Gingrich: ‘The country will become enraged’ if violent protests continue

Former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) on Sunday criticized the violent protests that have been taking place at presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump’s rallies.

“The country will become enraged,” if the violent anti-Trump protests continue into the convention and into the fall,” Gingrich said on “Fox News Sunday.”

{mosads}”Donald Trump is serious about change in Washington.”

Protests against Trump erupted last week while the held a rally in San Jose, Calif. An American flag was set on fire, while other people waved Mexican flags. Fights also broke out between Trump supporters and protesters, and some protesters were seen lighting one of Trump’s “Make America Great Again” hats on fire.

Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton’s campaign condemned the violence, saying “violence against supporters of any candidate has no place in this election.”

In the interview Sunday, Gingrich continued to defend the presumptive GOP nominee when asked if Trump was too divisive.

“When people see the American flag being burned, they don’t side with the people burning the American flag,” he said. 

“This is 1968 all over again. This is the hard left saying if you don’t do what we want, we’re going to be physically violent.”

Gingrich said he doesn’t think that’s sustainable and slammed what he called the “hard left.”

“I think the American people will be repulsed by the idea that the hard left gets to dictate to the rest of us.”