Veteran apologizes for pushing black woman at ‘Trump’ rally: “I am not a racist”

Mar 10, 2016

The veteran who was caught on video as part of the crowd of people pushing a young black woman at a Donald Trump rally has come out to ask for forgiveness and explain himself.

Al Bamberger, who was seen in the video of the incident wearing a Korean War Veteran Association (KWVA) shirt as he and others shoved University of Louisville student Shiya Nwanguma, said that he had been shoved around by protesters and lost his jacket. He says he found himself in a position where he was “caught between a group of white supremacists and Black Lives Matter protesters” and his emotions got the best of him.

Bamberger said Trump directed the crowd to “get them out.”

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“I am not associated with any type of racist organizations and did not push the young lady because she was black. I went to the rally to have a good time, support the veterans, and see Donald Trump,” Bamberger wrote in a letter to the president of his veteran’s association.”

In Bamberger’s letter he doesn’t directly apologize to the protestor he shoved.

“Unlike the people that surrounded me at the event, whose main purpose was to cause chaos and create videos, I went there with no intention of participating in a confrontation and I deeply regret my involvement. I have embarrassed myself, my family, and Veterans. This was a very unfortunate incident and it is my sincere hope that I can be forgiven for my actions.”

Bamberger is a resident of Bright, Indiana. He has reported receiving no personal harassment for his actions in the video and has yet to be charged with any crime.

The Louisville Metropolitan Police Department says complaints from the March 1 rally are still under investigation.