Senator Bernie Sanders has responded to an incident at a recent rally in Phoenix, Arizona during which a man unfurled a swastika flag while Mr Sanders spoke.

“I heard people booing but I didn’t realise [what happened] until I left the stage. I speak not only as a Jewish American but on behalf of US troops who died fighting Nazism. It’s horrific, it’s beyond disgusting to see, in the United States of America, that people would show the emblem of Hitler and I was shocked to hear that later,” he said to a press gaggle at the Phoenix airport.

The man was tossed out of the venue, using the n-word towards a black Sanders supporter on his way out of the building.

In addition to the man with the swastika flag, supporters of Mr Sanders and of President Donald Trump also had minor scuffles at the rally and some were removed from the venue. However, Mr Sanders said he saw the use of a Nazi flag separate from the spats between his supporters and those of Mr Trump.

"This was something different, to have someone bringing forth the most detestable symbol in modern history,” he said.

Mr Sanders said he did not feel unsafe and congratulated the Phoenix police for their response.