A violent fight involving three men started suddenly outside a Donald Trump rally in Michigan yesterday.
Attendees were standing by a metal barricade in the parking lot outside of Saginaw Valley State University, where Trump was speaking that afternoon, when a brawl broke out in front of the barricade at about 10:20 a.m.
Anna Liz Nichols of Michigan Advance posted a video to her X account of the men exchanging blows. Michigan Advance said the fight was between vendors selling Trump merchandise prior to the rally.
The men in the 22-second video were filmed punching and kicking each other, before scattering across the parking lot as the scrap continued. They were eventually broken up by security guards.
Donald Trump on October 3, 2024, in Saginaw, Michigan. Prior to the event, a fist fight broke out at the venue.
Scott Olson/Getty images
The fight was particularly vicious between one young man in a Trump t-shirt who was filmed sitting on top of and punching another man on the ground, who was dressed in a Trump hoodie.
J.J. Boehm, the executive director of university communications at Saginaw Valley State University, told Newsweek: “To my knowledge, the individuals are not affiliated with SVSU. “I do not believe University Police were involved in the response to the altercation, as it is my understanding that they were inside the Ryder Center, [the] site of the campaign event, at the time of the incident.”
In a statement via text reported by Michigan Advance, a Trump campaign official said: “The Trump campaign reports that all of the individuals involved in the altercation were vendors, none were attendees and all were ejected from the premises.”
The Trump campaign has been contacted via email outside of working hours for further comment.
The crowd at Donald Trump’s campaign event on October 3, 2024, in Saginaw, Michigan. The fight did not appear to involve anyone who actually attended the event.
Scott Olson/Getty images
Donald Trump was in Michigan to campaign for his economic policies. The Trump campaign website advertising the event said: “Under Kamala’s failed leadership, Michigan families are being crushed by inflation, with cumulative rates hitting a staggering 20.5 percent, which translates to an extra $1,000 per month in household expenses.
“From gas to groceries, hardworking Michiganders are being forced to pay more for everything, thanks to Harris’ dangerously liberal policies.”
The Trump campaign also cited an August 26-29 poll that showed: “52% of Michigan voters believe that President Trump is better suited to tackle economic issues than Kamala Harris.”
Newsweek has reported that a Mitchell Research & Communications poll taken on September 30 showed Trump with a 1 point lead in Michigan.
The Harris campaign has been contacted via email for comment.
Trump spoke at the rally for an hour and 20 minutes. His opening remarks were: “We’re going to bring so many car manufacturing plants, but I see a lot of farms outside today. There’s never been anybody better to the farmer than Trump, I can tell you that.”
He also asked his supporters to join him in “launching a new golden age for America.”
Trump spoke about the border, promising “safe and clean borders that are sealed and secured,” and on how he believes the last election was rigged.
He told his supporters that if he really believed he had lost in 2020 he “wouldn’t be doing this again.” He added: “Do you know where I’d be? On the beaches of Monte Carlo, or some place. I’d be having a nice life.
“But if I had my choice of being with you today, or being on some magnificent beach with the waves hitting me in the face, I would take you every single time.”
With 15 electoral college votes, Michigan is a critical battleground state for both candidates in the 2024 election.
Following Trump’s rally earlier this week, Kamala Harris is planning to be in Flint, Michigan, today, according to Fox 17 News in West Michigan.
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