More than a dozen Donald Trump supporters have filed a class-action lawsuit against the city of San Jose, Calif., for having “knowingly created a dangerous situation for all Trump rally attendees” at a campaign rally last month.
The lawsuit was filed Thursday by prominent Bay Area attorney Harmeet Dhillon, who also serves as vice chairwoman of the California Republican Party. Dhillon claimed that “city defendants were fully aware of the already volatile situation involving hundreds of protesters outside the Trump rally” and did little to protect supporters of the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.
Several videos of the June 2 rally showed Trump supporters being egged at point blank range by protesters and, in some cases, Trump’s iconic “Make America Great Again” hats being burned. One police officer was reportedly assaulted by the demonstrators, 20 of whom were arrested by the time the protests had died down.
NOW: #Trump supporter attacked and left bleeding in San Jose pic.twitter.com/kC2GVz9JcZ
— Tim Pool (@Timcast) June 3, 2016
“[The city] knowingly created a dangerous situation for all Trump rally attendees by requiring all persons leaving the event to walk directly into and through a mob of physically violent and aggressive anti-Trump protesters,” said the complaint.
Dhillon claimed that law enforcement’s response to the violence that occurred was delayed and less severe than it should have been. Her complaint does not specify the amount of damages sought by the 14 Trump supporters she legally represents.
The complaint also targets San Jose’s Democratic Mayor Sam Liccardo who, in the aftermath of the protests, told the Associated Press that “at some point Donald Trump needs to take responsibility for the irresponsible behavior of his campaign.”
Liccardo’s immediate response to the outbreak of violence showed that his “inaction was colored by political viewpoint considerations,” the suit alleges.
Dhillon has also called for specific individuals, who were allegedly involved in the attacks against Trump supporters, to be charged with assault and battery.