Trump appears to make obscene gesture as protester thrown out of rally

‘This vulgar man,’ tweets MSNBC host Joy Reid after clip of strange, below-waist motion goes viral

Donald Trump appeared to make an obscene gesture towards protesters who interrupted his rally.

The president’s speech in the Ohio city of Cincinnati was interrupted twice by activists demonstrating against his anti-immigration policies, with one interruption lasting around four minutes.

:: Follow latest updates on Donald Trump

As one protester was getting kicked out of the event, Mr Trump appeared to make the “You’re fired” finger point he made famous on The Apprentice, before making a strange motion just below his waist.

Some viewers discussing it on social media interpreted the gesture as “rude” and “unprofessional”, while others argued Mr Trump was only motioning for the protesters to “get out” with his thumb.

The rally was president's first since people at a rally in North Carolina chanted “send her back” in reference to congresswoman Ilhan Omar, in an incident denounced by Democrats and some unnerved Republicans.

“The Democrat party is now being led by four left-wing extremists who reject everything that we hold dear,” Mr Trump said of the congresswoman and her fellow House Democrats Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley at Thursday's event.

The reference did not lead to further chants by the crowd in Cincinnati, but his supporters did shout “lock her up” after the president brought up Hillary Clinton.

Speaking to reporters before leaving for Cincinnati, Mr Trump said he didn't know whether his would revive the “send her back” chant, adding that, regardless, he “loves” his political supporters.

“I don’t know that you can stop people,” the president said. “If they do the chant, we’ll have to see what happens.”