Protesters smash police car, block freeway at California Trump rally
UPDATED April 29, 2016, 2 p.m. PT with arrest figures.
Rowdy protests prior to Donald Trump's Southern California rally Thursday evening devolved into all-out rage when the GOP front-runner finished speaking to a capacity crowd at the Orange County fairgrounds.
Hundreds of protesters swarmed the streets outside the sprawling Costa Mesa venue. Some smashed the rear window of a police car, while a few jumped atop the vehicle. Protesters unsuccessfully tried to flip the car before authorities intervened. An anti-Trump crowd temporarily blocked a freeway onramp, bringing benches and chairs to sit on.
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Images and video of the protest flooded social media as "Costa Mesa," "Orange County," #TrumpOC and #TrumpRally trended on Twitter throughout the evening.
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About 20 people were arrested and there were no major injuries, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Department. Authorities attempted to break up crowds along city streets throughout the night, tackling pockets as they formed. The protesters dispersed around 11 p.m. PT.
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It's not unusual for Trump rallies to turn violent. They have in Chicago, Wisconsin, Florida and elsewhere. And in Orange County, which is more than a third Latino, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric lit a match. Protesters could be seen holding Mexican flags and signs that said "Build A Wall Around Trump."
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Even before Trump took the stage in front of thousands to talk his usual fare about building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico and making America great again, his supporters and detractors faced off. Punches were thrown, expletives were shouted. Authorities in riot gear and mounted police had to break up the two sides, forming a barrier between them.
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Later in the evening, fighting between the pro and anti-Trump crowd picked up again, with a handful of supporters intentionally jamming their cars into protest crowds. One Trump supporter's face was bloodied after being punched.
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It wasn't all violent, though, at one point, demonstrators line danced.
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Topics Activism Donald Trump Elections
Brittany Levine Beckman was Mashable's managing editor. She enjoys crafting feature ideas, learning new things, and party parrots. Before working at Mashable, she covered community news at the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register. That's how she met a zonkey and the tallest man in the world.
