The Black Lives Matter activist who was punched and forcefully removed from a Donald Trump campaign rally “should have been roughed up,” said the Republican presidential candidate.
During Trump’s campaign rally in Birmingham, Alabama on Saturday, and altercation broke out between Mercutio Southall Jr., a Black Lives Matter activist, and Trump supporters.
Southall began to chant “Black lives matter!,” before the altercation took place. Several videos of the incident show Southall on the ground, and several men appear to be punching and kicking the protester.
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According to The Washington Post, one of the men attempted to choke Southall during the altercation.
The fight appeared to have occurred towards the back of the auditorium, away from the stage where Trump was speaking. Trump, however, stopped mid-speech asking for the removal of the protester.
“Get him the hell out of here, will you, please?” Trump said as the crowd cheered.
Several supporters are heard on video chanting “all lives matter,” as Southall was escorted towards an exit.
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On Sunday, during an interview with Fox News, Trump called Southall’s actions “absolutely disgusting.”
I will tell you that the man that was — was I don’t know, you say roughed up, he was so obnoxious and so loud, he was screaming,” Trump said. “I had 10,000 people in the room yesterday, 10,000 people, and this guy started screaming by himself … Maybe he should have been roughed up because it was absolutely disgusting what he was doing.”
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