DONALD Trump’s rally in Dayton, Ohio, took a dramatic turn overnight when a crowd member tried to rush the stage, throwing an object, causing Secret Service agents to form a wall around the Republican frontrunner.

Trump appeared visibly shaken as the offender was escorted out, but regained his composure while the audience chanted his name.

“I was ready for him,” Trump quipped, “but it’s much easier if the cops do it.”

The incident happened a day after Trump cancelled a rally in Chicago as hundreds of protesters waited for him, leading to scuffles between the protesters and his supporters.

The divisive rhetoric and encouragement of violence we're hearing from Donald Trump isn't just wrong—it's dangerous.https://t.co/RMWoqHNU5u — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) March 12, 2016

It comes as Trump’s Republican rivals say they may renege on a pledge to support him if he is the party’s nominee, saying he is a creating a “toxic environment” of violence.

Marco Rubio, a Florida senator, told supporters that while he was currently sticking with his pledge to back the nominee if he wasn’t the party’s choice, “it’s getting harder every day.” Ohio Governor John Kasich said the “toxic environment” Trump is creating “makes it very, extremely difficult” to support him.

“To see Americans slugging themselves at a political rally deeply disturbed me,” he said while campaigning in Cincinnati. “We’re better than that.”

Senator Rubio and Governor Kasich have previously committed to backing Trump should he win the Republican nomination, despite reservations about his qualifications. Their extraordinary shift came hours after clashes between Trump supporters and protestersover the weekend in Chicago, and just a few days before Tuesday’s primary elections in five states, including Florida, Illinois and Ohio.

Trump has drawn fervent support as well as harsh criticism for his calls to build a wall along the US-Mexico border and to impose a temporary ban on Muslims entering the country.

His rallies often attract small groups of protesters, but Friday’s was the first at which there may have been as many protesters as supporters.

The two sides shouted at each other until a Trump campaign staffer appeared and announced the event would be put off until an unspecified date for security reasons. The cancellation followed an appearance by Trump in St. Louis, Missouri earlier on Friday during which protests forced the frontrunner to halt his speech repeatedly.

“Go home to mommy,” Trump said as security personnel ejected one of the protesters in St. Louis.

“When you have a campaign that affirmatively encourages violence,” Cruz, the Texas senator, said, “you create an environment that only encourages this sort of nasty discourse.”

Trump has blamed organised “thugs” for protests that shut down his Chicago rally and said the incident had “energised America.”

The fact that Cruz & Rubio sided with the protesters let us know that they are ok with our country being destroyed. Both are straight losers — Diamond and Silk (@DiamondandSilk) March 12, 2016

#CruzCrew it's over for TED supporters are dropping like hot cakes pic.twitter.com/YW8ea0O13Y — ❤️PARIS❤️ (@Destinbeach22) March 12, 2016

In Chicago a group of protesters gathered nearby clashed with police when they tried to shut down an expressway, a Chicago Police Department spokesman said.

Two police officers were injured; one required stitches, according to the spokesman. A reporter for CBS News was arrested and later released, according to media reports.

Violence outside the rally continued after it was clear Trump was not going to appear.

What they wore to Chicago's Trump rally ... pic.twitter.com/0yRt5HfO8j — Justin Raimondo (@JustinRaimondo) March 12, 2016

For those who like their daily Hitler analogy: Lefty brownshirts just forced cancellation of a peaceful Trump rally in Chicago. — Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) March 12, 2016

One attendee at the rally gave a first hand account of what it was like to be in the crowd.

“I feel that I experienced today, for the first time in my life, true totalitarianism and authoritarianism, expressed laterally from citizen to citizen, in order to silence opinions from being shared. This enforcement was shared through sheer numbers and intimidation, and in a few cases, violence,” the attendee wrote on Reddit.

“I feel a sense of utter dread and hopelessness for what is becoming of the youth in this country, particularly those of the regressive left. So polarised has political opinion become, that dissenting thoughts on college campuses are now seen as hateful.

“These people deal in absolutes. They are right, and whatever means they must take to achieve their ends, they will do it. They will not stop themselves from violence or censorship. They will do it, and they will call hell down upon you if anyone dare does upon them the same.”

Trump has a significant lead in primary contests over the three remaining Republicans vying for the White House, and he is looking to cement it on Tuesday when voters in five more states, including Illinois, go to the polls.

Earlier, Governor Kasich said the protests occurred because “the seeds of division that Donald Trump has been sowing this whole campaign finally bore fruit.”

Trump Chaos

Massive crowd gathered in Chicago where Trump was supposed to hold rally. He canceled over “security” concerns pic.twitter.com/N37LL9PmFj — Ryan Parker (@TheRyanParker) March 12, 2016

In a statement Trump said that “for the safety of all of the tens of thousands of people that have gathered in and around the arena, tonight’s rally will be postponed to another date”.

CNN estimated there were between 8500 to 10,000 people in the arena when tensions erupted into chaos.

A video posted on social media shows protesters inside the venue chanting “We stopped Trump”.

News footage showed police wearing body armour escorting groups of people out of the building, as scuffles and angry confrontations broke out throughout the building between Trump supporters and protesters.





An image tweeted by CBS Chicago showed a bloodied police officer being helped away from the chaotic scenes outside the university.

Meanwhile, supporters of the candidate started chanting “We want Trump! We want Trump!” There were physical confrontations between some members of the crowd after the event was cancelled.

There was no sign of Trump inside the arena on the college campus, where dozens of UIC faculty and staff had petitioned university administrators to cancel the rally.

They cited concerns it would create a “hostile and physically dangerous environment” for students.

Before the announcement the event wouldn’t take place, a handful of intense verbal clashes took place between Trump supporters and protesters as the crowd waited for his arrival.





Fistfights between Trump supporters and protesters erupted after Chicago rally canceled. https://t.co/HAhU3MmiMf pic.twitter.com/2WxbYof5JT — CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) March 12, 2016

For the first time during his White House bid, the crowd appeared to be an equal mix of those eager to cheer on the real estate mogul and those overtly opposed to his candidacy.

When one African American protester was escorted out before the event started, the crowd erupted into chants of “Let them stay!”.

Veronica Kowalkowsky, an 18-year-old Trump supporter, said before the event started that she had no ill will toward the protesters — but didn’t think they felt the same way.

“I feel a lot of hate,” she said.

“I haven’t said anything bad to anyone.”

Trump backers were separated from an equally large crowd of anti-Trump protesters by a heavy police presence and barricades.

Some Trump supporters walking into the area chanted, “USA! USA!” and “Illegal is illegal.” One demonstrator shouted back, “Racist!”.

Chicago community activist Quo Vadis said hundreds of protesters had positioned themselves in groups around the arena, and that they intend to demonstrate right after Trump takes the stage. Their goal, he said, is “for Donald to take the stage and to completely interrupt him. The plan is to shut Donald Trump all the way down.”

The cancellation comes as images of his supporters attacking protesters and allegations that he’s inciting violence are raising new questions about the divisive nature of his campaign.

Trump had to answer questions at Thursday night’s debate about video that showed a white supporter punching a black protester at a rally this week in North Carolina.

The supporter was charged with assault.

“It’s not the America they portray on TV,” 26-year-old Rakeem Jones said a day after being punched.

It was the latest in a series of scuffles at his often heated rallies, where protesters frequently clash with supporters and security.

Last year, video captured Trump supporters physically assaulting Mercutio Southall Jr, an African-American activist, at a rally in Alabama.

At past events, Trump has said he’d like to punch a protester in the face and promised to pay supporters’ legal fees if they get into trouble.

He’s spoken fondly of the “good old days” when police could rough protesters up without fear of backlash.

Trump on Thursday rejected the idea that he was responsible for the incidents and said some of the protesters at his rallies “are bad dudes and have done bad things”.

And he defended his supporters: “People come with tremendous passion and love for the country,” he said.

“When they see what’s going on in this country, they have anger that’s unbelievable.”

But during a news conference on Friday, Trump applauded his supporters for taking on protesters who he says have got physical at his rallies.

“The audience hit back,” he said.

“And that’s what we need a little bit more of.”

Security experts say Trump is playing with fire by not calming uncivil behaviour and assault.

“I would go so far as to say that I find that abhorrent,” security consultant Stan Kephart, a former police chief in Arizona and California.

“To me, he’s pressing the line. He’s doing things that you would see a showman do.”

Reporter “battered” at Trump event

A reporter for a conservative news website has filed a police report alleging that she was battered at a Trump press conference in Florida.

Breitbart news reporter Michelle Fields filed the report with the Jupiter, Florida, police department. Police spokesman Officer Adam Brown released a heavily redacted copy of the report, saying specific details are confidential as part of an ongoing investigation.

On the Breitbart website, Fields has said she was grabbed by the arm and yanked as she tried to interview Trump after a Tuesday press conference while the Republican frontrunner mingled with reporters.

She posted photos of her bruised arm.

Originally, Breitbart and The Washington Post reported that the 28-year-old reporter was grabbed by Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski.

The Post stood by its story on its website on Friday, but Breitbart posted a story saying video shows the “likeliest explanation” is that Fields was accosted by a security officer who was next to Trump and Lewandowski.

Trump is protected at events by both Secret Service agents and private security guards.

“Given the similarity in appearance between Lewandowski and the security official, and given the fact that Lewandowski was walking on the other side of Trump from where Fields was at the time, the possibility of mistaken identity cannot be ruled out,” Breitbart reporter Joel B. Pollak wrote on the website.

Trump and his campaign have vehemently denied Lewandowski grabbed Fields.

Campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks described the accusation as “entirely false.”

Protesters chant "We stopped Trump" Protesters have celebrated after a Trump rally was cancelled.

“As one of dozens of individuals present as Mr. Trump exited the press conference I did not witness any encounter. In addition to our staff, which had no knowledge of said situation, not a single camera or reporter of more than 100 in attendance captured the alleged incident,” Hicks said in a statement.

‘We might have to kill him’

A 78-year-old white man who punched a black protester in the face at a Trump rally has said next time “we might have to kill him”.

John McGraw was also charged with assault and disorderly conduct after the event on Wednesday night in North Carolina, the Cumberland County sheriff’s office told the local TV station WRAL.

Multiple videos of the assault show McGraw abruptly punching the young black man in the face as he was walking up a stairway with other protesters being escorted out by police, amid cries of “USA! USA!”

McGraw simply sat back in his seat.

He was not arrested until Thursday morning, as video of the assault gained widespread attention. He was released after posting a $US2500 bond, CNN reported.

McGraw defended his behaviour in comments to the program Inside Edition during the Trump rally.

An Inside Edition reporter asks McGraw, “did you like the event?” “You bet I liked it,” he replies. “What did you like about it?” the reporters asks. “Knocking the hell out of that big mouth,” McGraw responds.

“We don’t know who he is but we know he’s not acting like an American,” McGraw said.

“He deserved it. The next time we see him, we might have to kill him.”

Rakeem Jones, the man who was punched, told The Washington Post that the sharp blow to the right side of his face caught him by surprise.

“After I get it, before I could even gain my thoughts, I’m on the ground getting escorted out. Now I’m waking up this morning looking at the news and seeing me getting hit again,” Jones said.

Jones, 26, said he went to the Trump rally as a “social experiment.”

A woman who was part of his group started to yell out against Trump when he began his speech, Jones said.

As he walked up the stairs, right before reaching McGraw’s row, Jones is seen in the video turning to his right, smiling as he raises his arms and says something to the crowd. McGraw then sucker-punched him.

Trump has said in the past that he would pay legal fees for anyone who protected him at rallies.

“If you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of ‘em, would you? Seriously. Okay? Just knock the hell — I promise you, I will pay for the legal fees. I promise. I promise,” he said in Iowa.

Later the month, as a protester was being led out of another rally, Trump lamented that he wasn’t closer. “I’d like to punch him in the face, I tell ya,” he said.

Trump has said little about the McGraw incident only that people across the country were angry.

Twitter users were divided about the incident.

@realDonaldTrump Mr.Trump, bail out John Mcgraw arrested for sticking up for the peoples cause!! Show support same as he showed you please! — 4mychildren (@helpfutureusa1) March 11, 2016

#JohnMcGraw who punched the protestor last night is a "plant" not a Trump supporter. #InsideEdition "just happened" to be right there. — Iowa Women For Trump (@girl_iowagirl20) March 11, 2016

We are now DEMANDING that Donald Trump supporter John McGraw be charged with making terroristic threats. https://t.co/0nLOgdvYS2 — Shaun King (@ShaunKing) March 10, 2016

Police officers saw Rakeem Jones get punched and did not go after John McGraw, the man who assaulted Jones. @tvonetv #NewsOneNow — rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) March 11, 2016

The incident was condemned by Bernie Sanders, who is vying with Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination for the White House.

“No one in America should ever fear for their safety at a political rally. This ugly incident confirms that the politics of division has no place in our country. Mr. Trump should take responsibility for addressing his supporters’ violent actions,” Senator Sanders said.

Trump’s rallies tend to draw large crowds, and some have been interrupted by protesters critical of the Republican frontrunner’s policy positions on immigration and other sensitive issues.

Critics say he is stirring hatred among angry American voters with his inflammatory comments against Muslims and Mexicans.

Trump usually asks his security people to eject protesters from his campaign events.