Trump visits Kenosha, slams ‘anti-police’ rhetoric
US president surveys damage by protests in Kenosha, denies systemic racism in policing; Pelosi found flouting Covid curbs
Touring violence-hit city of Kenosha in Wisconsin on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump branded the recent anti-racism protests as “domestic terror”. “These are not acts of peaceful protest but really domestic terror,” he said after surveying the damage caused by multiple nights of angry demonstrations last week that left two people dead. “We cherish our law enforcement,” Trump said, offering his administration’s full backing to police officers and federal agents, who are facing flak for using excessive force.
WASHINGTON/ KENOSHA: Touring the violence-hit city of Kenosha in Wisconsin, US President Donald Trump has branded recent anti-racism protests as “domestic terror”.
“These are not acts of peaceful protest, but really domestic terror,” he said on Tuesday after surveying the damage caused by multiple nights of angry demonstrations last week that left two people dead.
Trump also said he doesn’t believe there is systemic racism in policing. “I don’t believe that,” he answered for a pair of Black pastors when they were asked whether they think police violence is a systemic issue.
Crowds lined the barricaded Kenosha streets where the US president’s motorcade passed, with Trump supporters on one side and Black Lives Matter protesters on the other, yelling at one another from a distance and, in some cases, tense face-to-face encounters. Under heavy security that blocked off the road, Trump visited a burnt-out store where he told the owners “we’ll help you rebuild”.
“These gentlemen did a fantastic job,” he said of law enforcement units that quelled the violent protests. “This is a great area, a great state,” he said, adding later that his administration was committing at least $47 million to Wisconsin’s law enforcement, small businesses and public safety programmes. “We’ll get Kenosha back in shape,” he said.
Trump had suggested earlier that he would meet the family of Jacob Blake, the Black man who was shot in the back several times by a white police officer, sparking off the protests. That meeting did not happen.
Trump was accompanied by top federal law enforcement officials such as attorney general William Barr and homeland security chief Chad Wolf, along with police officers, but not by Wisconsin governor and Kenosha mayor, both Democrats who had asked him not to visit.
“We cherish our law enforcement,” Trump said, offering his administration’s full backing to police officers and federal agents, who are facing criticism for using excessive force.
‘Bad apples’
He acknowledged there were some “bad apples” among them, who he said have erred under pressure.
Trump has shaped his re-election plank around law-and-order, and has tried to tie the violence to Democrats and their presidential candidate Joe Biden.
Biden has launched a counter attack, describing Trump as a “toxic presence” stoking the violence. Biden also sought to distance himself from the violence by condemning it. His campaign has planned a major ad blitz to further amplify that message.
Melania, Pelosi face flak As campaigning for the November 3 election gathered pace, there were sharp allegations targeting both sides. A former aide and estranged friend of Melania Trump said the US first lady used private email accounts and messaging services for official communication. Stephanie Winston Wolkoff told The Washington Post she had corresponded multiple times a day with the first lady via private channels. “Melania and I both didn’t use White House emails,” she said.
While the use of private email accounts is allowed under presidential records laws, The Republicans had attacked Hillary Clinton in 2016 for using a private email account during her past tenure as US secretary of state.