Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump was forced to climb over a fence and climb a grassy berm to give a political speech ​and avoid a turbulent swarm of demonstrators in California. The business mogul likened his experience to illegally crossing the border.

AP/CQPHO/Al Drago - apimages.com

"Oh boy, it felt like I was crossing the border actually," he said by way of opening his speech at the California Republican Convention in Burlingame on Friday. "It's true, I was crossing the border, but I got here."

Protesters showed up in force ahead of Trump's speech at the state's GOP Convention — skirting law enforcement by hopping over bushes, and knocking over police barricades.

Images from the scene capture the intensity and divisiveness that has characterized Trump's candidacy.

Inside the GOP convention hall, protesters strapped themselves to beams behind a large glass facade, unfurling a large banner that read "Stop Hate" from the rafters.

At least a few physical altercations took place, according to the Los Angeles Times. The Republican front-runner himself, flanked by a large security detail, was even forced to take a creative route inside in order to avoid the massive crowd gathered to meet him.

The tense demonstrations follow violent anti-Trump protests on Thursday night in Southern California, where car windows were smashed, protesters had bloody clashes with Trump supporters, and as many as 20 people were arrested.

As Trump's front-runner status solidifies with a string of wins in recent primary states, the movement against him — both among voters, and politicians — has increased at pace. In an effort to block his chances of securing his party's nomination, his fellow contenders, Ted Cruz and John Kasich, agreed to not compete for wins in certain states — a move observers called unprecedented.