Trump sparks yet another firestorm
THERE’S ‘BLAME ON BOTH SIDES’
US President Donald Trump sparked another political outcry on Tuesday when he doubled down on his initial response to the violent white supremacist rally in Charlottesville that ended in bloodshed, saying there was “blame on both sides”.
The Republican president – who one day ago solemnly denounced racism and singled out the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and neo-Nazis as “criminals and thugs” – also hit out at what he called the “alt-left” over the weekend melee.
Trump has faced days of criticism from across the political spectrum over his reaction to Saturday’s unrest in the Virginia college town, where a rally by neo-Nazis and white supremacists over the removal of a Confederate statue erupted in clashes with counter-demonstrators.
The violent fracas ended in bloodshed when a 20-year-old suspected Nazi sympathiser, James Fields, plowed his car into a crowd of anti-racism protesters, leaving one woman dead and 19 others injured.
Trump made clear on Tuesday that he was fed up with questioning about the issue.
“I think there is blame on both sides,” Trump said.
As he spoke, his new White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, a former Marine general, appeared displeased during the president’s long tirade, standing rigidly.
“You had a group on one side that was bad, and you had a group on the other side that was also very violent. And nobody wants to say that, but I’ll say it right now,” Trump continued.
“What about the alt-left that came charging ... at the, as you say, the alt-right? Do they have any semblance of guilt? There are two sides to a story.
“What about the fact they came charging with clubs in their hands, swinging clubs? Do they have any problem? I think they do,” Trump said.
Trump’s comments were welcomed by David Duke, a former “grand wizard” of the KKK and a key figure at Saturday’s rally.
“Thank you President Trump for your honesty & courage to tell the truth about #Charlottesville & condemn the leftist terrorists,” Duke tweeted.
But on the political left, the president’s words were met with indignation. – AFP
What about the alt-left that came charging?