Obama Warns Anti-Trump Protesters Against Violence — ‘You Don’t Need to Do That’
Obama Warns Anti-Trump Protesters Against Violence — ‘You Don’t Need to Do That’
Jun. 3, 2016 8:05pm Leigh Munsil
President Barack Obama spoke out tonight against a recent spate of violence aimed at Donald Trump supporters, arguing that protesters should be trying to persuade rather than bully.
In San Jose, Calif., last night, hundreds of demonstrators protesting against presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump blocked traffic and allegedly threw eggs and bottles at a female supporter of the businessman and 2016 candidate.
At a Democratic National Committee event in Miami tonight, Obama warned opponents of Trump not to resort to violence to make their points — implying not-very-subtly that that’s what Republicans do.
“It is very important for us to remind ourselves of who we are and what is best about American democracy and not slip into some of the bad habits that currently manifest themselves in the other party,” Obama said, according to a White House pool report.
“We saw in San Jose these protesters starting to pelt stuff at Trump supporters. That’s not what our democracy is about,” Obama said. “That’s not what you do. There’s no room for violence. There’s no place for shouting. There’s no room for a politics that fails to at least listen to the other side – even if you vehemently disagree.
“Because I believe if you’ve got the better argument, then you don’t need to do that. Just go out there and organize and persuade.”
Obama Warns Anti-Trump Protesters Against Violence — ‘You Don’t Need to Do That’
