The political landscape has changed ever since Donald Trump entered the Republican primary last year. His rallies have been a strong example of that change, as what were once places where minor altercations could happen are now places where major ones are expected. And so they did, when a 15-year-old girl was pepper sprayed and groped during a Trump rally in Wisconsin on Tuesday, according to police.
The incident played out at Trump's rally in Janesville, Wis., on Tuesday when the teen said that she was groped by a male in the crowd, only to be pepper-sprayed by another individual after she pushed the first man away.
Police soon launched an investigation into the matter, looking for the person responsible for the alleged sexual assault and the other responsible for the pepper spray. The first milestone came on Wednesday when police released an image of one of the suspected individuals, but they failed to identify which alleged crime he was connected to.
The second came just hours ago after police reported having located the man suspected of pepper-spraying the girl. They also reported that investigators have also talked to the man accused of groping the girl, but they noted that investigation into the incident is ongoing and no charges have been filed.
This wasn't the only action going on at the event, however. It was just one that happened to be caught on film. Police report that out of the 1,000 attendees inside the event and 1,000 outside, two people carried concealed weapons while two carried them openly. All four, however, cooperated when confronted by law enforcement.
Furthermore, three objects, including a vehicle left behind by someone who had gone to get food, were investigated due to fears that they may have contained explosive material.
While incidents like these are concerning, especially since they have been growing in frequency as of late, the real concern are the mixed messages Trump sends about them. On one hand, Trump himself has said in the past that he doesn't condone violence at his events and even has recordings prior to his events telling attendees to let security handle protests, but on the other, he has made statements supporting the actions of some his supporters, even going so far as to offer to pay legal fees for those involved.
