Protest Outside Trump Rally in New Mexico Turns Violent
The scene outside a Trump rally in Albuquerque descended into chaos Tuesday night, with reports of protesters throwing bottles and rocks at police and officers firing smoke bombs to disperse the crowd.
Shit is going ham at this trump rally pic.twitter.com/Dq0h0lFKM5
— john r stanton (@dcbigjohn) May 25, 2016
Authorities dismissed early reports of shots being fired, but speculated that a pellet gun have shattered a window at the Albuquerque Convention Center. Police similarly refuted accounts of tear gas and pepper spray being used, saying only smoke had been deployed so far.
BREAKING: Police fire smoke at anti-Trump crowd in Downtown #ABQ https://t.co/qVy6J7EeCt pics @rosalesquique #trump pic.twitter.com/8xDZoIvxYZ
— ABQJournal (@ABQJournal) May 25, 2016
Some protesters at #ABQ #TrumpRally affected by tear gas @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/nya5WGvUaN
— Russell Contreras (@RussContreras) May 25, 2016
Cops dropping gas in albu pic.twitter.com/be96hon2rR
— john r stanton (@dcbigjohn) May 25, 2016
Only demonstrators that were inside the rally, which was repeatedly interrupted by protesters, have been arrested so far, according to police. On Twitter, Albuquerque Journal’s Dan McKay reported seeing multiple instances of physical fighting in the crowd outside.
Protestors are throwing rocks at police officers. Protest is turning violent. https://t.co/gYiOiZZlIQ pic.twitter.com/50TBNMZ5ad
— Evan D. Folan (@EFolan_ABC7) May 25, 2016
Protests continue in the streets. Trump supporter caught in the middle. pic.twitter.com/3zMHMKIPD6
— Evan D. Folan (@EFolan_ABC7) May 25, 2016
Officers on horses and in riot gear clearing the troublesome intersection at Third and Tijeras. Tense, quiet. pic.twitter.com/rV9yGnU4DR
— Dan McKay (@mckaydan) May 25, 2016
Just before 10 p.m. local time, authorities said that most of the protesters appear to have gone home, leaving only those “looking to cause trouble [and] be destructive.”
Appears that most of the @realDonaldTrump protestors have left & remaining contingent is only looking to cause trouble & be destructive
— Albuquerque Police (@ABQPOLICE) May 25, 2016
This post will be updated as additional information becomes available.