Pennsylvania lawmaker says he wouldn’t stop his car on a highway if faced with street protests like those in St. Louis

Bernstine also tweeted a link to news article about the unrest that erupted in downtown St. Louis on Friday night following the acquittal of ex-cop Jason Stockley in the 2011 shooting death of 24-year-old Anthony Lamar Smith.

Bernstine’s tweet sparked a backlash on the social media platform.

“Feel free to call my office and let me know if you think it is ok to refuse to stop if thugs try to stop me or my family on a highway,” Bernstine continued, responding to criticism. “Difference between me and these snowflakes is that I won’t be assaulted in name of ‘free speech.'”

Pennsylvania Democratic Party spokesperson Brandon Cwalina slammed Bernstine for his comments, telling local media the party was demanding an apology from Bernstine.

“Rep. Bernstine should not have to be reminded that the right to peaceably assemble is so fundamental to our democracy that it is enshrined in the First Amendment to the Constitution,” Cwalina said Saturday. “His statement is not fit for a state representative — let alone any decent person — and he must apologize immediately.”

Bernstine fired back Saturday, writing in a letter to his statehouse colleagues — which he shared with the Washington Examiner — that media outlets taking his “comments to that extreme is just absurd.”

“My intent was simply to let people know that I, along with what I believe are many others, have grown tired of those who are committing crimes and acts of violence in the name of peaceful protest,” Bernstine wrote. “[On Friday night,] we saw ‘protesters’ who moved from blocking streets to destroying buildings and using projectile weapons against law enforcement. I am confident that none of us find this acceptable.”

Steve Miskin, Bernstine’s press secretary, added that the state Democratic Party was “almost daily indignant about something.”

More than 23 protesters have been arrested in St. Louis, with officers using tear gas to subdue crowds after people hurled rocks at the mayor’s house and smashed a police car.

U2 and Ed Sheeran have also cancelled music concerts in the city because officers could not supply the promised level of security at their respective events.