A Republican state representative in Missouri is facing backlash after he tweeted on Friday that “Looters deserve to be shot.… But not by the…
A Republican state representative in Missouri is facing backlash after he tweeted on Friday that “Looters deserve to be shot.… But not by the government.”
The tweet came amid massive protests raging across the country following the police-involved death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in Minneapolis.
“Looters deserve to be shot. But not by government. #2A” state Rep. Tony Lovasco (R) wrote on Friday afternoon, referring to the Second Amendment.
Twitter has since taken down the twee for violating its guidelines but screenshots began circulating on social media.
His remarks came shortly after President Trump threatened to send in the military to stop “thugs” in Minneapolis amid protests and looting in the city following Floyd’s death.
“When the looting starts, the shooting starts,” Trump warned, causing Twitter to flag the tweet for «glorifying violence.»
Lovasco immediately faced criticism for his remarks, according to Springfield News-Leader.
Missouri House Minority Leader Crystal Quade (D) said in a statement that while anyone who commits a crime should be prosecuted, “an elected official who advocates for extrajudicial murder is just as lawless as those he condemns and is unfit to hold public office.
