Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden released a video on Wednesday calling for healing and justice while condemning the violence in Kenosha, Wisconsin, amid nationwide protests following the police shooting of Jacob Blake. In response, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Thursday accused Democrats of “aiding and abetting the violence” in U.S. cities over police brutality.
“It’s a real travesty that it took the Democrats this long to mention the violence in our streets, that it was ignored,” McEnany told Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom” on Thursday.
“When they had the biggest platform, it was entirely ignored,” she added, referring to last week’s Democratic National Convention. She also blamed the media for the protests.
“The media, the Democrats are aiding and abetting the violence in the streets,” McEnany said while avoiding to acknowledge police brutality and systemic racism.
Vice President Pence also blamed Biden in his party acceptance speech Wednesday night as part of the Republican National Convention.
“Last week Joe Biden didn’t say one word about the violence and chaos engulfing cities across this country. So let me be clear, the violence must stop, whether in Minneapolis, Portland or Kenosha. Too many heroes have died defending our freedom to see Americans strike each other down,” Pence said, referring to protests against racial injustice that have at times turned violent following the May 25 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Blake was shot seven times by police on Sunday, three days after the Democratic convention.
Watch Biden’s video below:
Once again, a Black man — Jacob Blake — was shot by the police. In front of his children. It makes me sick.
Is this the country we want to be?
Needless violence won’t heal us. We need to end the violence — and peacefully come together to demand justice. pic.twitter.com/WdNqrxA3PK
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 26, 2020
