This week, Republican Rep. @Jim_Jordan of Ohio used a tightly edited clip of my reporting as part of the Bill Barr hearing. He made it an example of the media condoning chaos & indiscriminate violence. Here’s a longer version of the video for context. #velshi
I’ve been honest about the violence. The truth remains that the protests have been largely peaceful. As night falls, law enforcement & demonstrators often clash. But it’s important to remember that the escalation hasn’t been solely at the hands of the protesters. #velshi
As we saw in Portland, federal troops used teargas on peaceful veterans & mothers. In Minneapolis, the police shot rubber bullets at protesters & journalists, myself included. People then, as one would expect, reacted. #velshi
Data show there is an uptick in violence across U.S. Cities. However, the rise is not rooted in protest-related activities & conflating the two is inaccurate & misleading. #velshi
The rise in crime allows Rep. @Jim_Jordan to lump together those using the pandemic to perpetrate crimes & these largely peaceful protesters. It allows lawmakers like Jim Jordan & Trump to paint a sinister picture & sow fear in the minds of their supporters. #velshi
Protest & revolution cannot always be non-violent in nature. History has shown that at some point, the two sides often clash. We’ve seen it in South Africa, the Middle East, India & even in our own history during the American Revolution. #velshi
The uptick in crime that we are seeing now is unrelated to these protests. It’s a symptom of the pandemic, economic inequality, lack of gun control & even our criminal justice system. But it does need to be addressed with some form of law enforcement. #velshi
What we cannot do is allow our own lawmakers to use these incidents to de-legitimize our 1st Amendment right to protest. Our right to call for change. Our right to criticize our government. #velshi
This is a critical moment of social upheaval. Change of this magnitude will be neither easy nor comfortable. I WILL continue to deliver the necessary facts & context to help you understand this turning point & why we can’t let protesters be likened to criminals. #velshi