VivirLatino

So what happens when you give an anti-immigration speech to an anti-immigration crowd–and that anti-immigration speech just so happens to target European immigration?

Why, mass confusion and chants of Columbus go home, of course! But of course, the humor could not be left unpunished. As Crooks and Liar’s reports, violence post rally was at a high level:

As they realized they’d been punked, they stood in a cold, stunned silence, while the 30 or so counter-protesters urged Columbus to go home.

Unfortunately, some of the pro-MINN-SIR audience made up for what they lacked in humor through the use of violence. Both Danielson and I saw middle-aged men attack young protesters, knocking one off a bike before he started throwing punches at the young man.

Just as shocking was the reaction of the state police working the rally, who pushed back those being attacked, rather than those attacking the counter protesters.

Neither of us have ever witnessed violence at rallies and events we’ve attended in the past. The attacks formed a sharp counterpoint to Hendrycks’ shrieked claims from the podium that MINN-SIR “patriots” had “respect” while the young protesters were rude.

The transcript of the speech is below the fold. Read more…