Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R)Ā is warning it is a ā€œvery dangerous timeā€ with what he believes are increased efforts to ā€œweaken the police.ā€

Fox News host Sean Hannity mentioned on Monday night the protests that have broken out in response to the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright, a Black man, in Minnesota on Sunday.

Gingrich explained this is not the first time the nation has experienced unrest like what it is seeing now.

ā€œI think that the danger we’veĀ got which we’ve had before.Ā The Black Panther movement inĀ the late ā€˜60s for example,Ā engaged in fairly large-scaleĀ rioting.Ā There were 2,500 bombs that went off fromĀ 1969 to ’70,ā€ Gingrich said.

He continued, ā€œThere were riots in an amazing number of cities in the 1960s. Part of what you have here is that the society can’t decide whether or not it favors law and order in the classic sense.ā€

Watch his interview below:

Arguing there is evidence of people ā€œtauntingā€ and ā€œattackingā€ the police, Gingrich added, ā€œWe have made being a policeman dramatically more dangerous. Historically that’s very unhealthy.ā€

Gingrich noted ā€œthe bias historicallyā€ had been those who risk their lives to protect the American people deserve ā€œthe benefit of the doubtā€ and deserve ā€œthe support of the community.ā€

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He explained, ā€œIĀ think this is a very dangerousĀ time for the country and we needĀ to understand that the more weĀ weaken the police, the greaterĀ the likelihood of really seriousĀ crime and the greater theĀ likelihood that innocent peopleĀ are going to be killed or hurt.ā€

In response to a video of a man taunting a police officer, Gingrich told Hannity the real question is ā€œwhy isn’t he arrested?ā€

The former speaker of the House warned, ā€œIf we are going to back off andĀ we are going to apologize andĀ we’re going to allow the forcesĀ of crime and the forces ofĀ hostility to dominate theĀ streets, then we’re going to getĀ what we are now getting which isĀ in every major city … a dramaticĀ rise in crime.ā€

He went on, ā€œWho does that hurt? It hurts the innocent. It hurts minorities. Who are the largest number of victims of these kind of criminals? They are African-Americans.ā€

Calling it ā€œmadness,ā€ Gingrich argued there has to come a time where society has to decide ā€œwe areĀ in favor of the law.Ā We are in favor of the police.ā€

Acknowledging Law Enforcement must be trained and an investigation is necessary when something goes wrong, he claimed: ā€œOn balance a strong, effective, trained police force is better for the poorest people and better for the minority groups than any other situation.ā€