CNN contributor Symone Sanders dismissed the protesters that have accosted Republican lawmakers, during CNN Tonight with Don Lemon on Thursday, arguing that it is simply their right to protest.
Sanders was on a panel with Ryan Lizza, a CNN political analyst and chief political correspondent for Esquire, and Alice Stewart, a Republican strategist.
WATCH:
They were discussing rhetoric both political sides were using to frame protesters when Stewart brought up the wife of a North Carolina congressional candidate who was yelled at because her husband is pro-life.
“What we have seen on the left over the last couple months has been organized like — has been organized disobedience, has been organized protests has been what it is folks’ right to do frankly in this country,” she added. (RELATED: CNN Debates What Constitutes A ‘Mob’: ‘Are You The Moderator … Or Are You Arguing A Liberal Talking Point?’)
“I think a lot of lawmakers, particularly folks who serve in Congress, are uneasy about being confronted about their positions, particularly Republicans, because they have not gone home to face their constituents. Many Republican lawmakers have stopped having town halls,” Sanders stated. “And so folks that feel some type of way about what their elected officials are doing have to come to Washington, D.C., have to find them.”
Lemon then pushed back saying that people should not be yelling at someone’s wife, and Sanders agreed.
“These are one-off instances, everyone,” she continued. “The one off instances of yelling at the wives and what not- those are one-off instances. What is happening in this country is folks are concerned and they are raising their voices. And that’s something they’re allowed to do frankly.” (RELATED: Eight Violent Attacks On Republicans Just This Year)
Sanders’ dismissal comes on the heels of numerous protesters getting violent with GOP members. Just this week, two Minnesota state GOP candidates were aggressively confronted or attacked in separate events. State Rep. Shane Mekeland got a concussion from a protester and Minnesota state Rep. Sarah Anderson was chased by an angry anarchist.
Follow Mike on Twitter.