McConnell: Activists' anger understandable

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Friday condemned "senseless violence" by demonstrators in both Minnesota and his home state of Kentucky but said anger at the deaths of black Americans by police was "certainly" understandable.

"For millions and millions of outraged Americans, these tragedies do not appear as isolated incidents, but as the latest disturbing chapters in our long, unfinished American struggle to ensure that equal justice under law is not conditional on the color of one's skin," McConnell, the chamber's top Republican, said in a statement.

McConnell made similar comments earlier at an event in Kentucky, where he said the police officers facing scrutiny in both states deserve a fair process but "look pretty darn guilty."

His comments referred to episodes in Minneapolis, where a white officer was seen on video pressing his knee into the neck of George Floyd in a banned maneuver Monday; and in Louisville, where narcotics officers fatally shot Breonna Taylor after knocking down her front door in March. No drugs were found.

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"Breonna's family and all Kentuckians deserve truth, accountability, and justice," McConnell said of the episode in his hometown, adding that he was pleased that police and the FBI are investigating.

McConnell's statement also alluded to a third episode in Glynn County, Ga, where Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed black man, was fatally shot while jogging in February.

Minneapolis and Louisville experienced significant unrest overnight. During protests in Louisville, gunshots broke out, wounding at least seven people, police said. Anger has been fueled in that case by the release Thursday of a 911 call made by Taylor's boyfriend after she was shot eight times.

While McConnell said he has long supported the right to peaceful protest, he condemned what took place in the two cities.

"Stealing, burning down buildings, attacking law enforcement officers, or laying siege to police precincts is not speech or protest," he said in his statement. "It is violent crime that victimizes innocent people. Kentuckians cannot and will not accept violence and chaos on our streets."

While fielding questions from reporters in Kentucky, McConnell sidestepped a question about a tweet by President Donald Trump early Friday suggesting that the military might shoot looters in Minneapolis.

"I generally don't comment on the president's tweets," McConnell said, adding that he was happy to offer his own views.

"I think what's happening in Louisville and in Minneapolis really needs to stop," he said. "Senseless violence and reaction to this is not helpful, but you can certainly understand the outrage. You can certainly understand the outrage. It's not made better by engaging in random acts of violence."

A Section on 05/30/2020

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