Trump Campaign Applauds Trump's Decision to Cancel Raucous Trump Rally as 'Really Good Management'

Donald Trump says his Chicago rally was disrupted by "professionally-staged wise guys" intent on preventing him from addressing the "nice" and "great" supporters who gathered at the UIC Pavilion Friday night.

Speaking at a campaign stop Saturday morning in Dayton, Ohio, Trump began with his assessment of the Chicago rally that he called off after his campaign saw the large numbers of protesters in the arena on the University of Illinois-Chicago campus.

The crowd grew tense and clashes erupted between Trump's fans and foes after the cancellation was announced over the loudspeaker. Punches were thrown, people yelled at each other. A few spit in other people's faces. Protesters celebrated their success in getting the speech stopped. Some were dancing in the center of the rally floor.

"We made a decision. And I hated to do this, because frankly it wouldn’t have been easier to do. But I didn’t want to see anybody get hurt," Trump explained. "You would have had a problem like they haven’t seen in a long time. Because we have people that are so amazing.”

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Trump, the frontrunner in the Republican presidential primary said the protesters were “a disgrace, if you want to know the truth.” On Friday night, speaking to Fox News, Trump likened the display to Chicago's 1968 Democratic Convention riot.

On Saturday afternoon, the Trump campaign issued a statement about the Chicago rally:

Commander George Devereux of the CPD was informed of everything before it happened. Likewise, Secret Service and private security firms were consulted and totally involved.

We have received great credit from everyone for cancelling this event. Nobody was injured and crowds disbanded quickly and peacefully. It has been termed "really good management and leadership under great pressure!"

It would have been easier for Mr. Trump to have spoken, but he decided, in the interest of everyone's safety, to postpone the event.

On Friday night, the Chicago Police Department stated that no police official advised Trump to cancel his rally. The CPD said the officers in the arena were capable of keeping the peace had Trump decided to follow through with his speech.

The UIC chief of police also issued a statement Saturday, which suggests that the Trump campaign's decision not to follow through with the rally precipitated the night's problems:

The vast majority of attendees at today’s events exercised their Constitutional rights of free speech and free assembly peacefully.

The abrupt announcement of the cancellation of the event created challenges in managing an orderly exit from the Pavilion, which nonetheless, was accomplished with no injuries ...

The protesters, an eclectic mix of whites, blacks, Arabs and Hispanics, decried Trump's positions and statements regarding immigrants and refugees as bigotry. The other presidential candidates, both Republican and Democrat, have been critical of Trump's statements at rallies, saying he preys on people's fears, incites violent behavior and insults minorities.

Five people were arrested by Chicago police, including a CBS News journalist accused of resisting arrest.

Trump at Chicago's South Side Parade?

Also on Friday, rumor had it that Trump would appear on Sunday at the South Side Irish St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Parade officials told Patch editor Lorraine Swanson that Trump did not apply to walk in the parade, nor are parade officials aware of plans for Trump to join anyone who is registered to be in the parade.

If a candidate wants to join another group or other elected official at the last minute, that group or person is required to reach out to the parade committee, according to Michael Nothnagel, who handles media inquiries for the parade organizers.

photo credit: Tim Moran for Patch