Link]

Cousin Scootie · 2016-03-21T15:09:34Z

I don't know anything about Soros being involved or not, but I don't like the idea of folks actively attempting to silence these rallies.

At some point it will be tit for tat and since LE always comes down on the Right and not on Center or Left, is opening the door to Militias and other R wing activists shutting down Sanders, Stein, etc, with LE standing by to guarantee their right to illegally screw with a public message they oppose.

That said, as long as the demo is peaceful in the public space the cops need to respect that. If this degenerates into running street violence, the Right most often will benefit, in some respects dramatically. The wrong tactics for the job.

LIARSUCK · 2016-03-21T07:20:50Z

ANTI-TRUMP ACTIVISTS

TIME to start reporting what's really taking place instead of blaming TRUMP!

[Link]

Highland Fleet Lute · 2016-03-21T07:53:43Z

Re: ANTI-TRUMP ACTIVISTS

A warning from history: That's the kind of crackpot conspiracy theorist swill that was hurled at anti-fascist demonstrators back in the 1930's.

Highland Fleet Lute · 2016-03-21T08:32:35Z

One thing Americans lack is a psychometric connection to WWII. I grew up in London in the 1960s and '70's playing on WWII bomb sites: the result of the blitzkreig. The 1960's council flat I'm sitting in now was built on a street that was razed by the nazis back in the 1940's. An old guy upstairs who was living there at the time told me all about it: Half the street was destroyed. The pub was destroyed. The landlord and landlady of the pub and countless others died. About fifty yards to the right of where I'm sitting now was an underground shelter. One other night, the air raid sirens went off. About 100 people: women, children and men all piled into the shelter. The Luftwaffe flew over and scored a direct hit on that shelter - KABBLLLOOOMMM. Every bugger dead. Their ghosts still haunt the place.

LIARSUCK · 2016-03-21T16:34:29Z

@HIGHLAND FLEET LUKE

Obviously you think people care about your rhetoric especially with "PLAYER No. 6" lmao I won't venture to guess the lifestyle you lead and of course that's your choice. Until you start hurting others in the process.

PUKEHEAD SOROS admitted to bankrolling these activities. As I said before- do YOU honestly THINK they would even care if they were NOT getting paid to do so?? Which is a complete mockery of activism in and of itself! Go live your horrid life because no one cares what YOU DO!

LIARSUCK · 2016-03-21T17:06:54Z

@Cousin Scootie!

Obviously you had no problem when they made it illegal to protest around any president! THIS candidate needs to be protected. I don't care if YOU still believe in the 2 party system or not. I don't care if this is not "your candidate!" It does not matter! TRUMP has secret service protection and deserves the same consideration as any/all presidential candidates or presidents.

Cousin Scootie · 2016-03-21T17:33:56Z

Uhh, that's pretty much what I said...

with the addition that the 1st amendment applies as much to peaceful protesters as it does to candidate Trump and any other candidate or individual for that matter.

I'm not gonna respond to the rest of the straw men you're standing up.

Just look at the greeny co leader Lorna. Has Dyke written all over it. They're watermelon through and through too. Don't go in to coalition with...

Jason

Japan's Most Senior Oncologist, Prof. Fukushima Condemns mRNA Vaccines as 'Evil Practices of Science'"...This isn't science! It's more akin to...

parzival

Comment: Let it be noted that the Houthi's actions are not indiscriminate. They have clearly defined what is a target and what is not. Any ship...

Gator

Elephant Seal in BC today, is RC fascinated? RC knows why he's on the other side, prematurely. 😔 [Link]

LindaMay

They're starting to 'eat their own'.......running scared, looking to see who will be the scapegoat since some lawsuits are starting to emerge....

Kimster

Society's Child

Violence and pepper spray at anti-Trump march in New York

Reader Comments

Latest News

Picture of the Day

Quote of the Day

Recent Comments

Quantum Quirk