Protests against the policies of US President Donald Trump have been rocking the country

A man in a MAGA hat pulled out a gun during an altercation with a group protesting the policies of the administration of US President Donald Trump on Saturday.

The protests, dubbed 'Hands Off!', oppose the social and economic policies of Trump and his advisor Elon Musk. They have taken place in more than 1,400 locations around the US.

The incident took place during one such protest near the courthouse in the town of Lafayette, Indiana, according to a statement from the local police on Saturday.

The "situation escalated" when the driver of a vehicle obstructed by the demonstrators got out of his car, "and was subsequently pushed and battered by the individuals in the crowd," the statement said.

"The driver then retrieved a firearm from his vehicle in what he described as an act of self-defense. He did not discharge the weapon and promptly returned it to his truck. Shortly after, a male protester approached the driver and headbutted him, causing injury," the press release said.

Videos circulating on social media show a man in a white MAGA hat arguing with protesters, raising both hands, which were empty. During the altercation, a protester in a red and black hoodie is seen headbutting him in the face, after which the man in the MAGA hat retrieves what appears to be an assault rifle from his car.

In footage taken from a different angle, the man can be seen wiping blood off his nose while holding the gun at his hip. He repeatedly yells "911!" at a woman in the car, who is speaking into her phone.

The driver was detained but released when found to have committed no crime, the police statement said. The protester who headbutted him is being sought, it added.

The 'Hands Off!' protesters claim that Trump has carried out an "unprecedented power grab" since taking office in January. They describe his culling of US aid programs and other policies as tipping the country into a full-on crisis.

The US president "will always protect" social security programs such as Medicaid "for eligible beneficiaries," the White House said in a statement about the protests on Saturday. "Meanwhile, the Democrats' stance is giving Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare benefits to illegal aliens, which will bankrupt these programs and crush American seniors," the statement said.

(RT.com)