Speaking for the first time since protests and violence interrupted two of his rallies in Arizona, U.S. Presidential candidate Donald Trump washed his hands off responsibility for the hostile behaviour and went on the defense saying that the protesters involved were "very disruptive people".
According to CNN, the Republican presidential frontrunner singled out one demonstrator who was punched and kicked by a Trump supporter as he was being led out of a rally in Tucson.
"Well, you know he or his partner was wearing a Ku Klux Klan outfit. These are not really protesters, they're agitators." Trump said in an interview when asked if he would deny the attack on the male protester.
On the supporter who punched the protester, he said: "This happened to be an African American man who was very, very incensed that a protester would be wearing a Ku Klux Klan outfit."
"These are professional agitators. I think that somebody should say that when a road is blocked going into the event," he added.
Defending campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, who at the Tucson rally on Saturday appeared to physically pull a protester by his collar, Trump asserted that Lewandowski had merely been trying to take down signs held by some protesters.
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"They had signs up in that areas were horrendous. I will give him credit for having spirit." He said.
Violent protests and incidents of physical demonstrations at Trump events have become a common element at his rallies.