Former President Donald Trump released a video statement Friday prompted by the riots in Atlanta, calling out the perpetrators and declaring what his actions would be as president under the same circumstances.
Protests against the construction of a new police training facility on January 18 turned violent days later when a man allegedly shot a state trooper during a law enforcement operation at the site. When police shot back, the man died, The Georgia Star News reported.
Seven out-of-state people were arrested and charged with domestic terrorism and criminal trespass, and a handgun, pellet guns, edged weapons, fireworks, gas masks, and a blow torch were recovered.
Concerns over the release of body cam and other video footage of the Memphis police altercation with Tyre Nichols that allegedly resulted in his death three days later prompted Georgia Governor Brian Kemp to declare on Thursday a state of emergency through February 9.
Trump condemened the violent acts and those who committed them.
“The violent and vicious riots in Atlanta carried out by the anti-police, radical left anarchists are an abomination. It has to stop,” Trump said.
“These anarchists smashed windows, set fire to a police cruiser, destroyed businesses, laid waste to downtown Atlanta and were even found carrying explosives. They wanted to kill people. They didn’t quite have the opportunity. But they would have, and they wouldn’t have lost any sleep over it,” the former president added.
Likewise, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum called out the violence in a press conference the day after the riot.
“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist or an attorney to tell you that breaking windows and setting fires is not protest. That is terrorism,” he said.
Trump said that rioters who attack police officers and destroy lives should be punished to the full extent of the law.
“Unfortunately, nothing will happen to most of these rioters, because of the Marxist prosecutors who have seized control of the justice system in Atlanta, just they like they are in New York, just like they have in other places,” he said.
Trump added, “As always, hard-working, law-abiding citizens of all backgrounds pay the price for this George Soros-sponsored, radical left extremism.”
Trump offered a contrast with the actions he would take as president, the only declared candidate so far for the 2024 election.
“And when I’m president again, if Marxist prosecutors betray their oaths and refuse to protect our citizens, I will not hesitate to send in federal law enforcement to restore peace and public safety,” he said.
“We will restore law and order in America. We’ve never seen anything like what is happening right now. Crime is up by 50, 60, 70 and even 100 percent in these radical left Democrat-run cities. We can’t let it happen. Our country is going to hell. We’re going to make America great again,” Trump concluded.
– – –
Laura Baigert is a senior reporter with The Star News Network, where she covers stories for The Tennessee Star and The Georgia Star News.
Photo “Donald Trump” by Donald Trump.
