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Former Ku Klux Klan leader and Louisiana state Rep. David Duke (R) appeared in Charlottesville on Saturday for the "Unite the Right" rally, which turned violent when white supremacy groups and counter protesters clashed.
"This represents a turning point for the people of this country. We are determined to take our country back, we're going to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump, and that's what we believed in, that's why we voted for Donald Trump, because he said he's going to take our country back and that's what we gotta do," Duke said as violence erupted, The Hill reported.
President Donald Trump took to Twitter to condemn the riots in Charlottesville:
We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1502558353.0
Duke responded to Trump's condemnation to remind the president that his supporters were being attacked. Despite endorsing the president during the 2016 election, Duke appeared to be putting political pressure on Trump to backtrack his comments.
I would recommend you take a good look in the mirror & remember it was White Americans who put you in the presidenc… https://t.co/Xap359sC9X— David Duke (@David Duke) 1502561016.0
Our people were peacefully assembling and attacked by the same radical leftists who invaded your meetings and attac… https://t.co/ZnxBHn3i6D— David Duke (@David Duke) 1502560730.0
So, after decades of White Americans being targeted for discriminated & anti-White hatred, we come together as a pe… https://t.co/2sS8kutJuK— David Duke (@David Duke) 1502560910.0
Duke then went on a Twitter rant to explain his side of what happened in Charlottesville. He uses the overarching theme that Black Lives Matter protesters and Antifa are responsible for the violence that was seen in Charlottesville and other similar situations.
According to Duke, white protesters — and Trump supporters — were standing up for their values and beliefs
In #charlotesville radical leftists on the streets & in government criminally ambushed young Whites wanting to make their voices heard.— David Duke (@David Duke) 1502628729.0
2) Before/after the Trump campaign, BLM/Antifa engaged in criminal rioting & violence in Ferguson, Baltimore, Berkley, Dallas & Baton Rouge.— David Duke (@David Duke) 1502628991.0
3) In each case BLM/Antifa were protected by the zio media and radical Left politicians who excused away their criminality and violence.— David Duke (@David Duke) 1502629072.0
4) We all remember the anguish of @realDonaldTrump supporters in Chicago where thousands of these criminals attacked peaceful rally goers.— David Duke (@David Duke) 1502629156.0
5) In Dallas & Baton Rouge local police were targeted by radical BLM supporters and murdered while the media talked about oppression.— David Duke (@David Duke) 1502629284.0
6) Thousands of people have called on the government to label BLM as a terrorist group, yet like Clinton, their crimes go unpunished.— David Duke (@David Duke) 1502629457.0
8) In Baltimore, the local radical Left politicians gave BLM room to destroy and blamed police "racism" for rampant… https://t.co/Q5hfUJgiek— David Duke (@David Duke) 1502629837.0
9) Let's not forget the attempted assassination of @SteveScalise and other Congressmen by a radical Lefist while ot… https://t.co/F5vKgAnL6d— David Duke (@David Duke) 1502630042.0
10) Just like the murder of two Baton Rouge police officers by a radical Left BLM/Black Panther, these stories are… https://t.co/EhHP9ZObqO— David Duke (@David Duke) 1502630355.0
11) Yesterday, these same forces of radical Leftists in government/streets organized an ambush on thousands of young White activists.— David Duke (@David Duke) 1502630460.0
12) After a Federal judge's order reinstated a permit, local police asked them to be surrounded in Lee Park by their BLM/Antifa allies.— David Duke (@David Duke) 1502630615.0
13) When their forces were in place, they used riot police to force thousands of White activists into a blood thirsty crowd of BLM/Antifa— David Duke (@David Duke) 1502630714.0
14) Whenever these White activists would group together for protection, police in riot gear would break them up leaving them defenseless.— David Duke (@David Duke) 1502630856.0
15) We were attacked with rocks, bottles, bricks, urine and feces while police watched and the media waited for their headlines.— David Duke (@David Duke) 1502630969.0
16) Just like after the riot at the @realDonaldTrump rally in Chicago, the media swung into action blaming us for the violence.— David Duke (@David Duke) 1502631071.0
17) The same RINO Republicans, Leftists and media who blamed Trump supporters for Chicago are blaming the Alt-Right for violence yesterday.— David Duke (@David Duke) 1502631344.0
18) Just like the actions of BLM/Antifa pushed White America into the arms of Trump their actions yesterday will push them to the Alt-Right.— David Duke (@David Duke) 1502631457.0
20) You will not replace us, our history, our heroes, or our future. Count on it.— David Duke (@David Duke) 1502632036.0
David Duke did not immediately respond to TheBlaze's request for comment.
(H/T The Hill)
