Democrat voters are demanding that their representatives prepare for “violence” to “protect” democracy from President Donald Trump, saying that there “needs to be blood” to get the public’s attention, according to a new report.
Axios reported Monday that Democrat lawmakers are being told by their supporters that they are not doing enough to combat Trump and that they should support violent forms of political agitation. House lawmakers told the outlet that they have heard calls to “storm” the White House and be prepared to get shot.
One House Democrat said some supporters have suggested that what they “really need to do is be willing to get shot” during visits to ICE detention centers.
“Our own base is telling us that what we’re doing is not good enough … [that] there needs to be blood to grab the attention of the press and the public,” the lawmaker added.
One lawmaker suggested that the calls for them to be arrested or victims of violence were racially insensitive.
“What I have seen is a demand that we get ourselves arrested intentionally or allow ourselves to be victims of violence, and … a lot of times that’s coming from economically very secure white people,” the lawmaker said. “The expectations aren’t just unreal. They’re dangerous.”
The calls come as some lawmakers have been arrested or detained while agitating against immigration enforcement. The incidents range from California Senator Alex Padilla being briefly detained after he interrupted a press conference hosted by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to the indictment against Democrat Rep. LaMonica McIver for a scuffle outside a New Jersey ICE facility.
Another lawmaker told Axios that “people online have sent me crazy s*** … told me to storm the White House and stuff like that,” while a different one was told that “civility isn’t working” and that Democrats need to be ready for “violence … to fight to protect our democracy.”
One lawmaker said that calls for action were getting out of control.
“It’s like … the Roman coliseum. People just want more and more of this spectacle,” the lawmaker said.
Multiple lawmakers said that their supporters expressed frustration about them following traditional norms.
“We’ve got people who are desperately wanting us to do something … no matter what we say, they want [more],” said Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL).
The article was published just hours before a gunman was killed in McAllen, Texas, after he opened fire on multiple Border Patrol agents. The Trump administration said the attack was an ambush targeted at federal agents.
In recent weeks, Homeland Security has said it has seen a 700% increase in assaults targeting ICE agents compared to this time last year while some have called for federal agents to stop wearing masks to shield their identity.