Donald Trump stage invader: 'I have to bully the bully'

[deminks]

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/mar/14/donald-trump-stage-invader-tommy-dimassimo-ohio-campaign-rally

The man who rushed the stage at a Donald Trump rally in Ohio on Saturday has sought to explain his actions, telling the Guardian: “I have to bully the bully.”

The man who briefly invaded Trump’s stage at Dayton airport was Tommy DiMassimo, a 22-year-old Wright State University senior with a history of protesting in support of liberal causes. The Republican presidential frontrunner turned from his lectern in surprise as secret service agents rushed to surround him. Others wrestled DiMassimo to the ground.

After the incident, which came a day after a postponed Chicago rally descended into violent chaos and shortly before police used pepper spray at an event in Kansas City, Trump claimed on Twitter that the protester had “ties to Isis”. Inevitably, his tweet – and subsequent refusal to disavow it – prompted a mini media storm.

(snip)

DiMassimo faces misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and inducing panic, and is now out on bail pending a further court appearance. He said he was not armed, dismissing social media chatter about a knife injury to a secret service agent.

Trump’s claim of an Isis link, DiMassimo said, was ludicrous.

“I participated in a demonstration last April at my college, and it was an anti-American flag demonstration in which I stood on a flag,” he said. “We released a video on YouTube called Not My Flag. Someone literally just took that video, removed all the audio and inserted some Isis fighting song in the background.”

(snip)

This side of the story will never get any air in Amerika. He has been fighting hate since the 7th grade.