Trump questioned over 2015 protester crackdown

NEW YORK—Former U.S. president Donald Trump was questioned Monday in a deposition for a lawsuit brought by protesters who say his security team roughed them up in the early days of his presidential campaign in 2015.

Trump testified under oath behind closed doors at Trump Tower in New York City for several hours, a lawyer for the plaintiffs said.

Video of the deposition will be played for a jury if the case goes to trial.

The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Benjamin Dictor, said Trump was questioned on a variety of topics, including comments he’s made at campaign rallies in which he appeared to encourage security personnel to treat protesters harshly.

The lawsuit, brought by five New Yorkers of Mexican origin, alleges that Trump’s bodyguards violently attacked them outside his eponymous Manhattan skyscraper on Sept. 3, 2015 as they protested negative comments Trump made about Mexico and Mexican immigrants.

Trump, in a statement following the deposition, said the protesters were to blame for the scuffle and called their claim baseless, involving “injuries they never suffered, and the temporary loss of a worthless cardboard sign which was soon thereafter returned to them.”

“After years of litigation, I was pleased to have had the opportunity to tell my side of this ridiculous story,” Trump said.