President Trump is urging people to no longer engage in violence “of any kind” a week after his supporters stormed the Capitol.
“In light of reports of more demonstrations, I urge that there must be NO violence, NO lawbreaking and NO vandalism of any kind,” the president said in a statement on Wednesday. “That is not what I stand for and it is not what America stands for. I call on ALL Americans to help ease tensions and calm tempers. Thank You.”
A week after the president urged his supporters to pressure lawmakers not to certify the Electoral College votes for President-elect Joe Biden, he could potentially become the first U.S. president to ever get impeached twice, this time for “incitement of insurrection.” As the violent riot was underway, the president issued calls for those supporters to stop, but he also told them he “loved” them.
At least five people died in the chaos and its aftermath.
Trump’s insistence for people to not engage in violent acts came as the nation’s capital is on high alert following the Jan. 6 events and chatter of possible future situations with Biden’s inauguration scheduled for next week. An FBI internal bulletin circulated Monday warned that armed protests were being planned for state capitals nationwide from Saturday and at the U.S. Capitol from Sunday.
An unidentified Trump adviser told Fox News that the president is “also asking that Big Tech companies join with him in this effort.”
On Thursday, Facebook and Instagram banned the president throughout the remainder of his term. A day later, Twitter disabled the president’s personal account permanently after it issued a review of two of the president’s tweets, which the company determined violated its Glorification of Violence policy. Twitter determined that the tweets could be viewed as an incitement of violence, and it said it had already seen online chatter about plans for additional attacks.
A number of other platforms have also suspended or removed the president’s accounts.