Donald Trump stop in busy border city of San Diego sparks protest - Action News
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Donald Trump stop in busy border city of San Diego sparks protest

Donald Trump brought his message of walls and deportations to the doorstep of America's busiest border crossing on Friday as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee greeted supporters in San Diego, amid one of the largest counter-protests organized against him.

Protesters march, chant and carry signs criticizing Trump's stance on illegal immigration

Anti-Trump protest in San Diego

8 years ago
Duration 2:17
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee greets supporters, amid one of the largest protests organized against him

Donald Trump brought his message of walls and deportations to the doorstep of America's busiest border crossing on Friday as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee greeted supporters in San Diego, amid one of the largest counter-protests organized against him.

The scene inside the San Diego Convention Center during Trump's speech was relatively placid, while outside demonstrators opposed to his controversy-ridden White House bid marched and chanted, carrying signs criticizing his rhetoric against illegal immigration.

A man is arrested during a demonstration against Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump outside his campaign event in San Diego, Calif., on Friday. More than 1,000 people showed up to protest the billionaire candidate who wants to build a wall at the Mexican border. (Jonathan Alcorn/Reuters)

Waving U.S. and Mexican flags, more than 1,000 people turned out for anti-trump rally in San Diego, a city on the U.S.-Mexico border whose San Ysidro port of entry sees nearly 300,000 people a day cross legally between the countries.

San Diego is considered a binational city by many who live and work on opposite sides of the border, and about a third of the city's population is Latino. Some protesters on Friday afternoon attempted to breach a barrier manned by police, climbing over railings and throwing objects at officers, who used their night sticks in an attempt to hold back the crowd.

Trump supporters and anti-Trump demonstrators face off outside a campaign event in San Diego, which is home to America's busiest border crossing with Mexico. (Jonathan Alcorn/Reuters)

As clusters of Trump supporters and anti-Trump demonstrators began to mix following the candidate's appearance, police declared the gathering to be an unlawful assembly and ordered people to disperse. Police reported making at least three arrests.

Trump has weathered months of blowback from all ends of the political spectrum for his immigration policy, which calls for the building of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and deporting the nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants who reside in the United States.

A child watches as marchers make their way to the San Diego Convention Center to protest Donald Trump in San Diego. (David McNew/Reuters)

Critics have said his plan is needlessly cruel and impossible to implement. At Trump's campaign stops, attendees often chant "build the wall."

Friday was not the first time Trump has been greeted by civil unrest in California, which is home to the largest Latino population in the country.

Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump signs autographs after a rally with supporters in San Diego. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

Late last month, a visit to the California Republican convention set off days of protests in the area, leading to several arrests.