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Los Angeles – Anti-Donald Trump protesters blocked a major thoroughfare on Saturday in Arizona in an attempt to prevent supporters of the Republican presidential frontrunner reaching a rally he was due to hold. It was just the latest attempt by opponents of the bombastic billionaire to disrupt his campaign for the White House, with demonstrations and violence breaking out at several Trump events in the past week.

Police were threatening to make arrests to break up the estimated 50 protesters – who held a banner across the width of Shea Boulevard with the words “Dump Trump” — as long lines of traffic backed up in Fountain Hills, on the outskirts of Phoenix.

Controversial Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who openly endorsed and supports Trump, said he would do everything possible to ensure the rally would go ahead.

Deputy Joaquin Enriquez told CNN: “We’ve a group of anti-Trump protesters who’ve used their vehicles to block Shea Boulevard, which is a major artery into the town. Obviously the sheriff’s office is going to treat and wants this to be a peaceful protest,” he added.

“However, when they block a major artery, they’re causing safety hazards, emergency vehicles need to enter and exit this way, so this is causing a huge issue for us considering there’s backing up.”

Dozens of rabbis are planning to boycott a scheduled speech by Donald Trump to the nation’s largest pro-Israeli lobbying group to protest what they feel is divisive rhetoric by the Republican presidential front-runner.

The rabbis plan to hand out fliers requesting that hundreds of attendees at the annual gathering of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, in Washington either skip Trump’s speech today or stand up and silently walk out as he starts speaking.

“He embodies ‘Sinat chinam,’ senseless hatred,” said Rabbi David Paskin of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, one of the protest’s organisers. “We are against the ugliness that has engulfed this election season. And he has driven much of it, from his comments about Mexicans and Muslims to the violence at his rallies.”

Trump, who holds a significant delegate lead in the quest for the Republican presidential nomination, has left some Jewish leaders uneasy with what they feel is a lack of understanding about the Middle East, his pledge to stay neutral during peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians and his inflammatory speech that evokes totalitarian regimes.

One of the former leaders of the liberal Reform movement, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, believes the walkout will signify that “American Jews are beginning to wake up. And they’re getting ready to take on Donald Trump.”

A Trump spokesperson did not reply to a request for comment. – AFP