US election: Clinton campaign accuses Trump of inciting violence

Donald Trump has suggested Hillary Clinton’s bodyguards should be disarmed, adding: “Let’s see what happens to her.” The Republican presidential candidate was repeating his claims that his Democratic rival wants to remove American citizens’ right to bear arms. He told a rally in Miami that Mrs Clinton wanted to “destroy your Second Amendment” - something she has denied, saying in July that she was “not here to repeal the Second Amendment”. But it has not stopped Mr Trump returning to the theme, appearing to accuse his rival of not understanding the value of armed protection.

She goes around with armed bodyguards like you have never seen before. I think that her bodyguards should drop all weapons. They should disarm, right? Take their guns away. She doesn’t want guns. Take their… and let’s see what happens to her. Take their guns away. Okay, it would be very dangerous.

Donald Trump

Mrs Clinton’s team hit back swiftly, with her spokesman Robby Mook saying Mr Trump “has a pattern of inciting people to violence”. He said: “Whether this is done to provoke protesters at a rally, or casually… or even as a joke, it is an unacceptable quality in anyone seeking the job of Commander in Chief. This kind of talk should be out of bounds for a presidential candidate.” The Secret Service has not commented.It comes after a remark by Mr Trump last month was blasted by Democrats who claimed it was a call for Mrs Clinton’s assassination. At a rally in North Carolina, Mr Trump said his rival wanted to “abolish, essentially, the Second Amendment”.

A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way.

Mrs Clinton’s spokesman Robby Mook

Politics