Trump Fails to Condemn Supporters' Hateful Violence at Rallies
John McGraw warned that the next time he sees the Black man he sucker-punched at a Donald Trump rally he “might have to kill him.”
The 78-year-old man, who is facing charges of misdemeanor assault for blindsiding Rakeem Jones, said he not only enjoyed punching the young man, but that he deserved it.
“You bet I liked it. Knocking the hell out of that big mouth,” McGraw told Inside Edition after the rally. “The next time we see him, we might have to kill him.”
The Fayetteville, North Carolina, man, who makes holsters, puts on firearms demonstrations and goes by the nickname “Quick Draw,” said his motive for punching Jones was self-defense against a terrorist threat.
“Number one, we don’t know if he’s ISIS,” McGraw said. “We don’t know who he is, but we know he’s not acting like an American, cussing me … If he wants it laid out, I laid it out.”
This isn’t the first time an act of violence took place at a Trump rally. A young Black woman was recently manhandled and repeatedly shoved at one of the Republic presidential frontrunner’s events in Louisville, Kentucky.
Still, Trump said “the good old days” of when protesters were immediately shut down with force, sadly doesn’t happen anymore.
“They used to treat (protesters) very, very rough,” he said at the same North Carolina rally where the sucker-punch took place. “And when they protested once, they would not do it again so easily.”
When the topic of Trump’s rhetoric possibly encouraging violence at his rallies was addressed during Thursday night’s Republican debate, he said, “I hope not. I truly hope not.”
Still, he made no apology for the incidents of violence that have taken place and instead said, “There’s some anger. There’s also great love for the country. It’s a beautiful thing in many respects.”
(Photos from top to bottom: Ethan Miller/Getty Images, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, US Uncut via YouTube)