Violence, Arrests Accompany Trump Appearances In California

BURLINGAME, Calif. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Raucous protesters and supporters of Donald Trump violently confronted each other in California Thursday following a speech by the GOP frontrunner.

In the San Francisco Bay area city of Burlingame, protesters clashed with police in riot gear outside the Hyatt Regency Hotel, where the California Republican Convention was held on Friday. Crowds could be seen carrying signs and chanting, CBS2's Alice Gainer reported.

About a dozen protesters linked arms to block the road in front of the hotel, but police had already closed the street to traffic.

As CBS2's Dave Carlin reported, some of the protesters also threw eggs, while others burned the American flag.

They broke through police barriers and tried to storm the hotel and officers held them back.

Around the same time, Trump ditched his motorcade before it reached the parking lot. It was an unusual sight as he and security team members went the rest of the way on foot, walking in at the back of the building and up to the stage.

"We went under a fence and through a fence," Trump said at the convention. "It felt like I was crossing the border, actually."

The crowd at the convention was made up of mainly establishment Republicans who received Trump politely, and at times, enthusiastically.

The reception was viewed by the Trump campaign as a sign mainstream Republicans are starting to accept him as the likely nominee.

"I will do my duty and vote for the man if it's Trump, because I want a republican in the White House," said Trump supporter Lois Shade.

On Thursday night, about 20 anti-Trump demonstrators were arrested at a Trump rally in the Orange County, California city of Costa Mesa.

The protesters were mostly peaceful as Trump spoke inside the Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa. After the event the demonstration grew rowdy, and later in the evening it spilled into the streets.

COMPLETE CAMPAIGN 2016 COVERAGE

The Orange County Sheriff's Department posted updates on its Twitter page throughout the night, including an image of what appeared to be a crowd of people surrounded by officers on horseback and others in riot gear.

One Trump supporter had his face bloodied in a scuffle as he tried to drive out of the arena. One man jumped on a police car, leaving its front and rear windows smashed and the top dented in and other protesters sprayed graffiti on a police car and the venue's marquee.

According to CBS News, some of the protesters were demonstrating against Trump's comments about Mexicans and his immigration proposals.

Before Trump's speech began, heated words were exchanged after people wearing expletive-laden anti-Trump shirts began to taunt people waiting in line.

Trump supporters surrounded the demonstrators and shouted: "Build that wall! Build that wall!'' -- a reference to Trump's call to create a barrier between the United States and Mexico to stop illegal border crossers.

Approximately 20 people were arrested by Costa Mesa police, according to another tweet from the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

About 18,000 people packed the venue for Trump's event, according to the Associated Press, which also noted that hundreds had to be turned away, CBS News reported.

But Trump tweeted a picture with a different number, saying that 31,000 people attended the rally "with thousands turned away."

Meanwhile in the campaign, Ted Cruz picked up the endorsement of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence four days ahead of that state's critical Republican primary. But Pence said he would support whoever the nominee turned out to be.

"I'm for anybody except Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders," Pence said.

Cruz is trying to gain momentum in his fight to block Trump from gaining the delegate majority before the GOP convention in Cleveland in July.

"I think the people of Indiana, that they want to unite; they want our party to come together that the people of Indiana want a positive, optimistic campaign, not a campaign based on insults, attacks and cursing," Cruz said, "and I'm encouraged by that."

Cruz also campaigned with bakery workers in Evansville, and also hit back at former House Speaker John Boehner – who earlier this week referred to the Texas Senator as "Lucifer in the flesh."

Cruz suggested Boehner was angling to be Trump's vice president in an interview with CBS News' "Face the Nation" that will air in full Sunday.

"A Trump-Boehner ticket would really say the Washington cartel in all its force – one has been funding the cartel, the other has been giving in to Democrats for years, which is why Boehner lost his speakership," Cruz said.

On the Democratic side, Sanders addressed a large crowd at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis. He quickly launched into an attack on United Technologies' decision to relocate 1,400 jobs to Mexico.

"If United Technologies wants to receive another defense contract from the taxpayers in this country, they better not move these jobs from Indiana," he said.

As for Clinton, she was back in New York Friday morning to give the keynote address to Eagle Academy Foundation's fifth annual awards breakfast.

"I also hope you will follow the excellent advice that Mrs. Obama gave the other day to group of seniors up in Harlem -- never, never hesitate to ask for help."

Clinton also spoke about what she called Trump's bullying.

"Demeaning me, you know talking about playing the women's card," Clinton said. "We're going to talk about what we want to do for the country, and he can continue on his insult fests, but that's the choice he's making."

Trump dismissed the criticism.

"When I can focus on Hillary, she'll go down easier than any of the people we just beat," he said.

Republican John Kasich is also in California. He held a town hall meeting Friday afternoon, and spoke at the California Republican Convention in Burlingame Friday night. Cruz will speak there on Saturday.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

In:
• Donald Trump
• California