Trump: Ku Klux Klan-Dressed Protesters Allegedly Beaten By Bodyguards Have ‘No One To Blame But Themselves’
- Former President Donald Trump sat for a four-hour deposition in regards to a 2015 lawsuit.
- Protesters allege in the lawsuit that they had been hit by members of Trump’s security detail.
- Trump stated in the deposition the protesters have “no one to blame but themselves.”
Former President Donald Trump stated on Monday that protesters who alleged his bodyguards beat them had “nobody to blame but themselves.”
The former president made these comments after sitting for a four-hour-long deposition on October 18. He was asked to testify in a lawsuit brought by protesters who allege that his bodyguards beat them up outside Trump Tower during a 2015 demonstration.
The incident occurred on September 3, 2015, when Trump was on the campaign trail. A crowd of demonstrators had gathered, some wearing Ku Klux Klan robes and hoods, gathered outside Trump Tower to protest then-presidential candidate Trump’s comments that Mexicans were “rapists” who were “bringing drugs” and “bringing crime” to America in June 2015.
Trump’s security detail was then filmed approaching protesters and wrangling the placards they held from their hands. 5 of the protesters filed a lawsuit on September 9, 2015, against Trump, the Trump Organization, the Trump 2016 campaign, and several other members of Trump’s security detail, alleging that they had been beaten throughout the scuffle.
It’s unclear if any of the 5 protesters who are suing Trump had been wearing Klan robes.
“The Klu [sic] Klux Klan dressed protester case ought to have never been brought as the plaintiffs have nobody to blame but themselves,” wrote Trump in a statement posted to Twitter by his spokeswoman Liz Harrington on Monday. “Rather than protest peacefully, the plaintiffs deliberately sought to rile up a crowd by blocking the doorway to Trump Tower on 5th Avenue, in the middle of the day, wearing Klu Klux Klan [sic] robes and hoods.”
Trump added that his security employees tried to “de-escalate the situation.”
“After years of litigation, I was pleased to have had the opportunity to tell my side of this ridiculous story — Just one more example of baseless harassment of your favorite President,” Trump stated in the statement.
Trump avoided sitting for a deposition while president, arguing that he should receive immunity from testifying as president. However earlier this month, New York State Supreme Court Justice Doris Gonzalez ordered Trump to sit for a deposition concerning the case.
Trump additionally faces a number of other ongoing civil lawsuits, that are moving through the legal system more rapidly now that he’s out of office.
