AOC calls Donald Trump's Madison Square Garden event 'mini-January 6 rallies' outraging MAGA supporters

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ignited backlash from MAGA supporters after she labeled Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally as a “mini January 6” event on Monday, October 28.

The New York City rally, held on Sunday, October 27, drew a crowd of 20,000 supporters, marking Donald Trump’s campaign return to his hometown.

AOC labels Donald Trump's Madison Square Garden event 'hate rally'

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, representing parts of Queens and the Bronx, expressed outrage over the Madison Square Garden rally.

Calling it a “hate rally,” she claimed it incited violence and hostility, particularly toward Latinos, African Americans, and Puerto Ricans.

Speaking on MSNBC’s 'Morning Joe', the congresswoman said, “These are mini January 6 rallies, these are mini stop-the-steal rallies,” referring to the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.

Controversial jokes at MSG rally spark accusations of racism

A large part of the controversy stemmed from the opening act by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who made remarks that some viewed as offensive toward Puerto Ricans and other minority groups.

Hinchcliffe joked about Puerto Rico as an “island of garbage,” sparking criticism from media outlets and politicians alike.

Ocasio-Cortez, of Puerto Rican descent, was vocal in condemning the comments, calling them part of a wider issue of “unhinged” rhetoric at the rally.

“This was not just a campaign rally. This was a hate rally," she said.

The Democrat continued to criticize the event, asserting that the rhetoric on display was “priming” the audience for the same kind of sentiment that led to the January 6 Capitol attack.

Donald Trump's campaign distances itself from comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s remarks

In response to the backlash, Donald Trump's campaign senior advisor Danielle Alvarez issued a statement distancing the campaign from Tony Hinchcliffe’s jokes, stating, “This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.”

However, Ocasio-Cortez dismissed the campaign’s attempts to downplay the remarks.

She argued that the choice of the comedian was deliberate, saying, “They knew exactly who was going to say what before they went on... This is the Trump campaign... they invited this rhetoric on their stage for a reason.”

Comedian Hinchcliffe has a substantial following and a popular weekly live show on YouTube.

The rally’s diverse audience included white, Latino, Asian, Jewish, gay, and straight attendees, with some supporters arguing that the event was more inclusive than portrayed by critics, according to Daily Mail.

MAGA supporters push back against AOC’s remarks

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s condemnation sparked fury from Donald Trump’s supporters.

Conservative commentator Collin Ruggs took to X (formerly Twitter), where he wrote, "This reminds me of the fake moral outrage you had at the southern border."

Political influencer Joey Mannarino also fired back, posting, “AOC just called the MSG rally a ‘mini January 6th.’

The only thing it had in common with January 6th is that AOC wasn’t in the building for either,” he wrote, while conservative commentator Cash Loren wrote, "I'll never understand why NY thought it was a good idea to re-elect AOC."

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