Carson: 'Real Possibility' Trump Rally Violence Will Continue

By    |   Monday, 14 March 2016 10:18 AM EDT ET

(NBC/"Today")
Former Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson, who now endorses Donald Trump, said Monday there is a "real possibility" that further violence could spark at future Trump rallies as supporters defend their rights against protesters, but called on Americans to "stop and focus on the real enemy," such as Islamic terrorism.

"There is a real possibility of escalation, because those who are the victim of them have two choices: they can submit and do whatever those protesters want them to do, or they can fight back," the retired neurosurgeon told NBC's "Today" show.

"And if they decide to fight back, there could be an escalation."

But Carson, who announced his endorsement of the GOP front-runner just hours before Trump canceled his Chicago rally Friday night because of the threat of violence, said there needs to be more emphasis on defending one's rights to free speech.

"The problem is that there are those who are being taught that if someone disagrees with you, you have the right to interfere with their First Amendment rights, their ability to express themselves, their freedom of speech," Carson told the program. "That's where the emphasis needs to be."

But as for Trump, "he actually represents where people are," Carson said Monday, noting that he decided to support Trump after several months of vicious exchanges because he sees that there are "two different" Trumps: the public persona and the one in private, where he is a "cerebral" person who "considers things carefully."

Carson admitted he would have handled the weekend's events in Chicago, Kansas City, and Ohio differently, but blamed the protesters more than Trump's supporters.

Also on Friday morning, Carson told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program that the reaction to the protesters is a "wonderful opportunity for education in America," as they gave Trump and other candidates an opportunity to talk about the First Amendment rights.

He also said that he believes Trump will come to the realization that the events will mark a "golden opportunity for leadership."

"There's an angry group of people he's been speaking to, but also you must realize that many people following him are not angry, they're just looking for real solutions and they don't want us to keep going down the same pathway," said Carson.

"He needs to speak to those people also, and he's coming to that understanding."

And if the nation is to be healed, he continued, "we have to speak not only to those people, but to the other masses of people also. And I think we probably don't need to just focus on Donald Trump. We need to focus on all the people running on both sides."

Carson said he also believes Trump will pivot more toward the direction of serving all, rather than just people angry with the government, and that he hopes Trump will hear his opinion.

"But I've also recognized that he has the ability to see these things himself," said Carson. "He's a smart guy. He sits down and thinks things through and we'll come to the understanding of what needs to be done."

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Headline
Former Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson, who now endorses Donald Trump, said Monday there is a "real possibility" that further violence could spark at future Trump rallies as supporters defend their rights against protesters...
ben cason, trump rally, violence, escalates, First Amendment
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2016-18-14
Monday, 14 March 2016 10:18 AM
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