Police Use Taser to Subdue Man Who Stormed Media Area of Trump Rally in Pennsylvania

Johnstown (US):At Former President and Republican Nominee Donald Trump's rally in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, an unidentified man breached the press area as the former president spoke on Friday.  

Later the man was surrounded by police and sheriff's deputies and was eventually subdued with a Taser and removed from the premise of the rally.

The intruder managed to scale a bicycle rack surrounding the media zone and began climbing a riser where TV reporters and cameras were set up, as shown in a video posted by a CBS News reporter.

Onlookers tried to restrain him before police and sheriff's deputies arrived, subdued him with a Taser, and escorted him out of the rally.

The disruption occurred shortly after Trump criticized major media outlets for what he deemed unfavorable coverage and derided CNN for its interview with his Democratic opponents, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, earlier that week.

The crowd cheered as a pack of police led the man away, prompting Trump to declare, “Is there anywhere that's more fun to be than a Trump rally?” Moments later police handcuffed another man in the crowd and led him out of the arena, though it wasn't clear if that detention was related to the initial altercation.

The incident happened amid heightened scrutiny of security at Trump rallies after a gunman fired at him, grazing his ear, during an outdoor rally in nearby Butler, Pennsylvania. Security at political events has been noticeably tighter since the shooting.

It was not clear what motivated the man or whether he was a Trump supporter or critic. Fierce criticism of the media is a standard part of Trump's rally speeches, prompting his supporters to turn toward the press section and boo, often while using a middle finger to demonstrate their distaste for journalists. 

with inputs from AP