House Speaker Paul Ryan on Monday said the violence at rallies is becoming "very concerning" and that candidates need to take "responsibility for the environment" at their political events.
Although Ryan didn't mention Donald Trump by name, according to POLITICO, the comments were the strongest the Wisconsin Republican has made about the presidential election so far.
In a transcript of the interview with WRJN, a Wisconsin radio station, Ryan said candidates "have an obligation to do everything they can to prevent" violence at their rallies and "to tamp down on any temptation to get this out of control."
He also warned the public that they should not condone the protesters on the left who are stirring unrest.
"We have a long history of peaceful protest, but creating this kind of drama isn’t good for anybody, and it’s unacceptable. At the same time, I think the candidates need to take responsibility for the environment at their events. There is never an excuse for condoning violence, or even a culture that presupposes it," Ryan said
The speaker’s comments come just days after Trump was forced to cancel a Chicago rally due to clashes between supporters and protesters. At an event on Saturday in Ohio, meanwhile, security had to step in when a protester member overcame a security barrier and tried to get to Trump.
Ryan has yet to endorse a candidate yet and has been hesitant overall to weigh in on the presidential race.
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