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U.S. NEWS A3
Tuesday 1 March 2016
Amid protests, a Secret Service-media tussle at Trump rally
BILL BARROW photograph some of the
many protesters kicked out
Associated Press of Trump’s Radford event.
Rebuffed, Morris is heard
RADFORD, Virginia (AP) cursing at the agent, who
then grabs Morris and takes
— A raucous and protest- him to the ground.
Seconds later, Morris
ridden Donald Trump touched the agent to
demonstrate his version of
rally on the eve of Super what happened. He was
then escorted out.
Tuesday featured a verbal Trump’s campaign says it is
not aware of all the details
and physical altercation surrounding the incident.
Aides to the Republican
between a news media presidential front-runner,
who engaged Monday in
photographer and a Secret his characteristic mockery
of both protesters and
Service agent, complete the press, say the Trump
campaign knows nothing
with profanity, a choke of the details, and the
widespread tensions did
hold and a body slam. nothing to dampen the
enthusiasm of Trump
Chris Morris, the supporters ahead of
Tuesday’s primary slate that
photographer who is could give the billionaire
businessman an prohibitive
contracted to cover the delegate lead over his top
rivals.
campaign for TIME, was Trump did not acknowledge
the scuffle as it happened,
escorted out of the tense
rally amid an anti-Trump
protest, and detained
before being released.
The Secret Service says it Photojournalist Chris Morris is escorted by police during the rally of Republican presidential
candidate, Donald Trump, Monday, Feb. 29, 2016, at Radford University in Radford, Va.
is investigating “the exact
(AP Photo/Steve Helber)
circumstances.” The agent
and it’s not clear whether at several other points speech, he commented
has not been identified. he noticed at all, although throughout his one-hour directly on protesters.q
Trump’s hour-long speech
was interrupted multiple
times by protesters —
some individual, others
acting in groups. Videos
of the incident taken by
reporters and attendees
show Morris attempting to
secure a better position to
Super Showdown many times do I have to
continue to disavow peo-
Continued from Front ple?” he said.
Several high-profile Repub-
“If our party is no longer licans and conservative
working for the things we writers have embraced an
believe in ... then people of anti-Trump social media
good conscience should campaign, using the Twit-
stop supporting that par- ter hashtag “NeverTrump.”
ty until it is reformed,” he The Associated Press asked
wrote. Republican senators and
Other Republican leaders governors across the coun-
were less explicit, but sent try if they would back
similar messages on Mon- Trump if he secured the
day, particularly in light nomination. Just under half
of Trump’s refusal to im- of those who responded
mediately disavow former would not commit to back-
Ku Klux Klan leader David ing him, foreshadowing a
Duke’s support. potentially extraordinary
Mitt Romney, the party’s break this fall.
2012 nominee, called that “I am increasingly con-
“disqualifying.” And South cerned by Donald Trump’s
Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, statements and behavior,
campaigning in Atlanta and I have serious con-
alongside Rubio, said she cerns about his ability to
would “not stop fighting win the general election
a man who refuses to dis- and provide presidential
avow the KKK.” The Klan leadership,” Indiana Sen.
advocates white suprem- Dan Coats said in a state-
acy, and has sometimes ment to AP.
used violence. Tensions boiled over dur-
Trump said he had not ing Trump’s rally Monday in
understood the CNN in- Radford, Virginia, where he
terviewer who first raised was repeatedly disrupted
the question about Duke’s by demonstrators, includ-
endorsement, and he did ing 20 or more chanting
later repudiate him. “How “Black lives matter.”q
