Fox News co-host Juan Williams got fact-checked by his “The Five” co-hosts after claiming that protest violence footage “keeps being repeated from the first night way back.”
The Thursday evening segment began with footage of Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell calling for an end to ongoing violence in his city. After citing a Gallup poll showing that “81% of black Americans want police to maintain or increase a presence in their communities,” co-host Pete Hegseth asked Williams whether he agreed with Lovell that the moment has been “hijacked” by violence.
“No, gosh, I think it’s still like 60% plus of Americans support the Black Lives Matter movement,” Williams responded.
“The violence?” Hegseth asked incredulously.
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“I couldn’t agree more with the police chief,” Williams said. “They don’t support defund the police. That’s Republicans, Democrats, black, white, Asian, Latino. That’s not something that people support. What they really are focused on is police reform.”
“In terms of, you know, the violence that you see in these pictures that keeps being repeated from the first night way back,” Williams continued. “I think people are able to separate it out and say, that’s not in keeping with the idea of people who march peacefully to say …”
“That’s what’s happening there right now,” co-host Lawrence Jones interrupted.
“Juan, that video is not from the first day,” Hegseth added as Williams tried to continue. ” That video we’re showing is from last night. It’s ongoing day after day.”
“Oh, please,” said Williams.
“Oh please?” said Hegseth. “This is our own video from our own show out of Portland. On this program, lighting fires and assaulting police.”
Williams ended the segment by insisting that such violence “is not typical of the protests which have been largely peaceful.” (RELATED: Rep. Jodey Arrington Rips Jerry Nadler, Democratic Party Leadership On Portland Response)
While protests have been on and off in major U.S. cities after George Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody in May, Portland has experienced near-nightly violence ever since. Meanwhile, July saw a record number of homicides in the city even as Portland’s city council voted to cut $15 million from its police budget.
Williams’ analysis comes as Democrats like New Jersey Rep. Jerry Nadler and others continue to downplay ongoing left-wing violence.
