Brothers Attack Homeless Man in Honor of Trump
Trump’s intention to deport illegal immigrants seems to be encouraging some rather negative consequences. According to Boston police, two men seen assaulting and later urinating on a homeless Latino man were inspired to do so by Trump’s latest speech, in which he claimed that all Mexican immigrants are rapists and criminals.
According to police reports, during the attack one man reportedly insisted, “Donald Trump was right — all these illegals need to be deported.” The men were later identified as 38-year-old Scott Leader and his brother, 30-year-old Steve Leader. Both were leaving a Boston Red Sox baseball match when they came across the man sleeping by a train station.
They decided to urinate in his face, punching him several times. Once arrested, they justified their actions to police officials on the grounds of the victim being homeless, Hispanic and an illegal immigrant. Shortly after the attack, the victim, a legal citizen, was rushed to the hospital with a fractured nose and injuries to his ribs.
Despite the seriousness of the incident, Trump initially failed to explicitly condemn the attack. At best he showed moderate regret, declaring it “a pity” that his words had led to such violence. He did, however, express his gratitude for the support of those in favor of his immigration plan. “I will say that people who are following me are very passionate,” said the businessman turned politician. “They love this country and they want this country to be great again.” Later, however, he described the incident as “terrible,” stating, “We need energy and passion, but we must treat each other with respect. I would never condone violence.”
On the contrary, the reaction of the Mexican government was significantly more forceful. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement “strongly” condemning the attack and calling for “recognition of the contribution made by the immigrant community to the economy, society, values and culture of the United States, and for this to constitute the axis of the close ties between our societies.” It then concluded, “The government of Mexico, through its embassy in the United States and its consular network, will take all necessary steps to defend the rights and interests of Mexicans in the country, regardless of their immigration status.”
Sustained criticism toward his approach has in no way succeeded in convincing Trump to rectify accusations made in reference to Mexican immigrants. In this sense, Trump risks alienating the Hispanic vote, a factor which threatens to seriously complicate matters in the run-up to the election. Even so, in recent weeks his popularity levels continue to rise, and his Republican rivals have no choice but to finally take him seriously. Trump is already leading polls in Iowa and New Hampshire.
According to police reports, during the attack one man reportedly insisted, “Donald Trump was right — all these illegals need to be deported.” The men were later identified as 38-year-old Scott Leader and his brother, 30-year-old Steve Leader. Both were leaving a Boston Red Sox baseball match when they came across the man sleeping by a train station.
They decided to urinate in his face, punching him several times. Once arrested, they justified their actions to police officials on the grounds of the victim being homeless, Hispanic and an illegal immigrant. Shortly after the attack, the victim, a legal citizen, was rushed to the hospital with a fractured nose and injuries to his ribs.
Despite the seriousness of the incident, Trump initially failed to explicitly condemn the attack. At best he showed moderate regret, declaring it “a pity” that his words had led to such violence. He did, however, express his gratitude for the support of those in favor of his immigration plan. “I will say that people who are following me are very passionate,” said the businessman turned politician. “They love this country and they want this country to be great again.” Later, however, he described the incident as “terrible,” stating, “We need energy and passion, but we must treat each other with respect. I would never condone violence.”
On the contrary, the reaction of the Mexican government was significantly more forceful. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement “strongly” condemning the attack and calling for “recognition of the contribution made by the immigrant community to the economy, society, values and culture of the United States, and for this to constitute the axis of the close ties between our societies.” It then concluded, “The government of Mexico, through its embassy in the United States and its consular network, will take all necessary steps to defend the rights and interests of Mexicans in the country, regardless of their immigration status.”
Sustained criticism toward his approach has in no way succeeded in convincing Trump to rectify accusations made in reference to Mexican immigrants. In this sense, Trump risks alienating the Hispanic vote, a factor which threatens to seriously complicate matters in the run-up to the election. Even so, in recent weeks his popularity levels continue to rise, and his Republican rivals have no choice but to finally take him seriously. Trump is already leading polls in Iowa and New Hampshire.