Trump Calls For Mosque Surveillance; Black Protester Assaulted During Rally

Trump-calls-for-mosque-surveillance-black-protester-assaulted-during-rally
Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump signs autographs after the fourth Republican debate at the Milwaukee Theater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on November 10, 2015. Twelve candidates are debating each other in two difference segments. Photo by Brian Kersey/UPI

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Nov. 22 (UPI) ─ Donald Trump continued to call for the surveillance of Muslims at “certain mosques” during a campaign rally in Birmingham, Ala., on Saturday where at least six people punched, kicked and tackled an African-American protester.

The protester, Mercutio Southall, who reportedly shouted “black lives matter” and “dump Trump” in an attempt to disrupt Trump’s speech, was escorted out of the building after being physically brought down by multiple Trump supporters. Southall initially struggled against the others and resisted against being taken away.

CNN reports that at least one man punched Southall and a woman kicked him while he was on the ground.

Trump, a billionaire real estate mogul and GOP presidential candidate, said “get him the hell out of here” during the altercation as he continued his campaign speech. One person persistently yelled “all lives matter” during the struggle.

No arrests were made after the incident and Southall did not require medical attention. Southall likened the incident as to being “swarmed” as he faced a “lynch mob.”

“I got punched in the face, I got punched in the neck. I got kicked in the chest. Kicked in the stomach. Somebody stepped on my hand,” Southall said during a phone interview with CNN.

Southall, who co-founded a Black Lives Matter chapter in Birmingham, said he and two fellow protesters were called “monkeys” and the n-word.

Trump has recently received sharp criticism for comments regarding the potential mass documentation of Muslims into databases and the surveillance of mosques.

“I want surveillance of certain mosques if that’s OK,” Trump told the Birmingham crowd. “We’ve had it before.”

 

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