Joe Biden accused President Trump of “recklessly encouraging violence” in response to the “deadly violence” in Portland.
In a statement released on Sunday afternoon, the Democratic presidential nominee called the situation in the Oregon city where police have declared an unlawful assembly and riots dozens of times this summer “unacceptable” and condemned “violence of every kind by anyone, whether on the left or the right.”
Hours earlier, Trump reacted to video of clashes between a pro-Trump car caravan and counterprotesters on the streets of Portland on Saturday, blaming the failure to contain three straight months of unrest on Mayor Ted Wheeler.
“The big backlash going on in Portland cannot be unexpected after 95 days of watching and incompetent Mayor admit that he has no idea what he is doing. The people of Portland won’t put up with no safety any longer. The Mayor is a FOOL. Bring in the National Guard!” he tweeted.
A man was shot dead in Portland on Saturday. He was wearing a thin blue line patch on his shorts, signaling his support for law enforcement. He also had a hat with a logo for Patriot Prayer, a far-right group that has been active in Portland. Police have not identified the man, nor have they said whether they believe the shooting was politically motivated.
Biden offered his condolences to the family of the man and urged Trump to condemn violence from both parties.
“It does not matter if you find the political views of your opponents abhorrent, any loss of life is a tragedy. Today there is another family grieving in America, and Jill and I offer our deepest condolences,” Biden said in his statement.
“We must not become a country at war with ourselves. A country that accepts the killing of fellow Americans who do not agree with you. A country that vows vengeance toward one another. But that is the America that President Trump wants us to be, the America he believes we are,” he added.
Biden said that Trump needs to urge his supporters to “stop seeking conflict” with other protesters in response to the two deadly shootings in Portland and Kenosha, where last week two people were fatally shot and a third was injured Tuesday night. Biden claimed it was Trump’s fault that tensions in the United States are so high.
“Donald Trump has been president for almost four years. The temperature in the country is higher, tensions run stronger, divisions run deeper. And all of us are less safe because Donald Trump can’t do the job of the American president,” Biden said.
