Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio cracked jokes at the expense of two protesters as he egged on his supporters roughing the men up, tearing their signs, grabbing and tossing a suit used as a prop and causing one protester to buckle over during a campaign rally in the Northern Virginia town of Purcellville attended by 3500 supporters according to the Rubio campaign.
https://twitter.com/CaseyMattox_/status/704016990705471489
In a YouTube video of the rally, Rubio turns to watch as a protester is attacked near the rear of the stage and eggs on his supporters attacking the protester, “Looks like a lot of fun back there!”
At no point did Rubio discourage violence or urge a peaceful resolution, instead he urged on the attacks and made jokes.
https://youtu.be/XHwLcAGoH6c?t=14m45s
NBC’s Alexandra Jaffe reported that Rubio joked with the crowd as they attacked a a protester holding a sign reading, “Marco-Empty Suit”.
Intense moment here when a protester waving a sign "Marco—Empty Suit" started shouting & was roughed up a bit by Rubio supporters
— Alexandra Jaffe (@ajjaffe) February 28, 2016
“Intense moment here when a protester waving a sign “Marco—Empty Suit” started shouting & was roughed up a bit by Rubio supporters”
Rubio made Trump joke about tacky suits & said he was "The valedictorian of Trump U!" Supporters ripped up the guys sign & escorted him out
— Alexandra Jaffe (@ajjaffe) February 28, 2016
“Rubio made Trump joke about tacky suits & said he was “The valedictorian of Trump U!” Supporters ripped up the guys sign & escorted him out”
The Guardian’s Sabrina Siddiqui added more Rubio joking about the crowd attacking the protesters.
““Marco Rubio empty suit” protesters stand up in his rally. “My suit wasn’t made in China!” he says. Crowd erupts.”
““Ladies and gentleman, the valedictorian of Trump University!” Rubio says.”
"The world is growing more dangerous — and apparently, so is this rally," Rubio says as protesters tussle with his supporters.
— Sabrina Siddiqui (@SabrinaSiddiqui) February 28, 2016
“”The world is growing more dangerous — and apparently, so is this rally,” Rubio says as protesters tussle with his supporters.”
Rubio made that joke about the rally getting dangerous as he looked at one of the protesters getting doubled over by one of his supporters.
The Daily Beast’s Tim Mak:
https://twitter.com/timkmak/status/704009878214463490
“A Rubio supporter just grabbed a suit from the protester and tossed it across the room”
Earlier this month, Rubio supporters attacked a protester dressed as a robot in New Hampshire.
WATCH: Rubio supporters tussle with protester dressed as a robot https://t.co/gE91wdWO3a pic.twitter.com/YmQZy7bPWk
— The Hill (@thehill) February 9, 2016
Curiously for all the media attending the Rubio rally, no photos or video have been posted of the attacks on the Rubio protesters in Purcellville as of this writing save for the YouTube video of the entire speech.