This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-black-lives-matter-birmingham-alabama-roughed-up-a6744206.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Donald Trump accused of defending supporters who 'roughed up' a Black Lives Matter activist during Alabama rally Donald Trump accused of defending supporters who 'roughed up' a Black Lives Matter activist during Alabama rally
(about 14 hours later)
US Presidential candidate Donald Trump has been accused of suggesting that his supporters were right to attack a Black Lives Matter activist who interrupted his speech in Birmingham, Alabama on Saturday.US Presidential candidate Donald Trump has been accused of suggesting that his supporters were right to attack a Black Lives Matter activist who interrupted his speech in Birmingham, Alabama on Saturday.
The day after the incident, during which attendees at the Trump rally were filmed throwing activist Mercutio Southall Jr to the ground, Trump was asked to comment on his supporters' actions on the Fox and Friends talk show.The day after the incident, during which attendees at the Trump rally were filmed throwing activist Mercutio Southall Jr to the ground, Trump was asked to comment on his supporters' actions on the Fox and Friends talk show.
Black Lives Matter supporter at Trump rally 'shoved, tackled, punched and kicked'
Trump replied: "Maybe he should have been roughed up."Trump replied: "Maybe he should have been roughed up."
"It was disgusting what he was doing," he added."It was disgusting what he was doing," he added.
Trump then went on to compare the incident to a similar one at a recent rally for Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders, in which protesters from the Black Lives Matter movement grabbed the microphone from Sanders' hands and kicked him off stage.Trump then went on to compare the incident to a similar one at a recent rally for Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders, in which protesters from the Black Lives Matter movement grabbed the microphone from Sanders' hands and kicked him off stage.
Trump said: "This was not handled the way Bernie Sanders handled his problem, I will tell you, but I have a lot of fans and they were not happy about it."Trump said: "This was not handled the way Bernie Sanders handled his problem, I will tell you, but I have a lot of fans and they were not happy about it."
"And this was a very obnoxious guy, who was a troublemaker, was looking to make trouble, but I didn't get to see the event.""And this was a very obnoxious guy, who was a troublemaker, was looking to make trouble, but I didn't get to see the event."
A video from the rally, captured by CNN, shows a group of men surrounding Southall after he interrupted the speech. He is thrown to the ground and appears to be punched and kicked by a handful of bystanders, before swiftly being escorted away by security.A video from the rally, captured by CNN, shows a group of men surrounding Southall after he interrupted the speech. He is thrown to the ground and appears to be punched and kicked by a handful of bystanders, before swiftly being escorted away by security.
According to a Washington Post reporter who was in the crowd, one bystander shouted "Don't choke him!" after one of the men put his hands around Southall's neck.According to a Washington Post reporter who was in the crowd, one bystander shouted "Don't choke him!" after one of the men put his hands around Southall's neck.
"Some of the candidates, they went in and didn’t know the air conditioner didn’t work and sweated like dogs, and they didn’t know the room was too big because they didn’t have anybody there. How are they going to beat ISIS?"
Getty
"I will build a great wall — and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me —and I’ll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words."
Reuters
"Free trade is terrible. Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people. But we have stupid people."
PAUL J. RICHARDS | AFP | Getty Images
"When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re sending people that have lots of problems. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists."
Getty
"I just sold an apartment for $15 million to somebody from China. Am I supposed to dislike them?... I love China. The biggest bank in the world is from China. You know where their United States headquarters is located? In this building, in Trump Tower."
Getty Images
"If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure, stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable."
AP
"What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate."
"Everything in life is luck."
AFP
"You have to think anyway, so why not think big?"
Getty Images
"Bush is totally in favour of Common Core. I don't see how he can possibly get the nomination. He's weak on immigration. He's in favour of Common Core. How the hell can you vote for this guy? You just can't do it."
Reuters
"You have to be hit by a tractor, literally, a tractor, to use it, because the deductibles are so high. It's virtually useless. And remember the $5 billion web site?... I have so many web sites, I have them all over the place. I hire people, they do a web site. It costs me $3."
Getty Images
"Obama is going to be out playing golf. He might be on one of my courses. I would invite him. I have the best courses in the world. I have one right next to the White House."
PA
"Love him or hate him, Trump is a man who is certain about what he wants and sets out to get it, no holds barred. Women find his power almost as much of a turn-on as his money."
Getty Images
"The American Dream is dead. But if I get elected president I will bring it back bigger and better and stronger than ever before and we will make America great again."
GETTY
Similar incidents have occurred at previous Trump rallies – Latino protesters at a campaign event in Miami in October were filmed being violently dragged out by attendees, as the crowd chanted "USA, USA".Similar incidents have occurred at previous Trump rallies – Latino protesters at a campaign event in Miami in October were filmed being violently dragged out by attendees, as the crowd chanted "USA, USA".
In August, two men in Boston were arrested after allegedly beating a homeless Mexican man with a metal pole.In August, two men in Boston were arrested after allegedly beating a homeless Mexican man with a metal pole.
After their arrest, police said one of the men, Scott Leader, allegedly said: "Donald Trump was right, all these illegals need to be deported."After their arrest, police said one of the men, Scott Leader, allegedly said: "Donald Trump was right, all these illegals need to be deported."
When questioned about the alleged crime by the Boston Globe, Trump replied: "I haven't heard about that. I would be a shame, but I haven't heard about that."When questioned about the alleged crime by the Boston Globe, Trump replied: "I haven't heard about that. I would be a shame, but I haven't heard about that."
Trump faced criticism, however, after he said: "I will say that people who are following me are very passionate. They love this country and they want this country to be great again."Trump faced criticism, however, after he said: "I will say that people who are following me are very passionate. They love this country and they want this country to be great again."
"They are passionate. I will say that, and everybody here has reported it.""They are passionate. I will say that, and everybody here has reported it."
Trump is currently leading in many Republican presidential polls, with former neurosurgeon Ben Carson following in a close second.Trump is currently leading in many Republican presidential polls, with former neurosurgeon Ben Carson following in a close second.