Police use gas to disperse Trump protesters

  • 23/08/2017
Media reports said some protesters had thrown bottles at police.
Media reports said some protesters had thrown bottles at police. Photo credit: Twitter/JakeWhiteShark

Police have deployed gas to disperse crowds in Phoenix, Arizona, after protesters outside a rally by US President Donald Trump threw rocks and bottles at officers.

"People in the crowd have begun throwing rocks and bottles at police. They also dispersed some gas in the area," Phoenix Police Department spokesman Sergeant Jonathan Howard said.

One Trump supporter interviewed on local television claimed the protesters were paid actors and the protection of God was keeping her safe from the tear gas being used.

"Police have responded with pepper balls and OC (oleoresin capsicum) spray in an attempt to disperse the crowd and stop the assaults," Sgt Howard said.

Police have not given an estimate of the number of protesters who turned out for the event, but Arizona media said there were several thousand people.

Earlier, Mr Trump spoke to a room full of supporters attacking the media for "giving a platform to hate groups" in relation to their coverage of the events in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Reuters / Newshub.