Democratic Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser fired back at President Donald Trump after a night of nationwide unrest.
Protesters were responding to the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died Monday in police custody in Minneapolis — and in multiple cities, protesters became violent and destructive, looting businesses and setting them ablaze.
President Donald Trump spent the morning tweeting his thanks to the Secret Service, noting that Bowser had kept D.C. police from responding. (RELATED: ‘F*** Fox News!’: Protesters Chase Fox News Reporter Outside White House)
….got too frisky or out of line, they would quickly come down on them, hard – didn’t know what hit them. The front line was replaced with fresh agents, like magic. Big crowd, professionally organized, but nobody came close to breaching the fence. If they had they would….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2020
….good practice.” As you saw last night, they were very cool & very professional. Never let it get out of hand. Thank you! On the bad side, the D.C. Mayor, @MurielBowser, who is always looking for money & help, wouldn’t let the D.C. Police get involved. “Not their job.” Nice!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2020
Bowser responded by attacking Trump directly, suggesting that he had been hiding in the White House, afraid of a handful of “peaceful protesters.”
My police department will always protect DC and all who are in it whether I agree with them (such as those exercising their First Amendment Right) or those I don’t (namely, @realdonaldtrump)…
— Muriel Bowser #StayHomeDC (@MurielBowser) May 30, 2020
While he hides behind his fence afraid/alone, I stand w/ people peacefully exercising their First Amendment Right after the murder of #GeorgeFloyd & hundreds of years of institutional racism
There are no vicious dogs & ominous weapons. There is just a scared man. Afraid/alone…
— Muriel Bowser #StayHomeDC (@MurielBowser) May 30, 2020
Bowser then accused Trump of trying to divide the country, saying that the real power was at the ballot box and that should be where people put their focus.
I call upon our city and our nation to exercise great restraint even while this President continues to try to divide us. Our power is in peace, in our voices and ultimately at the ballot box in November…
— Muriel Bowser #StayHomeDC (@MurielBowser) May 30, 2020
“It is no longer a choice, my friends, between violence and nonviolence. It is either nonviolence or nonexistence.” Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.
— Muriel Bowser #StayHomeDC (@MurielBowser) May 30, 2020