Ground-level video of post-Trump protest
Tuesday, Mar 15, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller * If you were watching the live cable news coverage of the Chicago Donald Trump rally last week, you may have noticed some footage taken from a helicopter of police battling with protesters outside the venue after the event was canceled. The commentators basically ignored it. Well, footage from ground-level has since been posted to Facebook. Obviously, there’s some bad language and violence, so decide for yourself what you can do here, but have a look if you can…
Pretty intense stuff. * Semi-related…
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- allknowingmasterofracoondom - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 9:51 am:
Cops did a great job protecting everyone in what could have been a dangerous situation. It is amazing what our election has brought out in folks - both good and bad. Looking forward to Trump going back to being a reality tv star and stop pretending to care about our country.
- Aldyth - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 9:55 am:
I’m appalled that Trump followers thought it was perfectly okay to drive over graves and park on top of them. I would also predict that Trump supporters would be the most likely to drive over graves and park on top of them so they could attend a rally.
- Precinct Captain - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 9:56 am:
I hope everyone has voted.
- cheryl44 - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 9:56 am:
I was listening to WBBM for a traffic report this morning (they actually tell us if transit is messed up) and heard some Cruz ad talking about how he saved us all from Obamacare.
The Affordable Care Act passed, didn’t it?
- Archiesmom - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 9:58 am:
The Sanders rally last night is in stark contrast to the Trump debacle. Thousands of people, upbeat, energized, optimistic. The Sun-Times had some really lovely photos capturing the mood. I don’t know what’s going to happen in that campaign today, but they have a lot of believers.
http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/sanders-sweeps-into-chicago-for-election-eve-rally/
- Niblets - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 10:00 am:
“I went down to the demonstration to get my share of abuse.”
- Annonin' - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 10:00 am:
Unclear what the demos were tryin’ to do.
BTW has anyone asked the Bloomin’ton cemetery operators did not put up barriers themselves
what did they think would happen when the Trump rally was announced?
- CPDFamily - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 10:01 am:
That Statie that ran into the crowd needs to be disciplined. What was he thinking? His brothers had things under control, but he triggered something that could’ve gotten really ugly. I’m proud of what the rest of the officers did to regain control.
- Aldyth - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 10:03 am:
Annonin, do you really think that a cemetery should have to put up barriers to keep people from driving over graves and parking on them? Do you really think that? Really?
- Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 10:15 am:
Sorry - I’m still looking for the supposed riots. What I saw was some pushing and shoving, bad behavior and bad language, but the cops kept it together for the most part. Seems like a pretty benign affair.
- Name Withheld - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 10:18 am:
==Unclear what the demos were tryin’ to do==
Beyond protesting Trump, you mean?
==BTW has anyone asked the Bloomin’ton cemetery operators did not put up barriers themselves
what did they think would happen when the Trump rally was announced?==
How about you call and give us their response - dropped g’s and all.
- X-Prof - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 10:19 am:
You go Anonin. While we’re blamin’ the victims, why couldn’t the dead stand up for themselves? #ZombieApocalypse
- Donald Trump (aka jerry 101) - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 10:19 am:
Annon’ - they probably made a reasonable yet, in retrospect, bad assumption that people coming out to attend a political rally would not look at a cemetery and think “hey, free parking!”
- jerry 101 - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 10:20 am:
darnit. forgot to fix my name.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 10:21 am:
Not an impressive political demonstration by any means. The disorganized mob seemed to be mostly populated by mischief makers intent upon behaving badly. If they were intent upon delivering a message to the political establishment, I doubt that they were taken seriously.
The people who lined up to see Bernie Sanders at the Auditorium Theater are actually likely to vote. There is no comparison to this group of loiterers.
- Qui Tam - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 10:27 am:
I also saw a video of BLM and other folks protesting Bernie Sanders, taking over the stage, and basically running him out of town out west a while back. Who these voters supporting, Ted Cruz?
- OutHereInTheMiddle - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 10:30 am:
“what did they think would happen”
Gee, I dunno, maybe that people would NOT park on graves and drive over headstones?
- Jack Stephens - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 10:35 am:
Funny that Trump says his “1st Amendment Rights” were violated.
Don….here is the text of the 1st Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America…for your reference:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
What LAW did Congress make that is prohibiting your free expression of speech? Which President signed it into law?
I’m convinced that Trump and Republicans have no clue how the system of Government works in MY Country…THE United States of America.
They just throw “freedom of speech” around to scare low information voters.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 10:35 am:
–BTW has anyone asked the Bloomin’ton cemetery operators did not put up barriers themselves
what did they think would happen when the Trump rally was announced?–
Really? Does that happen to you a lot, that you can’t help but drive over graves and markers unless there are barricades to prevent you from doing so?
So much for personal responsibility.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 10:40 am:
==The people who lined up to see Bernie Sanders at the Auditorium Theater are actually likely to vote. There is no comparison to this group of loiterers.==
Spot on. I attended the Sanders rally in Summit. Very enjoyable and peaceful. The people here appeared hell bent on causing trouble. Blocking an ambulance? Really?
Stuff like this just emboldens Trump supporters.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 10:44 am:
===Stuff like this just emboldens Trump supporters===
Y’all seem pretty darned afraid of riling up those voters. I got news for you: They’re already wound up pretty tightly.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 10:50 am:
For all you Big Red Machine fans out there, The Hit King says no endorsement for Trump. Doesn’t know where the ball came from.
No word on who Pete is betting on in the election.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/03/15/pete-roses-lawyer-we-do-not-know-how-mr-trump-got-the-ball/
- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 10:53 am:
CPD, you would know more about this than I, but it appeared that the Trooper seemed to be chasing a person who retreated back into the crowd, starting that particular tussle. He was pulled back by a fellow “Statie” pretty quickly.
Seeing this ground-level view confirmed my earlier feelings that this could have been a lot worse than it turned out to be.
Kudos to the cops for their restraint and professionalism.
If the “protestors” had a point, other than the hilarious sign at the end of the video, I missed it.
- ArchPundit - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 10:54 am:
===BTW has anyone asked the Bloomin’ton cemetery operators did not put up barriers themselves what did they think would happen when the Trump rally was announced?
That people generally don’t treat cemeteries as parking lots. I understand after the first several cars parked people follow the others. Not great, but that’s how crowds act. But who the heck are the first to park on top of graves?
- ArchPundit - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 10:57 am:
===Stuff like this just emboldens Trump supporters.
You know what really emboldens Trump supporters?
Trump
- ArchPundit - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 11:02 am:
Extra credit to the Pantagraph photographer who took a picture of a grave for a man named Rube.
- Voltaire - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 11:09 am:
“Not an impressive political demonstration by any means. The disorganized mob seemed to be mostly populated by mischief makers intent upon behaving badly. If they were intent upon delivering a message to the political establishment, I doubt that they were taken seriously.”
As someone who was there, there were basically three groups - those outside (before the cancel), those inside, and those outside (after the cancel). The first group was a pretty traditional protest of just standing around with signs chanting. The second group was a disruptive protest insde. The third was what you are talking about.
- Video - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 11:14 am:
I have no problem with protests, but no one should be allowed to block an ambulance. Ever. Protest on the sidewalk. If you hate police that is your choice but have some respect for some things at least. This video hurts to watch. I feel sad in so many ways. There is so much anger and hurt shown here. We need to do better. All of us.
- HJohn - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 11:14 am:
@Archiesmom - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 9:58 am:
The Sanders rally last night is in stark contrast to the Trump debacle.
__________
I’m not a Trump supporter, but conclusions like this drive me crazy since it takes two to get along, but only one side to have conflict.
It is entirely possible that the reason Sanders event went so much more smoothly is because his opponents behaved better than Trump’s opponents did?
Imagine you’re participating in the debate, and you and your supporters respectfully let your opponent speak without interruption. Then you start to speak, and your opponent constantly interrupts you ad their supports constantly hiss and boo. Then the conclusions drawn by observers is “boy, look how calm and dignified [the opponent] is,” what a refreshing contrast to the hostility from Archiesmom.
Would that be fair to you?
- Lincoln Parker - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 11:41 am:
==Imagine you’re participating in the debate, and you and your supporters respectfully let your opponent speak without interruption. Then you start to speak, and your opponent constantly interrupts you ad their supports constantly hiss and boo.==
That sounds exactly like Trump in every debate I have seen.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 11:41 am:
Good job by the cops; very professional. The protesters are lucky this isn’t 1968. By the bye……….Free Pete Rose!
- HJohn - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 11:49 am:
@Lincoln Parker - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 11:41 am:
That sounds exactly like Trump in every debate I have seen.
___________
Trump is no doubt a jerk, and I don’t like him. The analogy is also imperfect. Fact remains, as bad as Bernie and Hillary are (politically, not personally), no one has shut them down with threats of violence. Their supports should practice some of that tolerance and dignity they preach.
And, I will add… if Trump supporters shut down Hillary or Bernie, I will be just as outraged over it.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 11:57 am:
– Fact remains, as bad as Bernie and Hillary are (politically, not personally), no one has shut them down with threats of violence. Their supports should practice some of that tolerance and dignity they preach.–
You’re missing the point of the whole Trump strategy. The threat of violence — often from Trump himself — is part of the show, what draws the crowds and is a big reason why he has dominated the TV box for so long.
It’s also a big reason why he he has gotten about one-third of GOP primary votes to date, more than any other candidate. That minority of the GOP electorate digs the action.
Next time Bernie or Clinton or any other GOP candidate threatens to punch a protester in the face, or encourages a crowd to rough up a protester, or offers to pay the legal fees of someone who sucker-punched a protester then said next time he’d kill him, let me know.
- crazybleedingheart - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 12:08 pm:
==The protesters are lucky this isn’t 1968. ==
The cops are lucky we continue to tolerate and employ them, given their storied history of violating our founding document.
If you prefer to be a grateful subject, move to England.
- crazybleedingheart - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 12:15 pm:
==- CPDFamily - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 10:01 am:
That Statie that ran into the crowd needs to be disciplined. What was he thinking? His brothers had things under control, but he triggered something that could’ve gotten really ugly.==
This is the correct analysis. Yes, he appears to have been chasing someone. No, he shouldn’t have been.
It is not the job of police to put safety in jeopardy in order to vindicate their personal ego.
- Federalist - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 12:19 pm:
Somebody must have organized at least part of the protests and knew a large number of people would attend.
Why in the H E double L can’t a designated place be set up in advance for the protests, and yes somewhat near the ‘action’? Don’t block other people going about their business but let the people protest.
Get the police out of the way except to overall monitor the protest area and to see that some limited number of fools don’t cause trouble. Otherwise get the cops away.
Am I missing something in my comment?
This does not apply to protesters who go into a convention hall/area sponsored by a candidate and whose purpose is to be disruptive. They should be ‘escorted’ out to the area I mentioned.
- crazybleedingheart - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 12:34 pm:
==Don’t block other people going about their business but let the people protest.==
Cool idea because of all the hard-won gains from civil obedience.
- crazybleedingheart - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 12:35 pm:
Like how everybody respects and listens to the rotunda on a loud day.
- Molly Maguire - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 12:46 pm:
These post-Trump protests seem mostly directly at the police themselves, an outgrowth of the BLM movement. Nothing wrong with that, but as a disciple of King and Ghandi, I believe that we would all benefit from a refresher course on non-violent direct action, whether we are protesting candidates, or in the street. King understood the backlash when you play into your opponents hands, and do not promote your cause with dignity and respect. Non-violence has incredible power, but it takes leadership, training, discipline and a willingness to listen. Any other type of protest simply initiates or continues a mutually-destructive downward spiral of punch and counter-punch.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 12:52 pm:
“- Archiesmom - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 9:58 am:”
This is because Trump supporters are not protesting at Bernie rallies.
I am not a Trump supporter but he has a right to speak. We have a right to protest.
Some of my family members went down there to protest and they were peaceful. However, they did see other protesters throwing rocks at the cars of the Trump supporters as they left.
I will probably vote third party in the fall since Illinois won’t matter anyways. I was going to vote for Bernie but after what happened on Friday, I voted for Hillary.
- ChrisB - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 12:54 pm:
That was the corner of Racine and Van Buren, and also the onramp to WB 290. I seriously doubt that intersection was picked unintentionally.
I still have a hard time believing that Trump actually intended to show up. Occam’s razor and all, but he had to know that scheduling his rally at UIC wouldn’t turn out well.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 12:58 pm:
“- Jack Stephens - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 10:35 am:”
If he was a Democrate, you would be the first one arguing about the first amendment.
From your prior post, you are not that into the Constitution.
- perry noya - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 1:45 pm:
Jack Stephens, you are right, there has been absolutely no First Amendment case law since 1783. The Supreme Court has never even bothered to think about it.
- Jack Stephens - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 2:31 pm:
@anonymous:
Repeating. Thinking about the specific text of the 1st Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America. MY Country.
Please give the name of the law, bill number, and President who enacted this law that has specifically prevented Private Citizen Donald J. Trump from his 1st Amendment Rights.
Be specific here. It has nothing to do with political party. This IS a law that Congress passed and the President of the United States has signed.
You can even use “the googles”.
- Jack Stephens - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 2:43 pm:
@anonymous: Actually I would not. I took the Constitution Test and have a basic understanding of how something becomes law in the United States of America. Do you? Does Don?
@perry:
Because the Congress of the United States of America has not passed a law, nor has the President of the United States of America signed into law.
Perhaps a search of “Schoolhouse Rock” might lead you to a video of how something becomes a law.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 3:00 pm:
“- perry noya - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 1:45 pm:”
Thank you
Exactly
Parisians will never look at the facts and just parse things to fit their agenda.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 3:00 pm:
Partisans
- oldman - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 4:00 pm:
The main thing I took from this is that the state cop with the gloves who charged into the crowd should be suspended. How did he pass the psych screening. One look at his demeanor, and most importantly the gloves, and you knew trouble was coming.
- paddyrollingstone - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 4:04 pm:
Man, the police have a hard job. What a nightmare.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 7:25 pm:
“Jack Stevens Tuesday, Mar 15, 16 @ 2:43 pm:”
I would put my knowledge of the Constitution up against yours anyday. I am highly educated in Constitutional law.