Mayor Liccardo, San Jose Police Issue New Statements Regarding Violence at Donald Trump Rally

Perhaps realizing initial statements gave short shrift to the violent episodes outside of Donald Trump’s rally Thursday night at the San Jose Convention Center, both Mayor Sam Liccardo and the San Jose police released additional comments Friday.

SJPD initially limited its release of information regarding the violent clashes to noting an officer was assaulted and a “few” people were arrested.

Liccardo commended police in his original statement, but seemed to have it both ways in blaming Trump and the people who participated in assaults taking place in the streets following the rally.

In an email blast Friday morning, Liccardo came out more forcefully in a “supplemental statement” condemning the violence.

“I condemn all acts of violence committed against people who exercise their rights to free speech and assembly, regardless of their political views," Liccardo said. “Nothing that Donald Trump says absolves those individuals of responsibility for their violent conduct last ”

Liccardo added that San Jose police and the District Attorney’s office are now investigating incidents of violence.

“Our police department and District Attorney's office will proactively and thoroughly investigate and prosecute the offenders, and Police Chief Eddie Garcia has called for all members of our community who have video and other evidence to submit that information to the authorities so it can be used for arrest of the violent perpetrators,” he said.

In closing, however, Liccardo again cast blame on Trump’s divisive—and many would say racist—rhetoric in stoking tensions that resulted in people brawling in the street, hurling objects at Trump supporters and lighting the Republican presidential candidate’s paraphernalia on fire.

“That said, I think we all need to acknowledge that each of us—presidential candidates, local leaders, and individual citizens—have a responsibility for our own speech," Liccardo said. “It is regrettable that this has become a pattern for cities hosting Mr. Trump across the nation.”

San Jose police issued their own media advisory Friday, noting what actions it took as the media gives closer scrutiny to how well the department conducted crowd control.

In its release, SJPD said it held off in arresting people seen committing crimes because it “had the difficult task of weighing the need to immediately apprehend the suspect(s) against the possibility that police action involving the use of physical force under the circumstances would further insight [sic] the crowd and produce more violent behavior.”

Here is the statement in full:

On Thursday, June 2, 2016, approximately 300-400 protestors gathered outside a Trump rally in San Jose. The San Jose Police Department designated two locations for supporters and demonstrators. The Department had an operations plan in place in an effort to ensure the safety of everyone attending the event. However, officers were confronted by some protestors who became violent, aggressive and began to throw objects in their direction. A majority of the violence occurred at the conclusion of the event.   While several physical assaults did occur, the police personnel on scene had the difficult task of weighing the need to immediately apprehend the suspect(s) against the possibility that police action involving the use of physical force under the circumstances would further insight the crowd and produce more violent behavior. As Trump supporters were exiting the Convention Center, officers directed the crowd away from the protestors and suggested alternate routes of egress in order to prevent violence or a large-scale confrontation. This required the forming of crowd control lines of uniformed officers to act as a physical barrier to facilitate the movement of the crowd out of the area. The San Jose Police Department subsequently made four arrests for incidents including assault with a deadly weapon and unlawful assembly. A San Jose Police sergeant suffered minor injuries after a protester struck him with a metal object. The Department is currently reviewing available footage and beginning the investigative process to identify suspects who were involved in criminal behavior, particularly physical assaults, so that warrants can be sought for their arrest. The Police Department encourages any members of the public who witnessed assaults or who are possession of video footage depicting physical assaults to contact the San Jose Police Department and cooperate with the ongoing investigations.

Police Chief Eddie Garcia released his own statement Friday afternoon adding more detail on how the SJPD handled crowd control. He defended the department in noting it is not an “occupying force” and four people were arrested. Here is the full statement:

The violent behavior exhibited by some protestors last night was reprehensible, completely unacceptable and unrepresentative of our democracy and this City. We saw demonstrators behaving poorly and our officers clearing the streets as safely and expeditiously as possible. Officer safety and crowd control techniques are critical and cannot be abandoned when protestors scatter from area to area faster than the police lines can move.

Furthermore, de-escalation techniques are important—not just when someone has a weapon. We are not an “occupying force” and cannot reflect the chaotic tactics of the protestors. Instead, we achieved our goal of clearing the streets and making arrests in an appropriate manner. Our officers should be commended for both their effectiveness and their restraint.

Let me be clear: the violence that occurred last night was not unchecked. Four arrests have already been made, and I have immediately assembled a task force, headed by the Bureau of Investigations Chief Shawny Williams, and in coordination with the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, to review all video evidence and investigate all reported assaults or other crimes from last night’s incident. I’m calling on the public as well as media outlets to submit all video evidence to our Police Department so we can root out those whose intentions were to disrupt our civil democratic process and put the safety and welfare of the public and my officers at risk. We will work tirelessly to hold them accountable and bring them to justice.

The San Jose Police Officers Association (POA) also released a statement saying the union was “disgusted” with the “so called protestors” violent behavior toward citizens and police.

“I'm disgusted by the violent attacks yesterday that have no place in our society or our political process,” said Paul Kelly, president of the POA.

“Our community must band together against those who would soil our First Amendment freedoms and bring to justice those that chose to act like cowards,” said James Gonzales, vice president of the police union.

Anyone who possesses video, photos or other information on people involved in illegal behavior at the rally are urged to contact the San Jose Police Department’s Assaults Unit at 408.537.4161, or by calling 311.

People who wish to remain anonymous are encouraged to call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line, 408. 947-.7867, or upload digital files to this website. A cash reward might be available in some instances. In addition, people can file a crime report online.

Josh Koehn is a former managing editor for San Jose Inside and Metro Silicon Valley.

212 Comments

  1. So again Mr. Laccardo is blaming Trump for his free speech message. Where was Laccardo when Ferguson and Baltimore were burning. Where was Laccardo when Occupy was trashing the place and raping woman in Oakland.

    We seem to be very tolerant of a drunken mob waving Mexican flags trashing downtown on Cinco De Mayo.
    Do you suppose the same would be tolerated if mob of drunk Irishmen celebrating saint Patrick’s day?
    I think not! We’d blame it on Trump or Bush.

    • “Where was Laccardo when Ferguson and Baltimore were burning.”

      He was in his city of San Diego where he is the Mayor..

      What a ridiculously easy answer that was to give.

      • Except anyone who took the time to read the article would know that Laccardo is the mayor of San Jose, not San Diego. If you want to appear smart, please, have the minor details correct.

        • If you both want to appear smart, it might help to spell the mayor of San Jose correctly. And you have to admit, this has to be one of the most heated elections in a long time. Note I am not a Hillary or Trump fan, but I do think Trump is responsible for all of this and hold him responsible for the reactions his rhetoric is eliciting.

          • I know. Trump is just like that silly woman who insisted on drinking at a fraternity party at Stanford and won’t take responsibility for their consensual sex.

            Does this mean that the next time there is an illegal immigrant rally and US flags are burned, that the illegal immigrants are responsible if the KKK decides to show up and lynch them?

            Your are young, and I hope as you grow up you are capable of learning. This was hardly the most heated election in living memory – there was Kennedy – Nixon, with enormous voter fraud in Chicago and Texas giving the election to Kennedy; there was Goldwater – Johnson, and in 1968, why the Democratic convention was so peaceful that both police and protestors rioted in Chicago. Poor Hubert Humphrey never had a chance against Nixon after the debacle of the Democratic convention played out on national TV. Others before I was born were known to have been equally heated.

            Things have become much more peaceful since the advent of politicians who generally have almost identical platforms, regardless of party, and sense the onset of outrage over any speech that may be deemed offensive by someone.

    • “Where was Laccardo when Ferguson and Baltimore were burning.”

      Uhhhh. He was in a totally different state in the City of San Diego where he is mayor.

      Where were you?

      • Actually he is mayor of a “little town” about 450 miles NORTH of San Diego…it’s called San Jose. And where he’s mayor has nothing to do with his vile reaction to blame the victims.

        HIS city, HIS cops did not do their job period. They did not keep (or apparently even try to keep) the two groups separate AS THEY CLAIMED! They allowed the protesters to attack the folks as they were leaving the rally.

        They FAILED to do their job, period

        • There is a man who spreads vile and unjustifiable claims about an entire group of people. His supporters have every right to vote for him, but to parade their support in a city whose demographic makeup of the group being slandered is just bad judgement. So much for white privilege.

          Any of you who think that the mayor is responsible for how the police handled the situation might consider the fact that the police and the mayor have a history of not getting along to put it mildly. They backed his rival during the mayoral election. Maybe this is there way of making sure he isn’t reelected.

          • OK. Good to know that illegal aliens and criminals are the majority of the San Jose population, and thanks for the enlightening information that they are an ethnic group.

            Your information explains why so many here are justifying riots and mob violence. If I understand you correctly, force is the only thing you understand, and obviously you will continue to attack people of other races and people who disagree with you until sufficient force is used to persuade the gentes sin razon.

          • Melissa, you hit it on the head! This is so payback for Measure B. The Police are just trying to make the Mayor look bad. Of course they’ll take the added benefit of a public beat down of the people who voted for it. Cause you know, Trump rallies are a “Measure B-er” rich environment. Win-win, this guy is good, really good. Good on’ya for catching that.

        • SJPD Officers, you should hide your faces in shame. You make all of us look bad. You let your Mex Mayor and your Mex Chief emasculate you. I am embarrassed to say I used to kick doors with you. Joh Kracht is rolling over in his grave. You showed your cowardice, what happened to your oath. Is the PD so inundated with MEX’s that you have lost it? Most of you should find another “job”. you are not suited for Law Enforcement. All I saw was COWARDICE..

      • Yo, Chas, no matter how many times you say it incorrectly, Mayor Liccardo (note the correct spelling of his name) will actually be the mayor of San Jose, NOT San Diego. I don’t ordinarily bother to correct grammar and spelling errors but your mistake is especially egregious since the police response to Trump protesters in San Diego was exemplary and unassailable while the response in San Jose was horribly tepid. Of course, as in Baltimore, I cannot blame the police for the orders they were required to follow from the inept leadership from above. In this case, geographical awareness matters.

    • I hereby, formally call for the immediate resignations of Mayor Liccardo and Police Chief Garcia for their inept, inadequate, and blatantly biased inaction in this horrendous case !!!!

      • Basically what this Mayor Liccardo is saying is that if somebody has a different view or says something you don’t like that that gives you the right to go and attack those people and can’t be held responsible since it’s their fault for hurting the feelings of these people. When Liccardo put some of the blame on Trump for the violence at his rally’s he basically said its ok. These people are thugs and violent people. They’re not law abiding citizens who suddenly hear Trump say something and start hurting people.

    • The Mayor is an idiot if he thinks his new words are going to be taken any differently than his original ignorant statement. Both the Mayor and the Police Chief are Leftists and blatantly continue to lie to the public. And this includes any SJPD Police Officer that ignored their Oath of Office – ” To Protect And Serve ” by standing down and watching innocent people being beaten and attacked by violent 3rd world thugs for simply exercising their right to attend a public rally.

      This 4th of July we are inviting friends, neighbors and family members to our annual July 4th BBQ and now the festivities this year will include a Mexican Flag Burning Ceremony – we’ll post to YouTube so everyone can enjoy !

      • “…ignored their Oath of Office – ‘To Protect and Serve..”

        Other than on the side of an LAPD black and white, where do you get this “Oath of Office” from??

        I’m glad you’re such an expert in Law Enforcement. What city do/did you police? What police academy did you graduate from? How many violent confrontations have you been involved in? Can you tell me the elements of battery and the associated penal code section? Is it a felony? When does it rise to a felony? Do you need a Victim?

    • All you geniuses who rightly point out that Liccardo is not mayor of Ferguson or Baltimore let me just say congratulations on being so astute. Not astute enough to catch the OP’s point apparently. Yes Liccardo is mayor of San Jose, but this didn’t stop him from standing with the NAACP and chiming in (with a bull-horn no less) on the events in Ferguson. Specifically he was on the side of the angry mob that were burning the city down and against the “racist” cops. The point is, Liccardo is a left wing loon that only condemns violence when he is called out for the hypocrite he is. This is the point. Get it? Didn’t think so.

  2. San Jose is the victim here.

    364 1/2 days out of the year, San Jose is mostly peaceful. In every city that Donald Trump travels to, violence occurs. You can time the violence to his arrival and departure times. About an hour after his plane lands, violence occurs. About an hour after his plane departs, violence ends.

    Also you can pinpoint the violence to within 500 yards of Donald Trump. The violence occurs, in every city he’s been to, within 500 yards of where he is speaking. In every town. Every single time.

    Every
    Single
    Time.

    San Jose isn’t the problem here. San Jose is the victim. Can we all just agree NOT to let Mr. Trump into our city again? His rhetoric is inflammatory; his followers are blatantly racist, and his speech disturbs our peace.

    • Shark City: when you personally cold-cocked that dude as captured on video, did you feel victimly then too?

      • This is funny to see violent protestors preaching about being racist and inflammatory. Talk about your double standard.

    • Way to censor someone because you don’t like their views. You are worse than Trump. Listen to his speech. It was crappy but gives no reason for violence. How about you leave San Jose?

    • http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ca/san-jose/crime/
      San Jose is in the bottom quarter of safe cities – so no, it isn’t safe every day. Trump has the ability to get people to play out their violence on camera – but that tendency already exists within anyone who does so. When people use violence to counteract speech — they have failed. When this country lets them do it – then this country has failed.

    • Sir, you are an idiot!!! As far as I know free speech is still allowed in this country! His followers are NOT racist and its time you stop throwing the racist card. Because of people like YOU, its lost all meaning. Shame on you!!!!!! San Jose should keep thugs out of their city and trash out of their city.

      • San Jose is a “Sanctuary City” we are inviting violent criminals here and giving them free rein to bash and trash.

    • Donald Trump as a candidate for president of the United States is allowed to give a speech in any city in this country (this is still a free country is it not?). The protesters that go to his speeches are the ones who are causing the violence (pictures and video speak a thousand words e.g. woman is hit by eggs by Donald Trump protesters; man is sucker punched by Donald Trump protester). Their rhetoric is twice as inflammatory as Donald Trumps; they are blatantly racist as they burn our American flags and wave the flags of other nations and condemn our nation on top of it all.

      • Totally agree, I don’t see what the confusion is. American Flag = white, other nation’s flag = not white, therefore the burning of American flags is racist. simple logic.

    • SJ is the problem. The wild and ridiculous protesters were not controlled either by an occupying force or by a police force that knows how to.
      SJ is on the way out.

    • We had Trump in Fresno just before and there was little to NO violence.
      Care to reconsider your thoughts?

      • He was just in Redding and you couldn’t ask for a nicer group of supporters. When he was in Phoenix and Mesa Arizona….the Rally was well received and almost incident free. What the hell country is this guy in?

    • No shark boy you are dead wrong. SJ is a sewer most of the year. Gang bangers stabbing and shooting each other (mexican vs mexican) every single week. Nice try at the Mayberry portrait attempt. FAIL I will gladly post a list of the violent crimes that have occurred since Trump has left. These TURDS I saw on video are the same class of SJ Turds that one sees on Cinco de Mayo “celebrating” their heritage and culture by yelling obscenities at police, smashing store windows, setting dumpsters on fire, tipping cars and doing donuts and burnouts in the downtown and King Rd cruise. Nice try but I will be calling a spade a spade. You need to own it….

      • Yours is one of the few posts that got it right. The people who’ve watched the video footage, and the TV stations (KPIX in SF, for example) got the story right: Gangsters (or anarchists — but is there any difference?) went near the event to instigate a riot. Tony Llamas of ABC noted that some “protesters” were “throwing up gang signs.”

        Democratic partisans desperately want to say that Trump himself triggered all this violence. I guess they really believe that. How convenient, how wonderfully simple-minded a view of the world, that your political enemy is the cause of every punch, every egg, every spit, every invective and every assault! It’s as if the Democrats want to sabotage their own election chances by defending gang violence against people practicing peaceful political assembly and free speech.

        The police reports will come out, and I believe they will show gangs were behind most of the physical assaults. It is time to separate opportunist gang activities from normal political bickering. Dems, stop defending thugs as if they were just practicing free speech. If you keep doing that, it will be awfully hard to tell who isn’t a thug.

        • Excellent points. The Democratic partisans are blind to how they are owning this violence. They think their media predominance will carry the day for their narrative, but reality is biting them in the behind.

    • You seem to be living in a parallel universe…there is plenty of crime in San Jose..it is not the most peaceful city and judging by the reaction of cities like Chicago, Costa Mesa , Albuquerque and San Jose they are filled with lawless thugs whose answer to free speech is suppressing it with force and brutality.

    • snark city. Real class act brutalizing the lady exercising her freedom to speak. Got raw eggs in your hands. The irony here is the imbeciles perpetrating the senseless violence in san jose are the same misguided snowflakes that left the totalitarian govt. that muzzled their freedom to speak to begin with. So they bring it here and start the vicious cycle all over again! They just never learn. So tuck the proverbial race cards back in the oversized pockets and learn to appreciate American Freedom unless of course you prefer the rotten smell of socialism… where everyone is a deaf mute. Good reason a smart village do not tolerate village idiots. Ok snarkie? Oh by the way,

    • So typical of the left to blame Trump for holding a rally. You jack____ ought to go back to where you came from. Oh that’s right, you want the privilege of living in America, but can’t handle the truth of the Constitution. Get out of our great country now!!!

    • Funny, there were no problems in Fresno nor Sacramento. So explain that!! You Shark are the racist. There are many nationalities and colors following Trump. Get your head out the sand and examine the world around you.

    • There was no problem in my city Tampa Florida it appears the ignorant low-level supporters of Sanders and Clinton are the ones doing all the damage what part of that you struggling to understand what’s going to happen with the sharks Stanley Cup are you going to burn your City too?

    • Americans do not use inflammatory rhetoric we call it speech. The problem is third-world savages are incapable of civil discourse. The short skirt argument proves mental short comings.

    • Your statements above hold NO water whatsoever. It is the VIOLENT Democrats that bring these actions to Trump appearances. Remember the 2012 RNC Convention in Minneapolis? Trump was not even a thought then however, the VIOLENT Democrats destroyed private property, blocked roadways, threw urine and feces, etc. SDo NO, it’s NOT Trump, it’s the violent leftists.

    • Could you be that uninformed and do not know that Soros and CLintons are backing these rioters. Half of them don’t know why they’re there. And if wanting our borders secured and putting Americans first is racist then I guess I’m racist also. I’d rather be racist and alive than dead because we have to let anyone and anything walk over our borders. And I’ll drop a tear for poor SanJose, sanctuary city for people that broke the law by walking over the border. The mayor should be arrested, aiding and abetting rioters that are trying to stop speech of a presidential candidate is a federal offense. Does anyone know the meaning of ILLEGAL? It means you are breaking the law.

    • You got it only half right, Shark City when you wrote “San Jose isn’t the problem here..” The problem here and everywhere lately is the thugs who cannot express their opposition to Trump without resorting to violence. Those opposed to Hillary and Bernie seem quite capable of expressing their opposition without throwing sucker punches at men, eggs at women, and ganging up on people in a violent manner. You and people like you who condone physical violence as a response to words with which you disagree are the problem, Shark Boy.

    • That’s because these violent protests are organized and funded by the extreme left. This even open for debate. Billionaire Super Liberal nazi George Soros has ADMITTED IT. He also financed professional agitators to go TO Ferguson to keep THAT going. He does it internationally also. Maybe put the bias down for a bit and read up on stuff.

    • So, you hate free speech? Because if you censor ANY speech, you are against free speech. But I gather you have no problem with political correctness which is the antithesis of free speech. All these children, and that’s what they are, throwing temper tantrums are not for free speech. I would suggest that you quit drinking the blue kool-aid and ignore the red kool-aid as well and become informed that both parties are quite the same. Both are power hungry and have most of America duped into believing that the two party system is the best for America. I call b.s.

      These two parties are the cause of the angst in this country, so why do you think they will fix it?

      If you think getting rid of one party of the other will be better, then, that really is called a dictatorship. We are one party away from being China, North Korea or even North Vietnam.

      Seriously, though, IF you want to get these parties to start listening, then quit voting for them.

    • I agreed up until the last paragraph,No thats not what you do when terrorism is happening in San Jose.You don’t say “terrorist you are in control of San Jose”
      Can we do something so the tech brains don’t melt away.CAN WE AGREE<THESE TACTICS OF PROTESTERS
      VIOLENCE<INTIMIDATION<THREATS OF VIOLENCE <<<>>>
      GET THE DICTIONARY OUT MAYOR AND POLICE CHIEF…LETS NOT MAKE THE TERRORIST ANGRY, IS NOT GOING TO CUT IT !!!

    • Are you KIDDING ME? By that logic, a pretty woman is responsible for being raped.

      There is ZERO justification for violence, unless it’s in self-defense. You and your backward way of thinking have no place calling yourself liberal, you are an animal.

    • Shark, your problem is lawlessness in your community. Shall we talk about cinco de mayo? Read the papers. There are individuals with nothing to do except cause trouble and these same individuals are assisted by la raza, emboldened by your city government and most likely supported by tax payer dollars. The Dems continue to stir the pot and foment trouble. Shame on your mayor and his police chief, they are using latinos for their own enrichment. Time for change. Sorry you can’t see what is really happening

      • We all need to consider the source of violent behavior…in their country, it is normal for a group of people to completely take a city by force if they feel that their leader should have control of power. Look at how they run their own country? If you have enough money, guns, and can persuade people to act as a militant force, you’re a president! Drug lords and government go hand in hand. So all of this is exactly what they have learned and lived for centuries. This is EXACTLY WHY we need to build the wall. Their methods of voice is through violence. Has always been. That’s not racist, it’s historical fact. It’s not any big secret. But I have yet to see anyone touch on this subject? Just as it is normal for the Muslim religion to practice sharia law. None of which is acceptable practice in a free society. It almost seems like if a large number of people who think that it would be ok to use hard core drugs and rule their own with extreme violence, they will get sympathy and a free pass to do so because it’s their way? If someone who got a large number of felons to follow them and go across the United States stealing, rapeing, and killing those who are in their way, it would be ok as long as it’s their beliefs that they should be allowed to do so because it’s their way of living.

        • Thank you. I have tried, repeatedly, to point out the Latin culture of violence in politics and other matters. We are assuming that people who come from a nation where a large percentage of the students from a teacher training college are “disappeared” and it received little attention or intervention from the government until enough riots had occurred.

          Anyone who understands the history of Latin America will realize that the concepts of rights and orderly process are alien. The entire region, like Eastern Europe, veers from one dictatorship or corrupt cabal to another.

    • The issue is division – we have people we have no idea of what it means to peacefully assemble because they were never taught the meaning of what this action means. We have people coming into our Republic from other Nations who have no idea of what Democracy is and are trying to run the show here in the USA as things were in their messy countries. We The Republic in facing tough times…and very very bad Socialist faction are trying their best to destroy our Democratic rule of governing. It has been so evident at every Trump rally…the Socialist do not like his message because it is not in line with theirs so they create discord…..and take no responsibility for the foul hurtful actions. Every person who acted out in violence and spoke against the rights of the Trump supporters, threw eggs, punched and acted like an uncontrolled animal will face Karma for their actions as we all know this as factual —–what goes around comes around. God – the Universe – Your Higher Power whatever it is that drivers you …..and your bad behavior well it does not like UGLY….at some point you will reap what you sow..

    • Liberalism is a serious and dangerous mental disorder that will eventually be dealt with using extreme violence.

      Democrats lost Americas first Civil War because they enslaved Black people. Democrats are going to lose Americas second Civil War because Democrats attempted to enslave white people.

    • How American of you! Ban free speech because paid protesters decide to come armed with bags full of rocks and eggs for hitting and throwing those who are attending a rally.

    • Thank god I live in a state where we are allowed to carry concealed hand guns.. I know that 15 of those protesters would have went away with a limp. That was terrible what was done to the Trump supporters.. Just a not if you do not want to deal dumb ass protesters than move to the great state of Texas where you are allowed to defend your self from illegal immigrants, thugs and racist. Protesters please come to my great state of Texas and see how your protest works for you then. AND THEY CALL US RACIST.

      AS FOR YOU SHARK YOU ARE A IDIOT AND ARE NOT EDUCATED ENOUGH TO ANY BETTER!!!

      AMERICA !!!
      TRUMP 2016!!!

    • clearly you are the type of person who says things like, “rape is not a good thing, but she shouldn’t have dressed that way…..”

    • I find your SHARK CITY AGAINST RACISTS comments offensive. Does that mean I have a RIGHT to punch you in the teeth? I think what you say disturbs MY peace. Should I have YOU shut up for good?

    • Interesting statement, they said the same thing in Selma Alabama in the civil rights movement. They the racist, did not like, and blamed the blacks for marching, and causing what happened there. Do you realize, you have become the Establishment, and Silencing Freedom of speech, by blaming others at a peaceful political Rally. How times have changed, is now Racism against, Whites that drives you, and your kind,? Think about that, just for a moment. I do not like Black Nationalist, and segregation movement, and they are Racist; but they do have a right to freedom of speech, and a Right to assemble. Maybe Trump is right, how he is talking. Polar bear hunting, are we? You have to realize, I am an extremely liberal on interracial integration; my own children are mulatto, and of Latino decent. Trump has said many extreme statements, but there is truth there as well. Is this the future, we have to look forward too.? Are my children, now in Danger, because they are white too?

    • Are you aware that these are paid agitators and has nothing to do with Trump except they are being paid to make people like yourself say exactly what you just said.

    • Actually Trump supporters are the victims here and you can pinpoint the violence to anti-Trump protestors
      Every
      Single
      Time.
      LOL. Idiot.

  3. So according to the mayor…if a woman dresses provocatively then it’s her fault if she gets raped?

    • A perfect analogy Mr. Barr- but one that is conveniently ignored by the ones who are the definers of the public consciousness – in this case the publishers and the readers of SJI.

  4. Trump won’t win California in the Fall, he won’t even come close. And, the protests and violence in San Jose were quite predictable. So, why on earth would he even appear in San Jose and give a speech? I’m sure he’s not smart enough to see that more perceived immigrant violence will further his cause in the key ‘rust belt’ states he must take in November to win the Electoral Vote. And, who could predict that the Mayor of San Jose would make some sort of conflicted statement, followed by another conflicted statement, after the events? I mean, we all know Trump is some kind of dim wit, too stupid to realize a campaign stop in San Jose followed by a small riot would be the best thing he could do this week. And he would never figure out that the Democratic Party is so vested in certain demographics that they would have to do some victim blaming and look either unethical or supportive of street violence. Nah, he’s a dummy, old Drumpf. He would never be able to manipulate La Raza and HRC to torpedo HRC this close to the primary, either.

    • Yes Bob,
      Trump coming to California would be like a Jew running for chancellor of Germany in 1940, what a stupid idea!

        • Oh, that’s good, really good, you’ve got me really confused. I never thought about it like that. So CA is like Germany in 1940, because people like EMPTY GUN? Please help figure this out, I can only see two possibilities:

          1) People like EMPTY GUN justify CA being like Germany in 1940, or
          2) People like EMPTY GUN, through his actions, make CA like Germany in 1940.

          Either way, CA is Germany in 1940 as you clearly state, but I need some clarity on who to blame.

          • To SJ Citizen,
            Please try and write in complete sentences so we may understand you.

            You would of course blame the Jews just as Hitler did, and you would blame Trump just as Liccardo did. Crystal Night 2016!

            Yes to people like me California is becoming just like Nazi Germany it’s just a different color.
            I can only hope Mr Trump can bring it back into the United States.

            To Talley,
            Because of me it’s like Nazi Germany? I/we don’t have the power of the state.
            This is a one party system here, and we see it feeds the mob and controls the news.
            Do you not see the forest through the trees?

    • I heard the same rhetoric against Reagan running for president. In fact, Hillary has said almost a copy of the same stuff. It’s like she or her speech writer reconstituted the same remarks for Trump from the early 1980’s.

      Fact is Bill and Hillary were praised by Trump, Hillary attended a wedding in the Trump family and there numerous pictures of the two families together. (Do a simple web search.) People cite the hate and fearmongering but I also see the same being displayed towards Trump and supporters. BTW: Im a Libertarian with the little “l”. The riots in San Jose only helped Trump which doesn’t play well in most of the country. The original comment by Liccardo about the San Jose Trump rally went worldwide.

      Blaming the victims for their free speech and assembly activities is unAmerican. Burning the US Flag is unAmerican. Poking foreign flags in an aggressive manner is unAmerican. Abusing that woman coming out of the convention is unAmerican. Hitting people with bags filled with rocks is unAmerican. Throwing rocks, bottles and eggs at innocent victims is unAmerican. Comparing Trump to Hitler is incendiary and demeans all the harm the National Socialists did to the world. Calling people nasty names and swearing at them because they disagree with you is unAmerican.

      Democrats actually have a socialist running for President that will come close to winning the state of California. How unAmerican is that? Capitalism built this country, spread great wealth throughout the world so that the poverty rate is about 10% worldwide and this man seeks to tear it down and become a dictator. Who wants to be all equally poor while the government abuses it subjects and expands into every part of our lives? Don’t we really want personal and economic freedom and not bow down to anyone? Didn’t we get away from that when we ousted the King of England from our shores?

      I’ve seen many comments by Democrats denouncing the violence by Hillary/Bernie supporters and say they will be voting for Trump. If you remember your history books about the 1968 Democratic convention and it’s effects on the American public you’d know what I am trying to relay here. Do you actually think I’d vote for a Democrat because of this? Is anyone not smart enough to see the damage you’ve done to your party any your cause? I won’t be giving anymore advice on this topic, but say good luck with that.

  5. Police did not uphold their duty to protect. Misspelled ‘incite’ as well. Not looking good San Jose PD.

    • Well they had to pretty much scrape the barrel and call back detectives to wear BDU’s and helmets on Thursday as well as hold all of dayshift over until 10 pm and yes they start work at 630 in the am ! Yes SAM Liccardo did not uphold his duty to have a fully staffed police force for events like this. Get some insight

  6. Does make you wonder that if back in 1930s Germany if the citizens had rose up aggressively against the Nazi agenda of hatred perhaps history could have been altered for the better. People talk a lot about freedom of speech but what about taking responsibility for your words. This isn’t about stopping freedom of speech. This is about public outrage. This is about being held accountable if you support a candidate who is openly racist, ignorant and delusional.

    • The rioters are acting exactly like the Brown Shirts of Nazi Germany. And, they are doing it for the exact same reason. To stifle Free Speech and disrupt the other side. These little Fascists need to realize that everytime they burn an American Flag undecided voters chose Trump.

    • This is about freedom of speech and freedom to support the candidate of choice. Many like me feel that Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders is the worst that could happen to our nation. Go Trump!

    • “Being held accountable” = getting sucker-punched and egged? Completely imbecilic, borderline fascist statement. This IS about stopping freedom of speech.

    • Actually there was extensive violence against Nazis in Germany during their rise to power, and this violence was state sponsored to about the same extent, or a greater extent, as violence against Trump is state sponsored.

      It probably helped the Nazis considerably, as it is helping Trump considerably. If you want to use violence to silence some political tendency, need to use enough violence to silence them.

      A sufficient level of state sponsored violence to suppress the Trumpening would likely draw police and military into politics, starting with the praetorians, aka the secret service.

    • Well, it’s a bit too late to hold the Obama voters accountable, although his vision, referred to in those who are not as wealthy or powerful as hallucinations or delusions, led him to destabilize the governments of Libya, Egypt, and Tunisia in a completely confused effort to be on the alleged right side of history, leave a legacy, and create some sort of democracy in the Middle East. Unfortunately, the residents of the Middle East didn’t share his delusions and had other plans – such as supporting Salafi-Wahhabi terrorists.

    • Nigil , is there a candidate left who is not delusional? I am no trump fan but explain how he is racist ?

    • You are inciting a riot! Trump supporters feel outrage to over the liberal violence, corruptness, and incompetence. However, we still assemble in peace, ie.. follow the laws.

    • So you must check what you say, but you don’t have to check what you do? Ok. What happened to the old adage of stick and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me?

      Do you know that the free speech is the right to offend? Without that ability, there would be no free speech. That would be called political correctness. Offending someone does NOT infringe on their rights, but physical violence does, something the “progressive left” hasn’t quite figured out yet.

      • You are right on the mark Richard !!! What the left and their ‘Political Correctness Run Amok morons’ doesn’t understand and probably won’t (until, at some point in the future while defending themselves, Conservatives beat it into their sorry, worthless arses,) is the fact that no one has a Constitutionally protected right to “not be offended” in this country. We won’t start the festivities but we will damned sure finish them……..

    • Wow Nigel, you really don’t understand the point of the First Amendment do you? It is NOT meant to support speech you like, but that which you don’t even want to hear.

      NOTHING a candidate can say can justify ATTACKING people who were just there to hear him speak. (Your free speech ends at my nose)

      The City of San Jose FAILED in doing their job, period. It WAS their job to keep the two groups apart, That’s what they are paid to do. Protect the speech of all.

      You and the mayor seem to think only YOUR speech is somehow protected. Guess what? If Trump’s speech isn’t protected then NEITHER IS YOURS!

  7. It’s totally unclear to me why the Trump = the root cause was initially even accurate statement

    It’s also just sloppy to say it.

    this is a perfect example of how “there is no such thing as bad press” is a misnomer. Ending up getting linked to drudge for this is not the kind of national profile anyone is looking for…

  8. What a Mayor. He supposes to represent us all, Pro and against.
    The mayor should resign if he cannot maintain or is unable to maintain neutrality in political events. If opponents cannot participate free or express free thoughts we are trhough as a great country and will become a Venezuelan banana o Maduro republic.

  9. This is just BS because a bunch of people complained to his office. I know five in my family alone that wrote the Mayor. He’s just trying to cover his a$$.

  10. I still mainrain that the troublemaker organizers are bought and paid for by Trump Campaign organizers.

    Follow the backgrounds of those arrested…

    Trump is the only one who ‘wins’ from these scenes of violence…an added plus is thaty all press coverage publicity is distracted from anything he said.

    Take a close look at the violence…

    Remember the ‘anarchists’ dressed in black and masked who caused mayhem a taking focus away fro peaceful rallies and protest… starting with yhose against the Iraq invasion.. remember the press got focused on the violence…not the message.

    There were some …who maintained that when they tried to stop them were themselves attacked and arrested while the ‘anarchists’ and their actions were ignored.

    • You’re wrong. If you go on Craig’s List you will find people willing to pay individuals money to cause trouble at Trump rallies. I’t the good old boy’s and liberals who are doing this.

    • Got any proof to back up your statements? I can suggest that the troublemaker organizers are bought and paid for by the Clinton Campaign organizers. See how easy it is?

    • Where is the proof of your allegations? I’d like to see it. Just making up an idea or maintaining a thought doesn’t cut it.

      The videos on youtube and the media clearly show who was angry and why. The agitators wanted violence and the crowd was used for political purposes.

      This action by protesters was right out of the playbook of Saul Alinsky. Hillary did her college thesis on the methods and the author and got an A+. She also corresponded with the author for years on the Alinsky methods. Get a copy of the book and tell me about our thoughts.

      https://archive.org/details/RulesForRadicals

    • Here’s some Tin Foil, when the aliens have you on the table, I recommend you relax, I hear it goes easier that way.

      I thought kookie conspiracy theories were on the far-right! When did I enter this mirror universe, and let me the hell out.

    • John, Finally someone with a brain! I have been saying that at the top of my lungs for a week and no one will listen. It’s like the illuminati is trying to silence us. It was definitely Trump Supports who did all that. That’s how I know Sam Liccardo and the Police Chief are Trump Supports, too.

      • Really? I seem to recall Messrs. Soros and Lewis funding a lot of violent protestors; including some who were outraged when they weren’t paid on schedule for their participation in Black Lives Matter. Those who were protesting are the same people who have turned SJ into a third world, gangster ridden circle where every May 5th, people take side roads to stay as far away as possible because of the usual after the party riot and attacks on Asian businesses.

  11. So if you go to a political rally in SJ you need to bring your own protection – is that what I’m hearing SJPD saying?

    Unbelievable.

  12. The craven and cowardly San Jose police force and their chief should be ashamed of themselves. If the citizens of San Jose keep them and that corrupt lapdog mayor Liccardo in office they should be ashamed of themselves as well.

  13. I went and am not a Trump supporter, voted for a different candidate. I also went the day before to Bernie. This is because I try to have an open mind. I was the target of their indiscriminate attacks leaving the rally. I got lucky and escaped when I had a 250lb man in my face yelling at me thinking I was a Trump supporter. The people next to me got assaulted. This wasn’t captured on the News Cameras films. They were indiscriminately targeting people. The guy who attacked the group I was with, went after 18 year olds. They also got someone who indian and called him a Turbin N (fill in the blank, use your imagination) and told him to move back to his country. These street thugs aren’t these moral racist free purists

    Did you know people tried to call 9-11 but couldn’t get through? There was pure anarchy at times. Several of them were acting like they had guns and were talking about shooting people. Someone I was with, another non Trump supporter, almost got spat on in his face.

    Additionally what Mayor Liccardo said was reprehensible and he should resign. His comments are spitting on the young people who lives were in jeopardy many of whom were’t even Trump supporters. Shame on you Mr Liccardo! This is not the last you will here of this Mr Liccardo, the people of the Bay Area and the Country (not just San Jose) will remember this and we will oppose you if you seek another office. The nation heard what you said, coast to coast this has been heard that you stood with violence for political opportunism.

    • If they had “likes” here I’d give you 1000! VERY well said, and very much to the heart of the problem. Thanks!

  14. Sham Lie-car-doh’s forked tongue loves flicking out of both sides of his mouth. Here he is during the Mayoral campaign supporting San Jose’s thugs and race merchants:

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=w_HuSnqtFzo

    No, he hasn’t taken down the video (or apologized) since we’ve all learned “Hands Up Don’t Shoot” was a lie. He’ll say ANYTHING for a vote and pander to crookedest crook (DeBug) to get his donkey smile on television.

  15. There were no cops protecting the Trump gathering and the security that would not let the woman in the front door were latino. The whole thing was an obvious set up by the mayor and the police. Well get this you foolish bureaucrats, you played right into Trumps hands; and BTW the mayor’s political future is toast!

  16. EMPTY GUN you are so correct. I am ashamed to say that I served along side SJPD in years past. They showed nothing but cowardice. IF they say they were just following orders, they need to take a long hard look in the mirror and ask themselves is police work is for them. Here you have a perfect storm of ultra Left progressive ( Read real Ultra LeftyMayor ) who is a Mexican and a Mexican police chief, who is look at the next promotion in some other prog city. SJD hang your heads in SHAME, you took an OATH and you stood by and violated it. The Chief’s remarks make me want to vomit–:”” IF the VICTIMS wounds were not life threatening, we did not take action for FEAR of agitating the crowd. SHAME ON YOU SJPD

    STOP Pandering to wetbacks Mr Mayor.

  17. Wow! The left nihilist cabal REALLY hates the Bill of RIghts.

    Now, more than ever, we need political leadership that is committed to the Bill of Rights.

    I don’t see much commitment from City Hall. I don’t see much courage from local media. I don’t see ANY awareness, concern, or passion at all from the so-called “Democratic Party”.

    Hillary Clinton? Jerry Brown? Dianne Feinstein? Barbara Boxer? Kamela Harris? Mike Honda? Jim Beall? Sam Liccardo? Dave Cortese? Cindy Chavez?

    “No one assaulted any Democrat politician’s rights, so what’s the problem?”

  18. After watching a half dozen videos from our local TV stations yesterday it’s time to ask the Mayor and police chief to step down. It was so obvious these people walked into a trap.

    It’s time to bring in the Feds and DA to find out if these peaceful people were deliberately attacked and had their constitutional rights violated under the flag of a Mexican run puppet city and state.
    Is this what a sanctuary city has come to mean?

    It’s obvious at this point police backed away from a mob of union thugs and illegal aliens and let them have there way with unarmed Trump supporters for hours.

    Mayor Laccardo, it’s time for you to go, and take the chief with you!

    • > It’s time to bring in the Feds and DA to find out if these peaceful people were deliberately attacked and had their constitutional rights violated under the flag of a Mexican run puppet city and state.

      I was about to raise the same issue.

      I think this is potentially a REALLY BIG DEAL for a number of reasons:
      1.) Our friend Frank Mockery blurted out at 10:50 AM on the day of the riot that someone should NOT do what they were planning too do. I.e., something bad was going down, MULTIPLE people knew about it in ADVANCE. It was a PREMEDITATED CONSPIRACY. Involving who? To do what? We need answers.
      2. The nefarious acts being planned by the conspiracy were apparently intended to happen at a venue where a Presidential candidate, under Secret Service protection, was scheduled to be.
      3. A conspiracy of several people to commit multiple criminal acts is covered by RICO.

      I echo your questions:

      A. Where is the DA?
      B. Where are the Feds?
      C. Where is the Secret Service?

      • It’s ok because they were doing it on behalf of the National Socialist movement led by Bernie & Hillary. Anything done under those auspices is acceptable because the media won’t cover it. No one will be prosecuted…and in a few weeks, everyone will have forgotten about it…until the next time.

      • SJO,
        We were alerted about the 10:50 timeline that the Trump rally was back on having been previously canceled do to safety concerns.

        Apparently Jennifer Wadsworth had called our friend and let them know that the rally was back on and that she wanted to interview some Trump supporters at the event.

        I will have to check our timeline to see if there was a conspiracy to let it all happen.

        Where did you pick up on Frank Mockery having a hand in this?

  19. The people that were assaulted should sue the mayor and the city for letting them get beat while the sat back and watched. All because they didn’t want to protect them, their job, for fear it might escalate the violence of the rioters.
    Stop calling them protesters. They were there to riot and even brought weapons to use against people.

  20. — “The Department had an operations plan in place in an effort to ensure the safety of everyone attending the event. However, officers were confronted by some protestors who became violent, aggressive and began to throw objects in their direction. A majority of the violence occurred at the conclusion of the event. While several physical assaults did occur, the police personnel on scene had the difficult task of weighing the need to immediately apprehend the suspect(s) against the possibility that police action involving the use of physical force under the circumstances would further insight the crowd and produce more violent behavior.” —

    While I can’t deny the police department had a plan in place, I can say with certainty the stated intent of that plan, “to ensure the safety of everyone attending the event,” was not met. So let’s take a look at two obvious reasons.

    — To have a plan means nothing if you lack the resources, in this case manpower, necessary to execute it.
    — The intent to do something (keep event attendees safe) means nothing if you lack the means and/or the will to accomplish it.

    If my information is correct, by the time Trump took the stage a sizable percentage of the police officers outside had been on duty for 12 hours, having already worked the day shift in patrol, and facing a 16 hour day. This deserves recognition as the latest glaring example of the police department’s failure to responsibly address the ramifications of overworking its officers. Treating exhausted resources as full resources is inexcusable and reckless (as is sending these same spent officers, many of whom are regularly putting in extra shifts, out on the street at 7AM the next day).

    The department’s manpower shortage is a fact that should never be glossed over in the formulation (or criticism) of a tactical plan. Had this city acted responsibly and admitted to the hard reality brought about by its misguided assessment of police staffing needs, it would have enacted a policy of not booking in city facilities events it cannot properly police (i.e. decline to host any presidential campaign events). If the department cannot put a robust skirmish line of cops between event-goers and the assailants expected, then innocent people are certain to be in harm’s way and the city has no business approving the event.

    But the event was approved and a plan formulated, leading to the question: how many law-abiding citizens did the City of San Jose allow to be victimized?

    As to the role of the “circumstances” surrounding the police department’s decision to abstain from using physical force, it is shocking to learn that, with physical assaults taking place in view, the fear of inciting the crowd into more violent behavior even entered into the tactical equation. This is tantamount to allowing the lawless to subdue the law enforcers, and bears the telltale stink of a police official suppressing his sworn duties in favor of his career aspirations. If there weren’t enough cops to protect the innocent then admit it. Failing to act in the face of lawlessness can only be justified by the inability to act, and never by a mere lack of will (or self-interest). Once again I must question the police chief’s courage, for it appears that, more than anything else, Chief Garcia is continuing to behave like Liccardo’s lapdog, ever willing to take it on the chin (for failing to protect the innocent) so as to suppress the alarming truth about police staffing shortages. That said, if it is found that Chief Garcia gave an order, or if any of his command officers acted in such a way, to put political expedience ahead of the protection of the innocent, then termination(s) must follow.

    I am left to wonder, if anti-Trump thugs decide to forcibly shutdown certain polling places on election day, will the specter of escalating violence keep the police away?

    • One of the most useful bits of wisdom I have accumulated over the years says:

      “Successful behavior is repeated”.

      It is so much ingrained in human behavior that, for people who recognize the phenomenon, it is like mind reading.

      From the perspective of the anti-Trump nihilists, their behavior was massively successful.

      Three hundred rag-tag riff-raff attacked the campaign of a leading Presidential candidate, terrorized his supporters, evaded the protections of the Secret Serviced, intimidated and paralyzed the local police force, and made the mayor look like a weak, confused, and compromised leader. In the process, they gained national and international media attention, demoralized the candidates supporters, and encouraged and inspired nihilist riff-raff everywhere.

      Successful behavior?

      How about: grand slam home run, eighty yard touch down pass, game-winning goal hat trick.

      Note to Trump supporters: it’s going to get worse.

      Note to citizens of San Jose: your local political and law enforcement leaders are not up the challenge.

      • Well said. The only thing you didn’t mention is when Trump supporters begin to defend themselves “violent behavior” will suddenly become despicable acts by deplorable people. Until then it’s just a protest with small scuffles here and there.

      • Wow! A major misunderstanding of politics. Please tell me you realize what actually happened! Please tell me you realize these a$$ holes just pushed thousands of people in the center over to the right!

    • Let’s hope the Sharks do not win/lose the Stanley Cup. If SJPD does not have the manpower or the will to deal with a few hundred protesters at the Trump rally, what happens when the hockey hooligans descend on downtown?

  21. Coward protesters will have to fight better than that when boarder control takes them out. We have for too long invited unfriendly guests intoOUR home. Any excuse to make an ass out of yourself. Punks should get in the ring one on one if they need to express themselves like that. Only one thing age and gender appropriate. Sorry cowards

  22. It’s easy to see why there is violence when the mayor seems to allow for it. Only the people who agree with him will be safe in his city.

  23. No, Trump didn’t incite the violence, any more than he incited the violence at any other of San Jose’s little riots – my favorite was the one some years ago that was described on the radio as people “leaving late from a party” rather than an ethnic riot that seemed to feature Latinos attacking Asian businesses and trashing the streets. San Jose is just like any other Third World city – riots, violence, lynching, with the government blaming the victims for holding unpopular opinions. In San Jose, one has the freedom to say anything that won’t provoke a mob.

    I nominate Mayor Liccardo for the Sunny Jim Rolph Trophy in honor of best supporter and protector of a lynch mob in San Jose, CA this year. We haven’t seen such a sterling example of support for extralegal punitive actions since 1933, when Thurmond and Holmes were strung up in St. James Park to the applause of the citizenry, civic leaders, and politicians..

  24. Whatever HATE and FEAR the protesters demonstrated against was overshadowed by their own HATE and FEAR of Trump, the supporters, the election process, free speech, and the United States’s system of government.

    Trump couldn’t do anything better for publicity than by showing this example that made worldwide news. Getting angry, rioting and burning the American flag did huge damage to their cause. Best thing would have been to have 400,000 people demonstrating peacefully instead of 400 and a few rioters ruining it.

  25. 250 police officers to 400 protesters/ and the chief says they didn’t have enough manpower. Your city is the national disgrace of the year. I’m voting for trump now after seeing this. Shane on you mayor/ shame on you chief/ shame on you sanctuary state..

  26. SJ had it’s chance to shine and the mayor blew it in front of an international audience. Hope he enjoys watching a mob of shrieking men waving foreign flags assault a lone woman rerun endlessly up until the day after the election.

  27. Sjotb, although I agree with every word you said, the other side of the coin is more hopeful. There is finally some sunshine being shed on the violent behaviors of the Trump opposition, illuminating its evil core. The fact that an ABC newsman, known for his lefty/prog bent, attended and then honestly covered the rally protesters/terrorizers, with excellent video coverage, astounded me. It was a MSM first. More to come? More light on the enemy. And Trump supporters will still come to support him, probably even more.

  28. I am an urban City cop. I have never been so embarrassed. Both the Chief and mayor should be gone. Anyone who gave a stand down order should be criminally charged. Despicable. But take a look Murica. This is your future.

  29. I have to agree with you. Unfortunately trump may have to hire his own security force as it appears our elected forces have become politicized and picked the candidate they want to help win.

    There is no other way to look at the actions of the mayor and the police chief.

  30. I’ve lived in San Jose for over 40 years, and the city is spiraling out of control due to the prevalence of illegals (thanks to being a sanctuary city), homelessness (thanks to open arm handouts) and gangs (thanks to a 25% reduction in police). San Jose has become a very dangerous place.
    Sam Liccardo personally feels Trump incited the protesters with his words. BUT, the violence was OUTSIDE the event from people that hadn’t attended the rally, and didn’t hear what Trump had said!!!
    In truth, these violent protesters were just there to start trouble, same as they do at all public events in San Jose now. I would’ve loved to attend the Trump rally, but stayed away because of how dangerous San Jose has become.
    For safety reasons, there is no reason for any candidate to visit San Jose. We’ll see your message on TV from the relative-safety of home. Sad but true…

  31. The USA as a whole keeps missing our chance to identify the worst part of the illegal invaders and round them up for deportation. But we keep allowing them to force their Mexican alien agenda onto the USA. What a bunch of pansies Obama has made us become.

  32. the mayor and police chief should resign. you are a disgrace to your community. what a bunch of idiots. using this logic you wouldn’t want to arrest a murderer for fear of more murders being committed. your ignorance precedes you.

  33. The City of San Diego kept the protesters at bay & the City of Chicago stood by and let mayhem rule the night. Having such clearly defined polar opposites, I think it is easy to see that in a Democrat run city, the mayor of that city will let violence take over as part of a political agenda & consequently blame the behavior of the ill doers on the source of controversy.

    The mayor of San Jose chose figuratively to joined the rabble. He is unfit to hold the office of mayor if he cannot respect an opposing political discourse.

    To be clear, the city failed to maintain a safe distance between people attending Trump’s Rally and protesters. The city allowed protesters to pursue Trump rally attendees, as they left the area of the venue. The city failed entirely to protect & serve. The mayor strategically orchestrated the enviorment in hopes of provoking a riotous clash between Trump rally attendees and protesters. That didn’t happen. The only thing that did happen, is Trump rally attendees were physically harmed, threatened & intimidated without any interdiction by law enforcement. The SJPD did little more than perform the work of janitors. THE SAN JOSE POLICE DEPT. were not FIRST RESPONDERS, they were nothing more than passive observers of violence, who nonetheless showed up surprisingly quickly on the heels of a Trump supporter who may have suffered a physical attack. It begs the question what were the SJPD doing in then 20 seconds before the violence took place, while Trump supporters were being chased by the Sam Liccardo’s rabble. Why does it seem unlikely the city will have any video or make any effort to bring to justice.

  34. I can’t wait for the lawsuits and the millions this will cost the people of SJ. Expect your tax increase notification by January. HaHaHaHaHa.

  35. As an ex resident of San Jose all I can say is WOW … When the San Jose become a 3rd world crap-hole governed and policed by La Raza weasels?

  36. Pretty sickening. I’ve been classic liberal all my life, and this is a Democratic party I don’t recognize anymore. The Violence, the Hate, it’s what I’d expect on the far right.

    The fact the San Jose PD was completely unprepared to do anything is also just pathetic. What do we pay you for? The idea that making arrests of violent criminals, would incite violence? What the Hell?!

    I’d fire the San Jose Police Chief, I just saw a video of some poor man get his head stomped on after he’d been knocked to the ground, the and two police officers on motorcycles appeared to do nothing to apprehend the man they saw do it.

    Everyone of these protesters who commits violence should not only be arrested, but charged for violating the civil rights of others. These aren’t people, they are animals.

    • Sir, while I understand your frustrations, the lack of preparation on the part of SJPD is actually pretty complex. As others have pointed out, preparation means exactly nothing if the PD lacks the resources to actually deal with the situation. The failures which occurred at this event have everything to do with failures of leadership and with the steady erosion of principle that free speech, assembly, etc are rights which cut both ways and which should not be infringed regardless of how objectionable others may find the opposing view.

      City Leadership and the Office of the Chief have known for a long time that the resources are simply not there to manage the kinds of lawless behavior which has followed Trump events. And here, it should be noted that it is not the Trump supporters who are indulging in this lawless and anti-Constitutional behavior. Rather, it is the intellectual fascists on the opposing side who, increasingly, advocate that free speech is fine as long as you agree with their side and who defend the laziness or deficiencies of intellect by simply asserting that the views of the other side are so repulsive that – even absent criminal behavior on the other side – their the only response is to use any means – including violence – to repress the free speech of the other side.

      That being said, City Leadership should have coordinated with other agencies to hire on additional law enforcement personnel to ensure the safety of EVERYONE at the event. Simply put, SJPD no longer has the resources to responsibly manage events like these and has not for a couple of years now. It was entirely predictable that those who assemble to protest Trump would become violent. It has happened at Trump rallies pretty much everywhere. And blaming Trump for the actions of those who oppose him is as irresponsible as failing to adequately plan for the event – not to mentions anti-constitutional in its own way.

      That being said, I agree that the COP should be held accountable, as should the rest of city leadership. But, contracting ahead of time with allied agencies for additional law enforcement personnel to assist SJPD would be a tacit admission that SJPD can no longer adequately police the city. Most of the personnel at the PD know this and have been saying it for a long time. But the politicians can’t say it and won’t say it because that would be an admission of their failures in the year leading up to the passage of Measure B as well as the years since. Sadly, I am at a loss as to how that accountability can be enforced.

      And yes. every violent protester should be arrested on criminal charges as well as civil rights violations.

    • “Everyone of these protesters who commits violence should not only be arrested, but charged for violating the civil rights of others.” Sorry, Ryan Lucas, but under the Democrats civil rights rules, only so-called people of color can have their civil rights violated. They will never charge a civil rights violation if a white person is the victim. Racism for Democrats is a one way street.

  37. Sam Liccardo, a Mexican Mayor, made a fool of himself on National TV by saying he was unaware of any of Clinton’s Political issues. Wouldn’t issue a position on her and avoided “The Interview”. That’s why we call him the “Sex Tapes” idiot and the Licking Warrior for the Baseball Stadium. You taxpayers are to stupid to understand.

    I watched people get flat out attacked over and over with your 5’4″ Police department hiding and protecting City Hall. That was the worst tactical assignment and dispersal of cowards to protect citizens I have ever seen.
    Afraid to fight their criminal illegal Mexican brothers. One sucker punch after another by people sneaking up in front of Police and assaulting Trump people. Don’t piss your brother wet backs off. Just stand there like a security monitor and take no action.

    SJPD cowardly scum. Viva San Enchalatos

    • Haha !!! That’s a great name for the San Jose Police Department, “The San Jose Security MONITORS” !!!! Not Police, they just monitor the situation !!!

  38. Good thing we have a 2nd Amendment and those of us law abiding gun owners realize that a political rally is as dangerous as some back alley in the bad part of town. Well actually not because at least the police those areas looking for any crimes being committed.

    It shouldn’t take orders from a mayor for the police to do their job. Unless, of course, that mayor is making a political statement.

    I expect Cleveland to be a bloody riot if they do not make it clear that no violence or assaults will be tolerated or ignored.

    Gee, maybe the Governor of Ohio (what’s his name?) could step in and make sure that the citizens of this country aren’t threatened with bodily harm by foreign paid agitators?

    If you go to Cleveland in July better be prepared to defend yourself.

  39. The Mayor made his excuses why he couldn’t let his pro illegal policia protect Americans being harmed by a mob. I wonder why Americans pay taxes in San Jose when they’re not being protected by it’s Mayor. He would rather protect criminals. That is why the crime rate in so high over there and newly minted cops don’t want to work in San Jose. Why have a police force that’s useless, just let the mob take over the streets.

  40. Police Chief is a disgrace for putting political concerns ahead of community safety. His Officers must really be proud of him, subjecting them to the abuse of protesters. Perhaps the union needs to take a “vote of confidence” on the Chief. The Mayor is just as bad and should be fired by the citizens of San Jose.

  41. Up until this attack on American Citizens, I supported Mexican-Americans. Now I want them all thrown over the wall. Sam Liccardo should be under arrest and charged with sedition.

  42. Mayor Liccardo very well understands what he excused in San Jose, which was the use of political violence to silence American citizens. Another figure of history also used this approach, which he described as “the weapon which most readily conquers reason: terror and violence”. This was written by Adolph Hitler, in “Mein Kampf”. Mayor Liccardo makes excuses for those who do today, what this historical figure did in the past. This is to the shame of San Jose.

  43. With so-called “leaders” running San jose…laccardo and garcia, the city is doomed…until Mr Trump is a 2 term president!!

  44. We saw in Anaheim how the KKK defended themselves with knifes and flag poles, they weren’t charged and did some damage to protesters.

    The blood will be on the leaders’ hands next time.

  45. Thousands of crates of eggs supplied for the protesters, police texting as Trump supporters are beaten in front of them, security guards locking out Trump supporters… I wonder what role this Democrat hack played in ORGANIZING this violence?

  46. I have one question….why were the cops not placed between the paid and violent protesters and the attendees of the rally? The police and the mayor knew that there was a high degree of probable violence because it has been happening in city after city. It almost appears as if they wanted to allow the violence to occur in the hope that it would make Trump and his supporters look like they were the provokers of the violence. Unfortunately for them, the fact that bags full of rocks were brought along with eggs for throwing at rally attenders made it perfectly obvious that the violence was premeditated.

    I also wonder if the protesters realize that their violence and flag burning makes them appear to be exactly what Trump accused them of being…the “worst of the worst”.

  47. Police Chief Eddie Garcia statement:

    > “Four arrests have already been made, and I have immediately assembled a task force, headed by the Bureau of Investigations Chief Shawny Williams, and in coordination with the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, to review all video evidence and investigate all reported assaults or other crimes from last night’s incident.”

    Questions for local law enforcers:
    Where is the customary police blotter information on the four arrested perps?

    1. Name, age, description
    2. Home of record
    3.Charges.
    4.Arraignment and custody status.
    5.Past arrests and disposition of cases

    Is this information being withheld or suppressed? Is there a secret protocol for getting access to this information?
    How many crime complaints have the police received related to the anti-Trump riots?
    What did law enforcement expect was going to happen at the Trump event?
    Was local law enforcement in contact with and coordinating with the Secret Service regarding risks to Trump’s physical security and the security of the venue?

  48. Police are going to monitor videotape? Too late. Most of those paid anarchists have already moved on the their next assignment.

  49. And this is the reason more and more people are becoming trump supporters. The same people that constantly protest & go on about their rights being violated are the same people who aren’t willing to extend those rights to others. I’ve heard some pretty offensive remarks being made by people protesting in the middle of the street lately & no one bothers them. “Their” freedom of speech protects them. For a group to actually put an ad on Craigs List offering to PAY people to disrupt trump or anyone’s rally should be considered illegal. I wasn’t a trump supporter to start with back last year but the more I see, the more I realize just how few rights the majority of us have anymore in this country the more I wonder if he’s not right & we need to speak up & stand up against this kind of crap before we lose our rights altogether.

  50. Sam Laccardo – One term Mayor of SJ – your fired!!!!!!

    Bought and sold by the Unions. Socialist, Communist, hypocrite, Preventer of free speech & peaceful political assembly that disagrees with his political views. I mistakenly was deceived and voted for you!

    Sam Laccardo – One term Mayor – your fired!!!!!!

  51. To most intelligent people, speech and physical action are two different things. But not to the US Supreme Court beginning with the Warren Court, which expanded the definition of speech to include action. SCOTUS expanded protected speech to include protected action, which it then expanded exponentially the “rights” of folks to do as they did in SJ and Oakland and Baltimore and Ferguson. Since the vast majority of these malefactors are non-white, if they get arrested or even criticized for their violence, they play the race card, and the self-styled progressives chime in to the defense of these thugs. The race card and the PC politicians, overwhelmingly Democrats, have stopped most police departments from doing their jobs to protect those of us of all ethnicities who are non-violent. Just read the SJPD and the Chief’s statements–pure PC BS. And what’s Chief Eddie gonna do? Appoint a task force, a Blue Ribbon Commission Light, which may stir up a little dust, but will go nowhere. On the other hand, if the “protestors” had been at a Hillary or Bernie rally and if they had done what was done at the Trump event, heads would have been knocked by SJPD. A spineless police chief controlled by a “progressive” mayor and council spells disaster for the law abiding citizenry.

  52. Just to clarify, the Trump speech that Liccardo continues to declare irresponsible is his promise to crack down on illegal immigration, a position that is joined by a clear majority of the citizenry.

    What actually IS irresponsible speech (though still protected free speech) is the pretense that criminality is a race and that cracking down on illegal immigration is “racist.” Anyone who uses that moral fraud as an excuse for attacking other people and violating their political rights is an extraordinarily dangerous criminal and should be removed permanently from society, either by permanent deportation if they are here illegally or by life imprisonment if they are not.

    Violent suppression of political rights is the essence of fascism. San Jose has a very bad fascist problem, with key enablers at the top.

  53. There will be MANY unintended consequences.

    #1. San Jose will NEVER be considered to host a national political convention, or ANY high profile convention were the Left threatens to “protest”.

  54. Did this mayor order the police to “stand down” and allow these assaults? Simple question, Yes or No?

  55. Many of the protesters who showed up don’t even live in San Jose. They are just a group of thugs that like to go around starting trouble and Trump was just another excuse for them to start it. This type of violence is simply unacceptable on any level.

  56. Trump spreads vile and unjustifiable comments about an entire demographic group. His supporters have every right to vote for him but to parade their support in a city where the demographic is mostly made up of the group being slandered is just bad judgement.

    For those of you blaming the mayor for how the police handled the situation clearly don’t know about the highly publicized sorted history between the mayor and police. The police even backed his opponent during the campaign. Maybe this is their way of making sure he isn’t reelected.

    I think its brilliant.

    • Melissa,
      You state it as though it is a fact universally agreed upon. But the reality is that it is only your opinion that “Trump spreads vile and unjustifiable comments…”
      It is my and many others’ opinion that Hillary and Bernie and the entire Democrat Party is entirely (and rather successfully) founded on spreading vile and unjustifiable comments…”
      So what do we do?
      My side allows your side to have their say.
      Your side, on the other hand is so goddamned arrogant in your righteousness that you seem to feel justified in violating the very freedoms which you claim your candidates represent. What the hell??

      • I’m not going to be successful in helping you understand something I spelled out pretty clearly in my original post. It was bad judgement. That strong feeling inside of you that rejects that claim is not rational its white privilege

        I never advocate for violence!

        If you are going to openly and unjustifiably insult an entire demographic of people, those within that group are understandably going to be upset. Violence. Our culture only frowns on violence when it’s being done to ourselves or those we love but we otherwise celebrate it as entertainment. It has a deep profound visible effect on all of society.

        Until our culture is able to say all violence is wrong and reject it on all levels even for entertainment purposes we can’t go setting these false social norms and if people don’t abide by them then they are animals. If we are all truly seeking equality we should be able to agree that we all have to follow the same rules.

    • Melissa Martinez wrote of the “highly publicized sorted history between the mayor and police.” Hijole! I believe we’ve located the author of the SJPD statement about how SJPD actually protecting law abiding citizens might “insight the crowd and produce more violence.”

  57. I had no idea that “illegal alien” or “criminal” were ethnic groups. After watching the TV news, it seems to me that you are very correct in your description of illegal aliens and criminals being the majority in San Jose.

    Did your family come here illegally? Is that why you endorse this sort of barbaric behavior? Are you suggesting that since you believe people should attack those who disagree with them, that I have the right to come down and do to you what was done to people leaving the Trump rally?

  58. To Protect and Serve are their obligations. Not to idly stand by while American citizens they may oppose politically are beaten unconscious and robbed of their constitutional rights. San Jose chose to stand and protect their fellow “La Raza”. This shouldn’t be tolerated!

  59. I don’t know what the comparable term to military “rules of engagement” is for the police, but whatever the term is, the rules are set by the commanders. Individual police officers rarely act on their own in situations like those present at the Trump rally, but follow the rules laid down in advance by the brass. From what I have read, the brass issued stand down orders to the rank and file at the scene and didn’t modify those orders as the situation devolved into mostly brown skinned thugs sucker punching white Trump supporters, many even being too p*ussy to do anything but sneak up from behind to hit someone and then run away like a scared cat. I saw one video with Mexicans totally trashing SJPD cars, and yet the cops did nothing. Looks like Chief Garcia didn’t want to control his “hermanos”. And why didn’t the preparations include calls for mutual aid by the SJPD? No condemnation from Raj Jayadev or LaDoris Cordell here, but if it were Anglos sucker punching Mexicans or blacks they would have been on it like white on rice. Any State or Federal civil rights investigation is ruled out, since the Democrats control Cali and D.C., and those jurisdictions only commence investigations if minorities are the victims, never if the victims are white. And they’ll never charge a hate crime if a white person is the victim of an attack by a non-white person. Racism is a one way street for them.

  60. I just heard a statement by Mayor Liccardo on KLIV in which he continued to praise the SJPD response to the vioence at the Trump rally, place the blame on Trump, and claimed that the cops did “an excellent job of containing the violence.” That would be in contrast to stopping the violence and arresting the dozens of perpetrators. Another blame the victims statement. from our clueless mayor.

    • Well, I hear Judge Persky may be facing a recall due to his six month sentence of a fellow Stanford type for three felony sexual assault convictions. Perhaps Mr. Liccardo should run for Persky’s bench?

  61. Its a little too late for damage control. He still blames Trump, so arrogant and fake! — RecallSam.com

  62. Well a week has passed since the San Jose Riot. Still no apologies the the victims or to the citizens of San Jose.
    I’ve seen more footage of people beaten, bloodied, and harassed. Several LGBT members beaten a class 1 felony with a hate crime attached, someone should get 15 years for that one, but they were Trump supporters so that doesn’t count.
    What I see now is a pattern of cowardly retreat starting at the top in Washington and working its way down to the locale level, just like Ferguson and Baltimore. In the end we blame the victim and the public enemy, in this case Trump, the white man!

    Maybe its time the feds take over SJ too, all hail the lord of the flies

  63. SJPD stood by as multiple innocent citizens supporting their party of choice were assaulted. Guess police officers were too afraid to stand up to the mob of angry democratic party rioters who felt it was their democratic right to assault innocent citizens who oppose their liberal ideas. Guess all SJPD video cameras malfunctioned at the same time. Liccardo is just a plain ass after praising his police force for standing by as an angry mob who rioted and assaulted innocent bystanders. SJPD, well, lack of a command structure and blind ignorance for the law shown by their untrained staff is overwhelming.
    It is indeed unfortunate that America is burdened by two of the most incompetent candidates running as presidential candidates. If any one is to blame for angry mobs, perhaps it is the current president who has set the bar so low that we as citizens are now burdened with current and future incompetent political leaders

  64. The reality is that the courts have determined that the police have no duty to protect; and the Ninth Circus just decided that one has no right to concealed – or open – carry in California.

    The reality is that we live in a state that is being governed by Third World rules. Riots are the norm in Latin America; and corruption endemic. The police by tradition stand aside while favored factions murder other people.

    Many of those here illegally, and some who came legally, or were born here, believe that California should be part of Mexico. I agree. I think we should a measure on the ballot to return California to Mexico, providing funding for all US citizens and citizen owned businesses to be moved to their desired US location. Then, we should make it an act of treason to propose that US territory should be annexed to other nations.

    • SHE,
      The police have no duty to protect,”The Individual” Otherwise why would we need the police.
      Ninth Circus the most overturned court in the land just over turned the Supremes liking gun control.
      Your first line is why we have a second amendment.

      Paragraph two seems to be what we have now!

      The nice thing about living in the United States is if you don’t like it here you may go back to where you came from.
      Mexico does not want American moving into its sovereign state. I think we should reciprocate with Identical laws.

      California was a sovereign independent state. The Republic of California, because of the abuse by Mexico of the people living here at the time, was in successful revolt winning independent. I have lived in California for longer than Mexico was in possession of it.

      Who did California really belong to? The native Americans that lived here at the time of course. That being the people that won the revolt. A mix of people, the survivors, the winners.
      Not Spain, Not Mexico, a few years latter after the surprise of gold the new people joined the US to bring some order back to what became chaos and anarchy.

      So if you want to live a country run by a drug cartel feel free to leave, why would we bring that mess here?
      But be carful because in Mexico they really will throw you in jail if you’re there illegally or wave an America flag.

      • The courts have stated that the police have no duty to protect, and that their purpose is to investigate crimes.
        This was the result of a lawsuit filed because of the failure of police to respond to calls reporting a home invasion.

        My mother’s White ancestors have been in the US since Jamestown and Plymouth, long before Mexico existed. One of her ancestors was Stephen Hopkins, the model for the sailor in Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.”

        • SHEEEE,
          The courts also came up with Dread Scott and Jim Crow.
          The courts have also ruled that we have a right to bear arms just as the founding fathers intended.

          Just because you and a couple of twits in Frisco agree once in awhile doesn’t mean the rest of us are going to roll over and play dead.

          My black ancestors came from East Africa 4 and a half million years ago and migrate around the world from Central Asia and Europe. We are all one race!
          That doesn’t mean you get to kick in the door to my house and live there or beat up my wife at pep rally!

          • You obviously didn’t read what I wrote. I was not suggesting that I *agreed* with those court decisions; I was simply pointing out the current status of the law. Which means that Mayor Liccardo and his police chief had and have no duty to protect unless they choose to do so – which means they can pick and choose who is allowed to express an opinion without being beaten to death.

            In other words, my point was that we have replaced the rule of law with the rule of men, and we can expect more of this if we don’t stand up.

          • SHE
            I read what you wrote, you’re not making your points very clear.

            Mayor Liccardo could have ordered the police to beat up the people coming out of the rally, but that might have been a little to provocative even in this state.

            If I follow your current logic we would be stupid not to arm ourselves to go into town, after all it’s a sanctuary city and this is the “New Normal”.

          • Huh? I have no interest in beating up anyone. Until the San Jose riot I had no interest in voting for Donald Trump because I think he’s a male Hillary. Things changed.

            All of us are descended from Africans; my mother’s family not only landed at Jamestown and Plymouth, but some of them were apparently on shore watching the boat pull in, wondering who were these strange people who had their blankets tied to trees on their boat?

  65. It seemed ridiculous for a force of 250 trained police – hired to “serve and protect” – to allow the streets of SJ being over-run by a mob of punks.

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