Protesters Repeatedly Interrupt Trump, Clash With Police At New Mexico Rally
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Protests outside a Donald Trump rally in New Mexico turned violent Tuesday night as demonstrators threw burning T-shirts, plastic bottles and other items at officers, overturned trash cans and knocked down barricades.
On Twitter, Albuquerque police said protesters also tossed bottles and rocks at police horses outside the Albuquerque Convention Center. Police responded by firing pepper spray and smoke grenades into the crowd.
Police said several officers were treated for injuries "as a result of being hit by rocks" and said at least one person was arrested.
During the rally, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee was interrupted repeatedly by protesters, who shouted, held up banners and resisted removal by security officers.
The banners included the messages "Trump is Fascist'' and "We've heard enough.''
Trump responded with his usual bluster, instructing security to remove the protesters and mocking their actions by telling them to "Go home to mommy.''
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Trump's supporters responded with chants of "Build that wall!''
On Wednesday, Trump lashed back at protesters, tweeting: "The protesters in New Mexico were thugs who were flying the Mexican flag. The rally inside was big and beautiful, but outside, criminals!''
When he did get a chance to speak at the event, Trump focused on his likely Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, who fired back, accusing Trump of trying to capitalize off the housing market crash, CBS2's Mark Albert reported.
The Clinton campaign is playing up a 2006 Trump comment in which he said, "I sort of hope that happens because then people like me would go in and buy like crazy."
"Why on earth would we elect somebody president who actually rooted for the collapse of the mortgage market?" Clinton said.
On Wednesday, both candidates will campaign in California, where police warned people going to Trump's event, "…we will not tolerate violence or disobedience of the law during the upcoming rally in Anaheim."
Trump is expected to give a press conference about Tuesday night's riot ahead of his event in Anaheim Wednesday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Trump won the Republican primary in Washington state Tuesday. The billionaire businessman's victory pulls him within 44 delegates of the number needed to become the Republican nominee.
Trump won at least 24 delegates in Washington state, with 20 still left to be allocated. He has 1,193 delegates. It takes 1,237 delegates to win the GOP nomination.
There are no more Republican contests until June 7, when the last five states vote. With a total of 303 delegates at stake in California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota, Trump should easily clinch the nomination that day.
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