US President Donald Trump threatens protesters against defacing monuments in series of tweets
Twitter has flagged a tweet by Donald Trump after he posted that any attempts to set up a new autonomous zone would be met with “serious force”.
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Twitter has slapped another warning on a tweet by US President Donald Trump, stating he violated its rules about “abusive” behaviour.
Mr Trump had tweeted: “There will never be an ‘Autonomous Zone’ in Washington, D.C., as long as I’m your President. If they try they will be met with serious force!”
The post was part of a series of tweets relating to the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, an occupation protest and self-declared autonomous zone established in Seattle by George Floyd protesters. He had also posted about attempts by protesters to remove a statue of former president Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Park, Washington DC.
Twitter determined Mr Trump’s tweet was in the public interest and allowed it to remain accessible. But placing a tweet behind the notice limits the ability of users to engage with the tweet through likes, retweets, or shares.
There will never be an “Autonomous Zone†in Washington, D.C., as long as I’m your President. If they try they will be met with serious force!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 23, 2020
Mr Trump delivered the strong warning to protesters a day after police used pepper spray to disperse people who tried to topple the statue of Jackson outside the White House.
Mr Trump also threatened stiff prison sentences against “anarchists” who damaged national monuments.
Mr Trump commented on the issues on both his favourite social platform, Twitter, and while departing the White House for a trip to Arizona.
On Twitter, he said he had authorised the Federal Government to “arrest any one” who is caught or found to have already caused damage to American monuments.
He threatened that if caught, a person faced up to 10 years in prison.
“This action is taken effective immediately, but may also be used retroactively for destruction or vandalism already caused. There will be no exceptions,” he wrote.
I have authorized the Federal Government to arrest anyone who vandalizes or destroys any monument, statue or other such Federal property in the U.S. with up to 10 years in prison, per the Veteran’s Memorial Preservation Act, or such other laws that may be pertinent.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 23, 2020
.....This action is taken effective immediately, but may also be used retroactively for destruction or vandalism already caused. There will be no exceptions!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 23, 2020
Mr Trump also said he would issue an executive order to protect the monuments that have come under new scrutiny as America wrestles with racism during the unrest sparked by the police killing of George Floyd.
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Mr Trump has been clear that he opposes the removal of monuments of leaders of the Confederacy or other distasteful aspects of American history.
Commenting as he departed the White House for a trip to Arizona, Mr Trump said, “I will have an executive order very shortly, and all it’s really going to do is reinforce what’s already there, but in a more uniform way.”
At a time of nationwide protests over racial injustice and inequality, Mr Trump has aligned himself squarely on the side of those who argue that the pendulum has swung too far in the
Numerous people arrested in D.C. for the disgraceful vandalism, in Lafayette Park, of the magnificent Statue of Andrew Jackson, in addition to the exterior defacing of St. John’s Church across the street. 10 years in prison under the Veteran’s Memorial Preservation Act. Beware!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 23, 2020
On Saturday, police were denied access to Seattle’s six-block “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” after a person was shot dead, and on Monday the west coast city’s mayor announced that they planned to take control back of the area.
In the US capital of Washington late Monday, protesters attempted to pull down a monumental statue of Andrew Jackson, who was president from 1829 to 1837, astride a rearing horse.
Those who tried to topple the statue faced 10 years in prison under the Veterans Memorial Preservation Act, Trump said.
“Beware,” he tweeted.
Jackson is one of Mr Trump’s favourite presidents.
The statue stands just outside the White House, and was targeted for Jackson’s history as a slave owner and his brutal policies toward Native Americans.
Beginning in 1830 he forced the relocation of tens of thousands of native Americans from the southeast across the country on what was called the Trail of Tears.
The federal statute Mr Trump cites subjects anyone who wilfully injures or destroys, or attempts to injure or destroy, any structure, plaque, statue or other monument on public property commemorating the service of any person or persons in the armed forces of the United States to fines, up to 10 years imprisonment or both.
— with AP and AFP
Originally published as US President Donald Trump threatens protesters against defacing monuments in series of tweets