The vocal group beat drums and chanted as police struggled to clear the roadway.
“What do we want? Dead Trump!” the rioters screamed at one point.
That’s from the New York Daily News, who had a reporter on scene at Trump’s rally in Arizona on Saturday afternoon where the so-called “Crush Trump” protesters were out in force. It’s disgusting and stupid and the very definition of hateful. It’s something else, too. Totally unsurprising.
We’ve seen these protest movements for years. Rember Zombietime’s heyday during the Bush years? Some of us have seen them up close and personal. They are vicious and rabid and calculated and, often, paid.
People like to talk about incitement to violence at Trump rallies and the atmosphere of frenzy, but that very incitement and frenzy have been in the leftwing protest movement for over a decade. They burn Republicans in effigy. They curse America. They burn flags. The curse conservatives. They hang people in effigy. They use pornographic images. They demand America surrender her sovereignty. They demand we try our entire leadership for war crimes. They are the definition of the unhinged, on edge, violent, enraged, incited mob. Everything people say about the attendees at Trump rallies is in fact true, and has been for many years, of these leftist protests.
The Trump-blocking barrier included two pick-up trucks parked lengthwise across the road and three layers of cars behind them. When police arrived to start towing the idle vehicles, some activists strapped themselves to their cars with cables and chains.
Blocking the road. Blocking access. This is one of their favorite moves. They did this in St. Paul at the 2008 republican convention. I watched them chain themselves across highway exit ramps to prevent delegates and press from reaching the convention. They resisted arrest. At night, they held huge marches and left the city streets to roam neighborhoods chanting. Tear gas was thrown. Bottles and rocks were thrown back. During the days they threw liquid at delegates waiting to enter the convention.
They take steps to provoke. They get in people’s faces. They say awful things. They want trouble.
And not just Republicans. They protest the Democrats too. Democrat politicians are almost, but not quite, as hated as Republican ones.
The do this at G8 protests in cities around the world. They fight with police. They riot. They rage and rant and chant and rave. They have drum circles and drug rings and rape tents. This is the leftist protest movement we have seen for years.
“Get this clown out of our town,” they later sang.
They like to claim things as their own. “Our streets.” “Our town.” I wonder how many of them are actually local. Or have ever done anything for “their” town other than try to prevent people from hearing a political rally.
Today they blocked a road. Today they shouted. But no one was hurt. Nothing was thrown. Today. In Chicago last week it was more violent. In Salt Lake City last night there were “scuffles.” What about next week? Next month?
These are not the good guys. These are not the virtuous. The leftist protest movement is ugly. It is hateful and vengeful and riotous and violent and they won’t stop with Donald Trump. You’ll see them this week at AIPAC shouting anti-Semitic slurs and cursing Israel or calling for its destruction. You’ll see them at both the Democrat and Republican conventions. And yes, you’ll see them at Cruz rallies too. Maybe even at Hillary rallies.
Sooner or later, the leftist protest movement comes for everyone who isn’t them. And maybe next time it will be one of you, one of us, they are wishing death upon.
And by the way? Trump is talking about retaliation. And riots. So great news all around.
Read more from the New York Daily News, from MSN, from this excellent Legal Insurrection article, or on Twitter:
Simultaneous #CrushTrump actions taking place in Phoenix and NYC: pic.twitter.com/7NeUP4NapC
— Tyler S. Bugg (@tsbugg) March 19, 2016
WATCH: Protester who cabled himself to car so deputies couldn't tow it is arrested, carried away pic.twitter.com/PAGMFYHxjK
— Jacob Rascon (@Jacobnbc) March 19, 2016
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