Following a largely peaceful demonstration in Boston on Saturday, Donald Trump called the protesters who gathered to counter a conservative “Free Speech Rally” in Boston
Trump also thanked Boston mayor Martin Walsh and law enforcement officials who handled the protests, calling the latter “tough and smart.”
Great job by all law enforcement officers and Boston Mayor @Marty_Walsh.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 19, 2017
The Boston police commissioner estimates 40,000 people stood “against hatred and bigotry.” Thirty-three arrests were reported, but the protests were said to take place without any major incidents or injury and ended at around 1:30 p.m. local time.
According to The Los Angeles Times, Boston police took extra precautions to avoid a repeat of the violence that killed one and injured dozens more in Charlottesville last week. Approximately 500 officers were deployed to monitor the protests, and security cameras and extra barriers were set up to separate the “Free Speech Rally” from counter-protesters who surrounded them.
The president’s tweets were met with backlash from his critics.
A REAL president would applaud the peaceful thousands standing up to bigotry today. Instead he sees them as a personal insult. Disgraceful. https://t.co/QwqoOaOD8g
— Beau Willimon (@BeauWillimon) August 19, 2017
He was the kid who stirred up some mess then stood back and watched…
— Antonia Boone (@GyngerMorgan) August 19, 2017
You attack the peaceful protesters and don’t condemn the kkk
— Impeach Donald Trump (@Impeach_D_Trump) August 19, 2017
If you were for the rule of law, you would have talked about Charlottesville differently. https://t.co/C0p6IRuPAV
— Thomas E. Ricks (@tomricks1) August 19, 2017
Tough and smart, two things no one will ever accuse you of being.
— Perez (@ThePerezHilton) August 19, 2017
Protesters against the alt-right are now “anti-police agitators” to the president, apparently.
— Mike Madden (@MikeMadden) August 19, 2017