Janice R. Andrews
Over the Labor Day weekend, former President Donald Trump caused a lot of controversy with the way he acted at a number of events. At the start of the holiday weekend, on August 30, at a Trump campaign gathering in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, there was an incident. A protester tried to break into the press area during the gathering, which caused a lot of trouble and made people wonder if Trump’s words might have caused the incident.
Rally for Trump in Johnstown, Pennsylvania
A lot of people came to the gathering in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, because Trump was so angry at the American media. A protester made a scene just minutes before Trump gave a speech in which he harshly attacked news organizations like the New York Times and CNN. Reports say this set the stage for what turned out to be a wild event that showed how angry Trump fans are getting with the media.
A protester tries to break into the press section
Taurean Small, a reporter for CBS News who was at the gathering, tweeted in great detail about what happened. Small says that a protester was kicked out after going over the press fence and onto a riser in the press area. “Just now: a protester was kicked out after jumping over the press fence and onto the riser at Trump’s PA rally,” Small wrote in a tweet. The quickly worsening situation was caught on video, which showed the protester being held back by security in the press pen before police arrived.
The event was caught on video
When Taurean Small posted a video of the event on social media, it showed how tense it was as security tried to hold back the protester. There is video of what happened. The security guards in the press pen caught him first, then the police did,” Small said. Reports from Vanity Fair say that Trump was yelling at the New York Times less than 10 minutes before this interruption. He said the paper was losing readers and spreading lies about him.
Trump’s rant against the New York Times
Trump said in his speech that he was happy about what he called the New York Times’s falling audience. He also called the news organization “the enemy of the people” and said, “I have to be happy about that.” Donald Trump kept criticizing the media by saying that the New York Times and other outlets always wrote false stories about him. This made his fans even more angry at the media.
Trump’s Bad Things About CNN
Besides what he said about the New York Times, Trump also said bad things about CNN. He said the network did a bad job of covering Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, and Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, who is her running mate. Vanity Fair pointed out that Trump’s comments on the media were a big part of his speech and may have contributed to the protester’s anger and final outburst.
What took place during the event?
The protester got through the fence that was around the press area and started to climb a ladder. People, including reporters, tried to pull the protester down as he climbed, and police officers quickly joined the effort to stop him. According to the Los Angeles Times, the protester was finally tased and taken into custody by police. The man is now being charged with several misdemeanors, such as disorderly conduct, fighting arrest, and disturbing a public gathering.
How Trump Reacted to What Happened
Trump asked the crowd, “Is there anywhere that’s more fun to be than a Trump rally?” after the event. People cheered when he said that, showing that the gathering was usually positive despite the problem. Some people, though, didn’t like this reaction because they thought it played down how bad the event was and made people more angry at the media.
Accounts from witnesses of how the protesters behaved
Danielle Alvarez, a senior advisor to Trump’s campaign, gave more information by calling the protester a “crazed person yelling obscenities at President Trump.” According to Alvarez, the man was angry at Trump and the stage as he walked into the press area. She did not name the people she talked about, though, or give more information about the protester’s past.
The Bigger Picture: Trump’s Hatred of the Media
The thing that happened in Johnstown is typical of what happens at Trump events, where anger toward the media is common. Many times, Trump has called the media “fake news” and “the enemy of the people.” This has made people wonder if his words could make his followers more violent. It’s not clear if Trump’s words directly led to the protester’s actions, but the event does show how heated things are getting between Trump’s fans and the press.
As the investigation goes on, it’s important not to make snap decisions and look at things from all points of view to fully understand what happened at the gathering that caused the trouble. This shows how important it is to keep a healthy balance between free speech and inciting violence, and how public figures should help make the world a safer and more respectful place.
