Bernie Sanders’ Stage Rushed At California Rally, Secret Service Jumps In [Video]
While Bernie Sanders spoke at a rally in Oakland, California, at least four people rushed the stage. The attacks happened Monday evening and intercepted by Secret Service agents. The agents jumped onto the raised stage to protect Senator Sanders from potential harm. According to eyewitness reports of the incident, the people who rushed the stage were also yelling aggressively.
Bernie Sanders was not injured when the as-yet-to-be-identified individuals rushed the stage, and ultimately the Democratic presidential candidate continued speaking at his rally, reports CNN. However, Bernie Sanders’ speech was interrupted long enough for the Secret Service agents to give the Vermont Senator a hug and push him away from the mic for his own protection.
Check it out.
The people who rushed the stage were nabbed by Secret Service agents and led away from the podium from which Bernie Sanders was speaking at the Frank Ogawa Plaza.
A spokesman for the Bernie Sanders campaign spoke to the media about the event late Monday night. According to Michael Briggs, the Secret Service did their job, and they did it right.
“It was handled professionally by the Secret Service.”
“His campaign has promoted itself based on this idea of progressivism and rejecting discrimination and inequality, but when it comes to the animals in the United States and around the world, discrimination and violence is the name of the game every single day.”
One of the protesters that rushed Bernie Sanders on stage was reportedly hit with a baton and another dragged out of the event by his arms and legs. A media spokesperson for the group said that one of its members had been assaulted.
Bernie Sanders seemed to shrug off the incident as par for the course, though.
“We don’t get intimidated easily.”
Not everyone shrugged off the attempted assault/protest, though. Many people took to social media to share their feelings on the night’s events.
Big Bern isn't a chicken like #TrumpChicken Bernie has an army behind him. He doesn't need to be intimidated! Feel the Bern!!!
— GoldWolf (@GoldWolf0606) May 31, 2016
Bernie Sanders has been under Secret Service protection since February, ever since he started being a strong contender against Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton.
This isn’t the first time a campaign rally or event has seen people rush the stage this primary election season. Well before Bernie Sanders was rushed, anti-Trump protesters started disrupting Donald Trump events and even trying to get up on stage with the presumptive Republican nominee and former reality TV star.
Trump protester who rushed stage at rally & was accused of being part of ISIL faces chargeshttps://t.co/GeFORwUwNo pic.twitter.com/wxvrMffAba
— Calgary Herald (@calgaryherald) March 16, 2016
In March, an anti-Trump protester hopped a barricade and attempted to rush the stage at a Trump event in Vandalia, Ohio. In that instance, the Secret Service also stepped in and shielded their charge from potential harm while eliminating the threat from the immediate area. Trump had issues in California as well, when he tried to get into California Republican Convention in late April. In that instance, protesters blocked streets and prevented Trump’s motorcade from driving to the venue. Trump was forced to get out on the side of the freeway and walk the rest of the way to the event flanked by Secret Service agents.
While Bernie Sanders has been heckled at some of his campaign stops and even directly protested, this is the first time anyone at a Bernie Sanders rally has rushed the stage and tried to make contact with the candidate.
Back in late January, however, the Bernie Sanders campaign offices in Las Vegas were targeted. At that time, officials for the Bernie Sanders campaign showed up only to find that their building had been the target of gunshots. Bernie Sanders wasn’t in the building at the time, and police investigated the incident but no charges were ever filed. That attack on Bernie Sanders’ offices happened before the Vermont Senator was given Secret Service protection.
[Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images]
