“When the looting starts, the shooting starts.” So tweeted Donald Trump on May 29, in response to nationwide protests over the murder of George Floyd — an incitement to violence by the ostensible leader of the United States. ….These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke …
“When the looting starts, the shooting starts.”
So tweeted Donald Trump on May 29, in response to nationwide protests over the murder of George Floyd — an incitement to violence by the ostensible leader of the United States.
More than belligerent braggadocio, the words are historically charged. The same words were the same words used by a Miami Police Chief who, in 1967, adopted the phrase as his slogan while orchestrating a bloody assault on black communities.
Though visible when embedded, Twitter chose to hide the tweet on its platform — its algorithmic amplification reduced — minimizing the chances people will view it on their feeds. The company, which recently began taking long-overdue action against the president’s spreading of misinformation, placed a label on the tweet that must be acknowledged before the post becomes visible.
