Maxine Waters Calls Trump ‘Cruel, Dishonorable Human’ for Deploying National Guard to L.A. Protests
California Democrat Rep. Maxine Waters on Sunday reacted to the National Guard troops in Los Angeles by calling President Donald Trump a “cruel, dishonorable human being” to CNN while outside the ICE detention center where protests have exploded over the weekend.
Waters spoke to CNN’s Kyung Lah outside the Metropolitan Detention Center on Sunday after attempting to visit SEIU chief David Huerta, who was arrested at the violent protests over the weekend.
Lah reported on the National Guard troops deployed to downtown L.A., describing their equipment and weapons, and then played the clip of her conversation with Waters.
“I don’t know why we have guns!” Waters said. “What are those guns for? Are they to shoot protesters?”
After questioning the intent of those serving in the National Guard, Waters went on to slam Trump as dishonorable for sending them in to quell the unrest that had not been brought under control by Democratic mayor or Governor.
“I mean, there’s no reason to be here with the National Guard,” she said. “The President of the United States is a cruel dishonorable human being who would just as soon they shoot somebody down. But I don t want that to happen.”
Lah continued her report after the clip, noting that tensions were high and could lead to conflict.
Not long after the segment aired, clashes did break out between protesters and police in frightening scenes from the streets of Los Angeles.
LAH: And then I want you to take a look at what these Guardsmen are carrying. You can see these large sticks. We saw them about 15 minutes ago, pull them out and take a more aggressive posture, as if to be prepared to push back the crowd. But then the weapon that they’re holding are standard issue M4 weapons. They’re military M4 rifles. And take a closer look at that magazine. Those are magazines suggesting that they are indeed loaded with ammunition. And I want you to take a larger look at this crowd that we have. This isn’t a sizable crowd, it’s a growing crowd, but this is what they are seeing here in downtown Los Angeles, an incredible militarized force. It actually brought congresswoman Maxine Waters, this image brought her down here to the Metropolitan Detention Center. She tried to get inside to talk to the president of SEIU, he was detained. She could not get in. The door indeed was slammed in her face. And then here’s what she said about the militarization she’s saying here in downtown Los Angeles.
WATERS: Will end up being used. I don’t know why we have guns. What are those guns for? Are they to shoot protesters? I mean, there’s no reason to be here with the National Guard. The President of the United States is a cruel dishonorable human being who would just as soon they shoot somebody down. But I don t want that to happen. I do not want th– I want the elected officials to do everything that we can to dissuade them.
LAH: Here’s the concern. It’s the cauldron that has been created today by the deployment of the National Guard, by how people are feeling about these ICE arrests that occurred on Friday, what that clash could mean today here on the streets of Los Angeles.
Watch the clip above via CNN.
