President Donald Trump’s rally for U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxtonwas repeatedly interrupted by protesters as opposing groups gathered outside Freeman Coliseum and demonstrators were escorted from the event.
About 100 protesters gathered Wednesday night, Oct. 7, across the street from the coliseum before and during the rally, according to the San Antonio Express-News. The demonstration included members of the Bexar County Democratic Party and the local Party for Socialism and Liberation, among other groups.
Inside the coliseum, protesters repeatedly interrupted Trump as he spoke to a packed crowd in support of Paxton and other Republican candidates.
The disruptions began with individual demonstrators shouting during Trump's remarks. At least a half-dozen interruptions were reported during the early portion of his speech, while later accounts put the total number of demonstrators removed from the rally at least a dozen. Some were escorted out by police.
At one point, Trump briefly stepped away from the microphone after a protester appeared to approach the stage.
"He's going back home to mom," Trump said after the interruption, according to The Associated Press.
Trump initially attempted to continue speaking as protesters were removed and the crowd booed. He later accused some of the demonstrators of being paid protesters, a claim he made without providing evidence.
About 100 protesters gather outside
The demonstration outside Freeman Coliseum began before Trump's arrival, with protesters gathering across East Houston Street as supporters lined up to attend the rally.
Protesters carried signs and chanted criticism of Trump's administration and Republican policies, including over immigration enforcement, the national debt and other issues. Texas state troopers were stationed near the demonstration as protesters and Trump supporters crossed paths.
The scene became tense at times after the rally as attendees leaving the coliseum encountered protesters outside, according to KSAT.
Authorities had warned ahead of the rally that people could exercise their First Amendment rights in public areas as long as they stayed off roadways and did not breach the peace. Law enforcement agencies also warned of traffic disruptions and intermittent road closures around the coliseum.
Trump campaigns for Paxton amid competitive Senate race
Trump's appearance was part of an effort to boost Paxton's U.S. Senate campaign against Democrat James Talarico. Paxton and other Republican candidates joined Trump onstage during the rally.
Trump praised Paxton as "perhaps the greatest attorney general in the United States of America" and emphasized his support for the Republican nominee. The San Antonio rally was Trump's third visit to Texas in less than a month as Republicans work to hold onto the state ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
The rally also came just weeks after a public disagreement between Trump and Paxton over the impact of a September Republican midterm convention in Dallas.
In a recording of a private fundraiser that surfaced in late September, Paxton said his campaign's polling numbers dropped after the convention and added that "everybody's numbers dropped." Paxton's campaign disputed the characterization of his remarks.
Trump later rejected the suggestion that the convention had hurt Paxton, pointing to the event's large audience and saying it had been successful.
Now, less than a month before Election Day on Nov. 3, Trump is making another high-profile appearance in Texas on Paxton's behalf.
The timing reflects the stakes of the Senate race. Paxton, who defeated four-term Republican Sen. John Cornyn in the May GOP runoff after receiving Trump's endorsement, is facing Talarico in the November general election.
Brandi D. Addison covers weather across the nation as the Weather Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network and contributes to Texas Connect coverage across the state. She can be reached at baddison@usatodayco.com. Follow her on Facebook here.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch: Protesters interrupt Trump at San Antonio rally with Paxton
