Protests turn unruly after Trump's Phoenix speech
A day of noisy but largely peaceful protests against United States President Donald Trump's speech in Phoenix turned unruly as police fired pepper spray at crowds after a protester apparently lobbed rocks and bottles at officers.
Trump, in his speech on Tuesday, mounted an aggressive defense of his response to a deadly far right march in Charlottesville, using the rally speech to condemn “dishonest” media coverage of his widely criticised remarks.
The disturbance started soon after Trump completed his speech.
Protesters and police clashed outside the convention center where Trump had delivered his speech. People fled the scene coughing as an officer in a helicopter bellowed through a speaker urging protesters to leave the area.
Officers responded with pepper spray to break up the crowd after people tossed rocks and bottles and dispersed gas, Phoenix police spokesman Jonathan Howard said.
Four people were arrested on charges related to the protest, while another was arrested on an unrelated warrant, Police Chief Jeri Williams said. Two officers were treated for heat exhaustion, she said.