A federal judge rejected a plea by President Trump’s lawyers to dismiss a lawsuit charging that Trump had caused protesters to be roughed up at one of his campaign rallies, saying his attorneys’ argument that Trump was exercising free speech does not apply to speech that incites violence.
The suit was filed by three protesters who say they were manhandled by audience members during a March 1, 2016, rally in Louisville, Ky., according to the Associated Press. Trump pointed at the protesters and demanded, “get them out.”
Judge David J. Hale in Louisville ruled that the suit can proceed, saying there was evidence the plaintiffs were harmed as a result of Trump’s command.
“It is plausible that Trump’s direction to ‘get ’em out of here’ advocated the use of force,” the judge wrote. “It was an order, an instruction, a command.”
