Trump Protesters Hit With Smoke Grenades In Clashes With Albuquerque Police

Police in riot gear used smoke grenades on hundreds of protesters who they said hurled rocks and bottles outside a Donald Trump campaign rally in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Tuesday night.

Anti-Trump protesters targeted officers on foot and on horseback outside the Albuquerque Convention Center, where Trump was speaking, police said. The Albuquerque Journal reported  flaming objects were thrown at some officers.

Protesters also lit Trump campaign merchandise on fire, KOB4’s Caleb James reported.

About 100 protesters broke through barricades and approached the convention center as Trump took the stage, the Albuquerque Journal  reported. None entered the building. Windows in the building were broken by what the newspaper said it believed to be pellet guns.

Police denied there were gunshots and  said said they didn't use tear gas on protesters. 

Later, as 4,000 people  who were inside listening to Trump departed from the rally, altercations broke out with anti-Trump protesters.

There were no immediate reports of injuries. Police made arrests inside and outside of the convention center , Reuters reported.

Protesters later moved from the convention center to the streets of downtown Albuquerque. 

Many of Trump's rallies have been accompanied by violence among supporters and detractors. Trump, who at times has encouraged violence, has been condemned for not doing more to disavow the hostilities.

Earlier in the day, former President Bill Clinton was at the Plaza de Española to campaign for his wife, Hillary Clinton.

Update: May 25 -- Trump tweeted about the protests on Wednesday morning, blaming them on "thugs who were flying the Mexican flag."

Editor's note: Donald Trump regularly incites political violence  and is a serial liar , rampant xenophobe , racist , misogynist  and birther  who has repeatedly pledged to ban all Muslims -- 1.6 billion members of an entire religion -- from entering the U.S.