Donald Trump Cancels Rally Overwhelmed By Protesters

The Donald Trump campaign on Friday night canceled a rally slated to take place in an arena at the University of Illinois at Chicago after protesters overwhelmed the event. The campaign cited safety concerns, given the tense confrontations between Trump protesters and supporters.

After the cancellation was announced, fights started to break out at the UIC Pavilion, CBS News' Sopan Deb reports.

Ahead of Trump's arrival, hundreds of demonstrators lined up outside the arena to protest the Republican presidential front-runner. Large groups of Trump opponents also occupied multiple sections inside the arena. The mix of Trump supporters and opponents created a tense atmosphere, and finally a spokesperson for the campaign announced the event was canceled.

"Mr. Trump just arrived in Chicago, and after meeting law enforcement, has determined that for the safety of all the tens of thousands of people that have gathered in and around the arena tonight's rally will be postponed until another date," the man said from a podium. "Thank you very much for your attendance, and please go in peace."

The tumultuous event follows other incidents of violence at Trump campaign events. Earlier this week, a North Carolina man was charged with assault after he was caught on camera punching a protester at a Trump event -- a protester already in police custody. Earlier Friday, Michelle Fields, a reporter for the conservative media outlet Breitbart News, filed a police report after alleging she was manhandled by Trump's own campaign manager, Corey Lewandoski. Lewandoski and the Trump campaign deny the allegation.

Trump has been criticized for the hostile remarks he's made about protesters. For instance, at a February 23 rally, referencing a protester, he sad, "I'd like to punch him in the face." The front-runner was questioned about those remarks at the Republican debate in Miami on Thursday night.

"We have some protesters who are bad dudes, they have done bad things," he said. "And if they've got to be taken out, to be honest, I mean, we have to run something. And it's not me. It's usually the municipal government, the police because I don't have guards all over these stadiums."