Sen. Durbin Comments on LA Protests
Senator Dick Durbin stated on Wednesday that he does not recall any of his fellow Democrats referring to the ongoing protests against ICE in Los Angeles as “peaceful.”
A reporter questioned Durbin outside the Capitol, asking, “What does it mean when Democrats call the riots in Los Angeles peaceful?” Durbin responded, “I’ve never heard anyone say that.” The reporter followed up by asking whether he condemned the protests in LA.
Durbin quickly retorted, “I condemn violence, whether it’s at the Capitol or in Los Angeles.”
Officials in California claim that “chaos” is being denied for political gain, according to sheriffs.
Despite Durbin’s assertion, others may feel differently. Senator Cory Booker, for instance, mentioned on “Meet the Press” that many of the protests have been peaceful, criticizing the president for contributing to the chaos.
The previous day, President Donald Trump had mobilized thousands of National Guard troops to Los Angeles to address the unrest, which included looting and property damage.
“Most of those protesting are peaceful,” noted Senator Alex Padilla, emphasizing their passion on MSNBC.
Rep. Nanette Barragan, a Democrat, also weighed in during CNN’s “State of the Union,” stating, “We have an administration targeting peaceful protests.”
Critics from the right reacted sharply after former Vice President Kamala Harris described the protests as “overwhelmingly peaceful.” Fox News contributor Guy Benson commented on social media, suggesting that the Democratic Party’s stance is misguided.
Incidents of violence and arrests have escalated during the protests in Los Angeles.
In another development, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton faced backlash online for referring to the situation in LA as “peaceful,” while commenting on the National Guard’s deployment without Governor Newsom’s request.
Initially, the protests seemed peaceful, but tensions rose over the weekend as violence and property destruction erupted. Several police officers suffered injuries, and numerous individuals were arrested amid the chaos.
Looting became a significant concern, prompting Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to impose a citywide curfew on Tuesday evening.
In a rare show of dissent within the party, Senator John Fetterman criticized Democrats for not adequately condemning the violence. He described the situation as “disorderly and chaotic” and asserted that the party loses moral standing by not denouncing such actions.
“I stand for free speech, peaceful demonstrations, and immigration,” Fetterman said, “but this isn’t it.”
