From The Mercury News

SAN JOSE — A day after a melee erupted outside a Donald Trump rally, the San Jose police chief and mayor on Friday defended themselves from a national backlash over their handling of the dramatic and at times violent protest.

On radio talk shows and across social media, some called for Mayor Sam Liccardo’s resignation because of his comments suggesting that Trump was to blame for igniting violence, while police were criticized for failing to protect Trump supporters from angry protesters throwing punches, water bottles and traffic cones. Some videos showed those attacks and suggested they were unprovoked, but others showed Trump supporters taunting protesters, ripping their Dump Trump signs and throwing the first punches.

Protestors surround a Trump supporter on S. Almaden Blvd. outside San Jose Convention Center as Presidential candidate Donald Trump holds a rally in San

Protestors surround a Trump supporter on S. Almaden Blvd. outside San Jose Convention Center as Presidential candidate Donald Trump holds a rally in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, June 2, 2016. (Patrick Tehan/Bay Area News Group) ( Patrick Tehan )

While it appeared to many onlookers that police allowed the violence to proceed unchecked, San Jose police Chief Eddie Garcia insisted that it was more important for police to hold their “skirmish line” formations than to stop individual attacks. Four arrests were made.

“We are not an ‘occupying force’ and cannot reflect the chaotic tactics of the protesters,” Garcia told reporters. Unless a victim’s life was in peril or the violence was “spiraling out of control,” he said, officers held back to avoid inciting more violence and having the crowd turn on officers. He also said the 250 police weren’t enough to control the roughly 400 protesters.

Liccardo praised the police restraint.

“I can say if there was a single excessive baton blow on anyone in that crowd,” Liccardo said Friday, “that would have made national news.”

San Jose — where Latinos make up a third of the population — became the focus of international attention anyway. Videos exploded on news stations and social media Thursday evening showing marauding protesters turning on Trump supporters.

Demonstrators ripped a “Build the Wall” T-shirt — a reference to Trump’s promise to build a wall along the border with Mexico — off the back of one man.

It was the largest violent political protest seen in San Jose in decades.

The violence was universally decried by pundits and politicians, including Trump’s presidential opponent Hillary Clinton, who said, “It’s deplorable no matter who’s doing it.” At a rally Friday in Berkeley, candidate Bernie Sanders called the violence “absolutely and totally unacceptable,” saying people considering violence “are not the supporters that I want.”

On Twitter, Trump offered a brief note about his stop: “Rally last night in San Jose was great. Tremendous love and enthusiasm in the hall. Big crowd. Outside, small group of thugs burned Am flag!”

Protestors jump on a passing car outside San Jose Convention Center as Presidential candidate Donald Trump holds a rally in San Jose, Calif., Thursday,

Protestors jump on a passing car outside San Jose Convention Center as Presidential candidate Donald Trump holds a rally in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, June 2, 2016. (Patrick Tehan/Bay Area News Group) ( Patrick Tehan )

By midday Friday, Liccardo — a Clinton supporter — was trending on Facebook after he said late Thursday that “at some point Donald Trump needs to take responsibility for his irresponsible behavior.” His comments ranked as the fourth most-talked about topic around the globe.

Even some of Liccardo’s political allies took him to task, including former San Jose City Councilman Pete Constant, a Republican who often worked closely with Liccardo.

“San Jose Mayor blames residents going to a presidential campaign event for being attacked by those who oppose the candidate — another case of blaming the victim?” Constant posted on Facebook. “No matter what your political persuasion, you should not be subject to violence for your beliefs — EVER!”

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