Trump Condemned For ‘Threatening Violence’ Against Protesters Ahead of Tulsa Rally
Alex Wong/Getty Images
President Donald Trump was condemned on Friday after he warned “protesters” that they wouldn’t be treated well if they decided to turn up to his rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
“Any protesters, anarchists, agitators, looters or lowlifes who are going to Oklahoma please understand, you will not be treated like you have been in New York, Seattle, or Minneapolis,” Trump warned on Twitter, referring to the nationwide protests and riots over the killing of George Floyd in police custody. “It will be a much different scene!”
Any protesters, anarchists, agitators, looters or lowlifes who are going to Oklahoma please understand, you will not be treated like you have been in New York, Seattle, or Minneapolis. It will be a much different scene!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 19, 2020
Trump is set to hold a campaign rally in Tulsa on Saturday evening.
Commentators criticized the president for conflating “protesters” with “anarchists, agitators, looters, and lowlifes,” and accused him of threatening violence against peaceful demonstrators.
“Protesters have a Constitutionally-guaranteed right to peaceably assemble,” responded CNN host Jake Tapper, while New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg commented, “President celebrates Juneteenth by threatening violence against protesters.”
Protesters have a Constitutionally-guaranteed right to peaceably assemble. https://t.co/H82HTXkxxE
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) June 19, 2020
President celebrates Juneteenth by threatening violence against protesters https://t.co/WFdSO0lmty
— Michelle Goldberg (@michelleinbklyn) June 19, 2020
“This sounds like the line the county sheriff character would deliver in a Hollywood movie about the freedom rides,” wrote CNN commentator David Swerdlick.
This sounds like the line the county sheriff character would deliver in a Hollywood movie about the freedom rides. https://t.co/MYdiHDUk0j
— David Swerdlick (@Swerdlick) June 19, 2020
This man is unfit.
Threatening protesters.
I hope the Governor of Oklahoma has some sense. But I doubt it. #JUNETEENTH2020 https://t.co/wdWTUzJBMn— Sophia A. Nelson (@IAmSophiaNelson) June 19, 2020
Already missing the police riots https://t.co/ginGJ60q6a
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) June 19, 2020
The president threatens political protestors. https://t.co/LWLkCS1JZI
— David Jolly (@DavidJollyFL) June 19, 2020
“I am your president of law and order, and an ally of all peaceful protesters.” https://t.co/6ZJcMYztyi
— michaelscherer (@michaelscherer) June 19, 2020
The president is casually threatening violence against peaceful protesters now I guess? https://t.co/wnimArvIk5
— Chris Sommerfeldt (@C_Sommerfeldt) June 19, 2020
Nice freedom of speech you have there. Would hate to see something happen to it. https://t.co/lVSnyR5r1R
— Robert Maguire (@RobertMaguire_) June 19, 2020
Telling that he lumps “protesters” — whose right to protest is protected by the First Amendment — with “anarchists, agitators, looters.”
Is he threatening tear gas and beatings, like the peaceful Lafayette Square protesters got? https://t.co/kPreORJCw1
— S.V. Dáte (@svdate) June 19, 2020
The Helpful Healer has logged on. https://t.co/oYPSPUTNzu
— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) June 19, 2020
Notice how the president of the United States on Juneteenth equates protesters with looters and lowlifes. This is his view. https://t.co/IIcHMjiwM8
— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) June 19, 2020
“PROTESTERS.”
The President of the United States is threatening VIOLENCE against people exercising their FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH. https://t.co/wt7eHfteU9
— Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) June 19, 2020
The president is threatening violence against people who protest him pic.twitter.com/1ThtHYfS8E
— Adam Serwer? (@AdamSerwer) June 19, 2020
An odd apparent conflation here of protesters with anarchists, agitators, looters, and lowlifes. Trump & the admin have generally sought to draw careful distinctions between peaceful protesters and rioters etc. https://t.co/fTFji2UJV0
— JERRY DUNLEAVY (@JerryDunleavy) June 19, 2020
a threat to black lives matter protesters at the site of the tulsa massacre made on juneteenth https://t.co/qGoyDdTTnV
— David Mack (@davidmackau) June 19, 2020
