As minority-owned businesses are getting looted, and cities and monuments are getting vandalized, causing billions of dollars in damages, CNN’s Chris Cuomo said that protesters don’t have to be polite or peaceful.
Speaking on his show Tuesday night, Cuomo said that protesters are not required to “be polite and peaceful,” a conundrum considering that his own network and the mainstream media have bent over backward to characterize the protests as mostly peaceful.
“It is a sad day when we need curfews in our cities,” said Cuomo, as reported by Newsbusters. “America’s major cities are filled with people demanding this country become more fair, more just, and ironically, more united.”
“Now, too many see the protests as the problem,” he continued. “No, the problem is what forced your fellow citizens to take to the streets – persistent and poisonous inequities and injustice. And please, show me where it says that protests are supposed to be polite and peaceful. Because I can show you that outraged citizens are the ones who have made America what she is and led to any major milestones.”
In complete contradiction to the U.S. Constitution, Cuomo then went on to say that police are the ones required to be peaceful while protesters are under no such obligation.
“Be honest, this is not a tranquil time. They’re not here to make power, or you or me comfortable? They’re here to yell, criticize, blame, and shame. You don’t have to like it. But why not focus on remembering the reason for the pain that fuels their purpose?” he said. “Police are the ones who are required to be peaceful, to de-escalate, to remain calm. They are, in fact, trained to do exactly that. So, when one kneels on someone’s neck for a long time and other police don’t stop obvious deadliness, that’s the problem.”
The 1st Amendment says otherwise: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
So, in actuality, the protesters are required to peaceably assemble, which means no throwing rocks or water bottles at police, no burning of police vehicles, no destruction of public property.
When it comes to looting and violence, Cuomo said that bad people are distorting the message of good people.
“Looting, arson, violence. Now, that’s something else,” he said. “Don’t confuse that with protests or the people doing it with protesters. There are bad people mixed in with good people in these situations. That’s the truth. We’re learning it in every city. And we’re watching New York City tonight especially closely, where orders went into effect an hour ago to stay off the streets after one of the wildest most destructive nights in recent memory.”
CNN's Chris Cuomo: "Please, show me where it says protesters are supposed to be polite and peaceful."
As riots and looting have broken out in cities across the country, this is the message the brother of New York governor Andrew Cuomo shares at the top of his show. pic.twitter.com/ZZ47zpyVlx
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) June 3, 2020
Though Cuomo did condemn the looting and arson, CNN reporter Sara Sidner defended their actions as legitimate acts of protests earlier this week, completely unsympathetic to the minority-owned businesses that are being destroyed.
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