Omar Says Violent Demonstrators Are ‘Not Interested in Protecting Black Lives’

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) is voicing her support of peaceful protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

However, she says that individuals who “ignite violence” do not really care about “protecting black lives.”

“In Minneapolis, we have marched, we have protested, we have organized. And when we see people setting our buildings and our businesses ablaze, we know those are not people who are interested in protecting black lives,” Omar said during an interview on ABC’s “This Week.”

“They might say they care about black lives, but they are not interested in protecting black lives. Because when you set a fire, you risk the community that you are saying you are standing up for,” she added.

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She also said that in the U.S. and across the world, unrest occurs when people are calling for “bold and systematic” change and are tired of repeatedly marching “just to have their humanity be recognized.”

“Not just here in the United States, but across the world, when we see unrest take place, it is often the people saying they have had enough. And they want bold and systematic change to take place so that they can feel like their voices are heard. This is what happens when people are tired, just marching every single day, just to have their humanity be recognized.”

“What we also know to be true, not just here but across the world, is that there are people who exploit that pain that communities are feeling and ignite violence,” she continued.

Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a civil rights leader, also responded to the violent demonstrations on Saturday. He said, “I know your pain, your rage, your sense of despair and hopelessness. Justice has, indeed, been denied for far too long.”

“Rioting, looting, and burning is not the way. Organize. Demonstrate. Sit-in. Stand-up. Vote. Be constructive, not destructive,” Lewis added.

Additionally, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said that “domestic extremists” were trying to take advantage of the protests to “attack police [and= government buildings.”

Rubio said such groups want to “tear the whole system down even if it requires a new civil war.”