Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) accused the media of hypocrisy after a video showed a right-wing counterprotester in Oregon who called for “assassinating Democrats.”
Video footage from a counterprotest in Salem showed a man with a bullhorn saying, “I think these Democratic leaders who allow this to happen need to be shot dead in the street.”
Omar accused the media of hypocrisy, saying there has been more attention given to violence at Black Lives Matter protests than similar actions by GOP counterprotesters or supporters of President Trump.
“When you’re a Democrat, the media makes you have to answer for every broken window and thrown bottle by protestors, regardless of what they’re protesting or where,” she tweeted. “But when actual GOP & Trump supporters, like the folks below, call & cheer for assassinating Democrats… silence.”
In recent days, confrontations between protesters and counterprotesters have been taking place in and around Portland.
A member of far-right group Patriot Prayer was killed in a confrontation last month by a suspect who allegedly identified with the loose coalition known as antifa. The suspect was shot in a police conflict days later.
More clashes took place Monday after about 100 right-wing protesters in Salem confronted liberal protesters, charging at them and knocking at least one onto the ground.
Trump has regularly chastised mayors in cities where demonstrators are protesting against police brutality and racial injustice. He recently went after Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler (D), saying the protests have descended into chaos.
An executive order signed by Trump last week seeks to decrease funding in cities that Trump says are experiencing increasing “lawless” demonstrations.