President Donald Trump held a rally in Panama City, Florida and his anti-immigrant rhetoric inspired one of his supporters to call for people coming across the southern border to be shot.
Trump, stoking xenophobic angst, said:
"When you have 15,000 people marching up and you have hundreds and hundreds of people you have two or three border security people that are brave and great... and don't forget, we don't let them and we can't let them use weapons... we can't. Other countries do, but we can't. I would never do that."
This is not true, as Trump has authorized the use of tear gas on asylum seekers.
"But how do you stop these people?" Trump continued.
"Shoot them!" a woman yelled from the crowd.
The reaction from Trump and his fans was horrifying. Instead of condemning threats of violence, Trump smirked and cracked a joke.
"That's only in the panhandle you can get away with that statement," Trump quipped. "Only in the panhandle.
Watch below:
It's hard to tell what someone in the crowd yells at Trump, but immediately after talking about not using violence/… https://t.co/yDQIBnk4x8— jordan (@jordan) 1557364271.0
The president of the United States and his adoring congregants, everyone.
@JordanUhl How disgusting.— Daniel dePlantagenet (@Daniel dePlantagenet) 1557373676.0
@JordanUhl Gotta love these good Christians— Walter Alexander (@Walter Alexander) 1557368233.0
@JordanUhl The Laughing Fatheads are a nice touch— Charles P. Pierce (@Charles P. Pierce) 1557366444.0
Is this how you MAGA?
@JordanUhl And Hillary got excoriated for calling some of his supporters deplorable. She was too kind if you ask me.— Greg Baxter (@Greg Baxter) 1557364779.0
@JordanUhl @neal_katyal He and his followers were made for each other.— Carrie Moley (@Carrie Moley) 1557367974.0
The fact that Trump rewarded this behavior is terrifying.
@atrupar "Shoot them". ~ A trump supporter when asked about stopping illegal immigrants at the border. Remember...… https://t.co/517pYMOrtQ— Mike Wickett (@Mike Wickett) 1557365477.0
Last night at his rally Trump laughed when a guy shouted “shoot them” about migrants at the border but please tell… https://t.co/ytdh5UpkGq— The Volatile Mermaid (@The Volatile Mermaid) 1557406951.0
“Though Trump didn’t explicitly endorse the suggestion to shoot migrants, his joking response raised concerns that… https://t.co/X8YKhYByOr— House Homeland Security Committee (@House Homeland Security Committee) 1557401112.0
At his rally tonight, Trump said the government is unable to use weapons against immigrants and someone in the crow… https://t.co/a5V7LKYxy4— Ryan Knight 🏳️🌈🗽 (@Ryan Knight 🏳️🌈🗽) 1557368913.0
@JordanUhl I think he's grooming them until he does start shooting them.— Brigitte Meskey (@Brigitte Meskey) 1557383943.0
@JordanUhl It's probably already happening. We find out later.— TheNuff 🇻🇮🇺🇸🇹🇹 (@TheNuff 🇻🇮🇺🇸🇹🇹) 1557367875.0
Was this a political event or a hate rally? It has become impossible to tell the difference.
@JordanUhl And then he basks in the crowds praise for murdering other human beings— Mankrik’s wife (@Mankrik’s wife) 1557364615.0
@JordanUhl @neal_katyal How exactly is this different from an actual Hitler rally?— AbbyNormal (@AbbyNormal) 1557368053.0
@JordanUhl @JimLaPorta This is soul crushing.— Juandisimo Magnanimo (@Juandisimo Magnanimo) 1557365647.0
@JordanUhl We're in more than a Constitutional crisis when the President condones Florida residents shooting immigr… https://t.co/Nf9xDdL5iY— Joanne (@Joanne) 1557364699.0
"Dystopian freakshow" pretty much sums it up.
@JordanUhl @indiaknight It’s a dystopian freak show ... come on America I know you can do better than this 🙏🏻— Alicia Harley (@Alicia Harley) 1557385857.0
We are so far down the rabbit hole.
@JordanUhl None of this is going to end well we all know that. It’s going to get far uglier before it gets better and it’s frightening— Laura Iacometta (@Laura Iacometta) 1557366416.0
@JordanUhl That's some fine people on your side @GOP— Adam Blas (@Adam Blas) 1557368917.0
@JordanUhl Americans, you may have crossed into far more dangerous territory than 2016 predicted.— Billionaires, pay ya damn taxes (@Billionaires, pay ya damn taxes) 1557368708.0
How much more can we take?
@JordanUhl @neal_katyal He’s making violence acceptable. Impeach now while we still can!!— Janine Baker (@Janine Baker) 1557372355.0
@JordanUhl End this sham presidency. Do it. Act. Now. Impeach.— Linda White (@Linda White) 1557368545.0
The Trumpists already openly want to kill my family. They will want to kill your family next. The only question is… https://t.co/1WK1plUpWP— Anil Dash 🥭 (@Anil Dash 🥭) 1557371845.0
But her emails.