Protester punched during Trump rally speaks out

TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) - Hundreds of protesters surrounded the entrance into the Donald Trump rally on Saturday, March 19, at the Tucson Convention Center.

Many held signs and chanted for hours as people made their way inside.

"Show Trump that the people have feelings," said Jesse Alvarez, one of the protesters. "The people do not like his comments and I don't think he's ready for the presidency,"

Some protesters made it inside the TCC arena but said they were quickly kicked out by security.

Kira Rojas, who was inside the rally, said she and her friends were pushed out of the rally by attendees.

"They're not security and they're not cops," Rojas said. "And they're psychically putting their hands on us. Pushing us out for no reason. We weren't disturbing him. We weren't yelling anything. We were just standing in the back."

Bryan Sanders said he was assaulted as he was being escorted out of the arena. The incident was caught on camera by KOLD News 13. Watch the video HERE. The man who was seen in the video has been identified as 32-year-old Tony Pettway.

Sgt. Kim Bay, spokeswoman for the Tucson Police Department, said Pettway was arrested on a charge of assault with injury.

"I was being escorted out of the building, I had that in my right hand a peace sign up," Sanders said. "A guy grabbed the sign out of my right hand and sucker punched me. Then he got on top of me and hit me several more times."

Even after Trump left the stage inside, the protests continued outside. People chanted and screamed as people exited the rally. Several altercations happened as well.

Some Trump supporters said they were scared to even walk outside after the rally.

"I was afraid to leave the building. I stopped an officer and I said, 'Is it going to be safe for us to leave?' I'm telling you, I came through that door and I was just stunned. That's a lot of hate," said Sherry Petermann, a rally attendee.