2016 Albuquerque riot
On May 24, 2016, protests at a Donald Trump rally in Albuquerque, New Mexico turned violent, with rioters and police clashing outside the Convention Center.
2016 Albuquerque Riot | |||
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Part of the protests against Donald Trump | |||
Date | May 24th, 2016 | ||
Location | |||
Caused by | protestors who threw objects at police outside a campaign rally in Albuquerque | ||
Methods | Protesting,[1] rioting,[2][3] vandalism,[4][5] [6] assault | ||
Parties to the civil conflict | |||
| |||
Casualties | |||
Injuries | Several, non life-threatening. | ||
Arrested | 3[7] |
For hours, protesters and police clashed in downtown Albuquerque, with rioters burning signs and pro-Trump t-shirts, and throwing rocks and plastic bottles at police. Police in riot gear responded with smoke grenades and pepper spray.
Incident
Donald Trump held a rally that attracted over 7,000 supporters in Albuquerque on May 24. Organized counter protests occurred the same day, and included a rally with local speakers, a march, the display of anti-Trump signs, and musical performances.
While the event began peacefully, it descended into violence later that night after the majority of protestors had left the area. The remaining protestors gathered at the Albuquerque Convention Center, the venue hosting the Trump campaign rally. Demonstrators burned signs and pro-Trump t-shirts, and threw rocks and plastic bottles at police. The Albuquerque Police Department later characterized the incident as a riot. The clash with police continued until 11:00 p.m.[8] Three rioters were arrested in the chaos and several police officers sustained minor injuries from thrown rocks.
Reactions
Donald Trump tweeted on the event and surrounding chaos after the unrest. "Great rally in New Mexico, amazing crowd!" He also tweeted, "The protesters in New Mexico were thugs who were flying the Mexican flag. The rally inside was big and beautiful, but outside, criminals!"[9] Trump's next stop was to be Anaheim, where the police chief Chief Raul Quezada issued a warning to protesters that "there is no room for violence in Anaheim."
References
- "Albuquerque Trump protests were mostly peaceful, but unruly people caused late violence".
- "Protesters clash with police outside Trump rally in Albuquerque; authorities call it a riot". 25 May 2016 – via LA Times.
- "Albuquerque, New Mexico - Photos - Anti-Trump protests turn violent in Albuquerque".
- Eric Bradner; Noah Gray; Jeremy Diamond. "Trump protestors break through barriers". CNN.
- "Violence & pepper spray at anti-Trump protests in Albuquerque".
- "Cops Injured as Trump Protests Get Violent in Albuquerque".
- "Albuquerque police make arrest linked to violent Trump riot".
- Press, The Associated. "The Latest: 4 arrested amid protests at Trump rally". pjstar.com.
- "Police in riot gear quell chaos outside N.M. Trump rally". usatoday.com.