President Trump said he won’t tolerate the destruction of statues depicting Jesus, the Founding Fathers, and others as long as he is in office.
“I think many of the people that are knocking down these statues don’t even have any idea what the statue is, what it means, who it is,” Trump said during a Wednesday press conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda in the Rose Garden. “Now, they’re looking at Jesus Christ. They’re looking at George Washington. They’re looking at Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson. Not gonna happen. Not gonna happen. Not as long as I’m here.”
On Monday, Real Justice PAC co-founder Shaun King, a prominent Black Lives Matter activist, writer, and high-profile supporter of independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders during the Democratic primary, said that depictions of white Jesus were “created as tools of oppression” and called for their destruction.
“Yes, I think the statues of the white European they claim is Jesus should also come down. They are a form of white supremacy. Always have been. In the Bible, when the family of Jesus wanted to hide, and blend in, guess where they went? EGYPT! Not Denmark. Tear them down,” King said in a Twitter thread that circulated widely on social media.
“Yes. All murals and stained glass windows of white Jesus, and his European mother, and their white friends should also come down. They are a gross form white supremacy. Created as tools of oppression. Racist propaganda. They should all come down,” he said.
The president said he expects to sign an executive order protecting monuments and statues from vandalism and destruction. The order is currently being worked on, according to Fox News.
On Tuesday, Trump said he authorized the government to arrest those who vandalize or destroy statues and that those guilty would face up to 10 years in prison.
“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,” Trump said in a Twitter thread.
“This action is taken effective immediately, but may also be used retroactively for destruction or vandalism already caused. There will be no exceptions!”
…..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
