March 12, 2016
Some local lawmakers were quick to speak their minds about the controversy that swirled at a Donald Trump rally in Chicago Friday evening.
Trump cancelled the event after a group of people who wished to speak out against what they believe have been divisive comments from the presidential candidate protested the rally.
READ: Protesters cheer when Trump rally canceled, jeer supporters
Supporters of Trump who attended the rally said the protesters were themselves intolerant for their actions, calling them "unfair."
State Rep. Jordan Harris, a Democrat from Philadelphia, sided with the protesters, calling Trump "racist" and responding to a follower who said Trump's rhetoric was free speech, countering that the protesters were exercising that very right.
Chicago was like Nah Son to @realDonaldTrump .... Get that racist, homophobic, misogynistic crap out of here!
— Jordan A. Harris (@RepHarris) March 12, 2016
Naw son @talltexanrealty @realDonaldTrump you have the right to speak and folks have the right to protest that speech!
— Jordan A. Harris (@RepHarris) March 12, 2016
U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, a Democrat representing Northeast Philly and part of Montgomery County, wrote in an editorial for PhillyVoice earlier this month that Trump's candidacy is a "cancer" to the country.
He said on Twitter Friday the scene at the Trump rally was "surreal."
The scene right now at the Trump rally in Chicago is surreal. Hard to believe what I'm watching is happening in America.
— Brendan Boyle (@RepBrendanBoyle) March 12, 2016
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who dropped out of the GOP race and has endorsed Trump, was questioned about the candidate's responsibility to keep his rally-goers under control. Christie said no, according to Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Maddie Hanna.
Does Trump have responsibility to rein in rally-goers? Christie: "No. I think everybody’s responsible for their own conduct."
— Maddie Hanna (@maddiehanna) March 12, 2016
On the national stage, the candidates still in the race from both parties condemned Trump for the environment at his rallies.
"What Trump is doing is incredibly dangerous on so many levels," Sanders says
— Gideon Resnick (@GideonResnick) March 12, 2016
Violence has no place in our politics. We should use our words and deeds to bring Americans together. pic.twitter.com/FofjognpIA
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) March 12, 2016
.@tedcruz: “A campaign bears responsibility for creating an environment when the candidate urges supporters to engage in physical violence.”
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) March 12, 2016
Gov. Kasich's statement on tonight's events in Chicago. pic.twitter.com/5viJndjKu6
— John Kasich (@JohnKasich) March 12, 2016
Being a leader means acknowledging people's anger, but trying to address why they're angry, not manipulating their anger.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) March 12, 2016
Trump, for his part, called the protesters "thugs" and blamed the Democratic candidates for what occurred.
It is Clinton and Sanders people who disrupted my rally in Chicago - and then they say I must talk to my people. Phony politicians!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 12, 2016
The organized group of people, many of them thugs, who shut down our First Amendment rights in Chicago, have totally energized America!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 12, 2016
