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Brawls broke out at the Democratic Farmer Labor party endorsing convention in Minneapolis Saturday. As many as 40 supporters of Council member Aisha Chughtai were on stage when Nasri Warsame supporters rushed it in a rage. One person was hospitalized but no arrests were made and no endorsements. The Warsame camp said that their campaign manager was assaulted and sent to the hospital.
The convention became a mess
Convention chair Sam Doten shut it down as it escalated. “This is embarrassing. We are shutting this down – this is no longer safe.” Warsame supporters yelled at and jeered Chughtai supporters.
Warsame continued, “The convention was shut down due to turmoil, and all the people were instructed to exit the building. No endorsement at this point, but more questions to ask regarding the process.”
This shouldn’t have happened
DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin extended an apology, “I would like to extend an apology to the delegates, volunteers, and campaign teams who attended today’s convention… This should never have happened.” Chughtai was disgusted. Warsame didn’t prevent supporters from rushing the stage.
Chughtai remarked,
“Eventually, our supporters locked themselves in our hospitality room, so they would be safe and away from a rapidly escalating and dangerous situation. The Warsame campaign followed us off the floor and was only held back by a group of brave volunteers who blocked a hallway while our supporters were able to escape from the locked hospitality room out a back door of the building to safety.”
Convention was condemned
By a number of people including Minneapolis DFL Chair Briana Rose. She condemned it on Twitter, noting “several DFL volunteers were assaulted. The behavior displayed today was despicable and unacceptable. I don’t know the next steps yet. But there will be repercussions.”
Wedge Live blogger John Edwards spoke to the Star Tribune. He didn’t know what set this off. “I don’t know what triggered it. People just kind of spontaneously came forward to the stage.”
