In an aggressive attack on Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton directly blamed the Republican presidential candidate for “inciting [violence] and congratulating people who were engaging it.”

Following the eruption of violence that took place at Trump’s Thursday evening rally in San Jose, California, Clinton condemned the anti-Trump protesters’ actions, and, in doing so, revealed a far more harsh stance on the rally protests that targets dealings within the Trump campaign.

Close

“[Trump] set a very bad example. He created an environment in which it seemed to be acceptable for someone running for president to be inciting violence, to be encouraging his supporters. Now we’re seeing people who were against him responding in kind. It should all stop. It is not acceptable,” Clinton said in an interview on CNN Friday.

Meanwhile, as Clinton pinned much of the escalating the violence on Trump himself, the president, as well as Bernie Sanders, managed to take a larger view, criticizing protesters at the rallies and emphasizing the need for a return to civil political discourse.

“There’s no room for violence. There’s no place for shouting. There’s no room for a politics that fails to at least listen to the other side – even if you vehemently disagree.”

“It is very important for us to remind ourselves of who we are and what is best about American democracy and not slip into some of the bad habits that currently manifest themselves in the other party,” said Obama. “There’s no room for violence. There’s no place for shouting. There’s no room for a politics that fails to at least listen to the other side – even if you vehemently disagree. Because I believe if you’ve got the better argument, then you don’t need to do that. Just go out there and organize and persuade.”

Clinton’s vitriol against Trump, furthermore, runs counter to rumors that the liberal George Soros-funded MoveOn.org advocacy group and political action committee claimed responsibility for the Chicago rally protests, as well as other events. According to a March report from the Washington Times, liberal organizations like MoveOn.org have mobilized to place paid protesters at Trump events, and Clinton did not acknowledge that in her blame-game condemnation.

As for Sanders, Clinton’s claim that Trump and the GOP “created an environment” for “inciting violence” conflicts, as well, with how her fellow Democratic presidential candidate handled rally protests throughout his campaign with his own supporters – particularly during Trump’s Chicago rally back in March, which was abruptly cancelled when frenzied Sanders supporters initiated a clash with Trump’s.

[lz_related_box id=”149994″]

Still, Sanders seemed to understand the need to place blame properly as he resisted the urge to slap Trump with accusations of “inciting violence,” and instead chose to echo Obama’s sentiments, saying that he did not want to be associated with any violent anti-Trump protesters in any way.

“I can understand the anger, I surely can, because I feel it,” Sanders said following the San Jose rally. “Violence is absolutely and totally unacceptable. Anyone even thinking about violence, please do not tell anybody you are a Bernie Sanders supporter, because those are not the supporters that I want,” Sanders said, adding, “We will defeat Trump, but the way to defeat Trump is not by violence.”