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Trump Supporters Tell Legislative Staffers 'Get Out Of The Country'

Advocates for President Donald Trump, some of them armed, caused tense moments at the state Capitol on Thursday.  

Democratic lawmakers are concerned about the boundaries between free speech and safety.

Shouts of “go home” and “get out of the country” rang out from supporters of Trump who gathered between the House and Senate buildings to protest immigration reform.

Arizona Senate Minority Leader Katie Hobbs said Democratic staffers who were the target of protesters’ barbs felt harassed due to the color of their skin.

“What I witnessed yesterday was well beyond peaceful protest," she said. "These folks were yelling at everybody walking by. They were getting in their faces. They were saying insults to them. And to me, that is harassment.”

Hobbs said at one point, a protestor dropped a firearm. “One of the protesters had a weapon that wasn’t well secured, and she dropped it. Everybody in the area was like ‘this is alarming.’” 

Although she asked law enforcement to intervene, Hobbs was told they were instructed to stand down.

Tom Maxedon was the host of KJZZ’s Weekend Edition from 2017 to 2024.