Trump Was Rushed Off Stage After Supporters Attacked Republican Who Opposes Him

Protester Says He Feared For His Life, Blames GOP Nominee For Instigating Violence

Donald Trump’s supporters are attempting to exploit an incident that led to the GOP nominee being rushed off stage by Secret Service agents in Reno on Saturday night, falsely claiming it was an “assassination attempt.” 

However, video from the rally (above) — as well as an account from the protester who was detained in connection with the incident — both indicate that Trump in fact helped instigate the violent confrontation. 

The protester, Austyn Crites of Reno, said he was attacked by Trump’s supporters after approaching the stage and holding up a sign saying, “Republicans against Trump.” Crites, a self-identified Republican, told the Guardian he feared for his life when he was kicked, punched, choked and even grabbed by the testicles. Someone apparently yelled that Crites had a gun, which led to Trump being rushed off stage. However, the Secret Service later confirmed in a statement that Crites had no weapon, and he was released about an hour later. 

As Crites approached the stage, Trump can be seen in the video peering down from the podium toward the disturbance at the front of the crowd.  “We have one of those guys from the Hillary Clinton campaign. How much are you being paid? … All right, take him out,” Trump said. 

Crites told the Guardian it appeared Trump was pointing at him and may have been trying to instigate something. Moments later, another violent confrontation occurred when Trump supporters attacked a CNN camera man who left the media pen to film the aftermath of the incident involving Crites.

The video shows Trump supporters repeatedly shoving CNN’s Noah Gray, and attempting to rip the camera out of his hands. Trump frequently bashes the media at his rallies, inciting hostility toward reporters. 

Trump returned to the stage shortly after being rushed off, and some of his top supporters immediately took to Twitter in an attempt to exploit and politicize the incident. 

Both Trump’s son, Donald Jr., and his social media director, Dan Scavino, retweeted a false meme characterizing the incident as an “assassination attempt,” and bashing Democrat Hillary Clinton for cutting short a rally in Florida earlier in the day due to pouring rain. Meanwhile, Trump surrogate Rudy Giuliani claimed that the GOP nominee handled the incident “like a Commander in Chief.” 

At a Trump rally in Denver later on Friday, an introductory speaker blamed the Reno incident on the media.

“Media, I have to pray for you,” said Andre Mahanna, an area priest who delivered the invocation. “You attack him every time. Tonight I think the hate a lot of media raised against him caused an attempt of murder against him in Nevada.”

Image via KRNV/KRXI