A Muslim woman was removed from a Donald Trump rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Thursday for handing out pens inscribed with "Salam, I come in peace". Rose Hamid said a security staff member evicted her from the event for causing a disturbance. "[The guard] claimed I had been at several other events and caused disturbances, which is a lie, so that tells me they have a prejudice against Muslims," she said, according to The Independent.

The 56-year-old had also been removed from a rally of the Republican presidential candidate in January, when she had been holding a silent protest against Trump's policy on Syrian refugees. The police claimed they had been directed to remove anyone from the event who made "any kind of disturbance".

News of Hamid's removal from the rally came hours after Trump expressed regret for sometimes saying "the wrong thing". The businessman, whose campaign has consistently defended his controversial remarks on a host of issues, said he regretted having made a few statements, "particularly where it may have caused personal pain". The presidential hopeful had drawn severe criticism for calling for a ban on Muslims from entering the United States.