Donald Trump took aim at the mayor of San Jose, Calif., Saturday morning, claiming he allowed “thugs” and “illegals” to attack voters and police outside the presumptive Republican presidential nominee’s campaign rally earlier in the week.
“The Mayor of San Jose did a terrible job of ordering the protection of innocent people,” Trump tweeted. “The thugs were lucky supporters remained peaceful!”
Trump alleged that “many” of the individuals who pelted his supporters with eggs, burned American flags and harassed law enforcement officers were here in the U.S. illegally.
Many of the thugs that attacked the peaceful Trump supporters in San Jose were illegals. They burned the American flag and laughed at police
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2016
Although San Jose is considered a sanctuary city, where unlawful immigrants cannot be prosecuted for their illegal status, police have not confirmed whether the violent protesters were illegal immigrants.
Police, some of whom sustained minor injuries, arrested four people outside the San Jose rally on Thursday afternoon, but names of the individuals have not yet been released.
“At some point Donald Trump needs to take responsibility for the irresponsible behavior of his campaign,” San Jose mayor, Sam Liccardo, told the Associated Press shortly after the protests in his city had settled.
Liccardo is an outspoken supporter of Trump’s leading Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. In a statement released Friday morning, the Democratic mayor said of the violence, “It is regrettable that this has become a pattern for cities hosting Mr. Trump across the nation.”
