Nancy Pelosi faces brutal backlash for saying 'exuberance of the moment' led to LA rioting

Democrat Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California is getting mocked and ridiculed over her characterization of the violent rioting in Los Angeles against immigration enforcement raids.

Pelosi was criticizing President Donald Trump's response to the violence when she opined that the violence was likely due to "anarchists" and then offered her bizarre rationalization of the rioting.

'[You] always have to be careful, whether you see a burned car, a broken window, whatever it is.'

"I say this as a former party chair," Pelosi said to reporters on Tuesday. "When there is a gathering, a large gathering of people, the anarchists see it as an opportunity, and they move in.”

“So [you] always have to be careful, whether you see a burned car, a broken window, whatever it is. It may be the exuberance of the moment, but it may be the anarchists setting in," she added. "I heard one of the former police chiefs of Los Angeles speak about this on Sunday.”

She went on to criticize the press for not bashing Trump enough for her liking.

Video of Pelosi's comments was posted to social media, where they were widely circulated. Many online thought Pelosi's description of the rioting was irresponsible, and they nailed the former speaker of the House with criticism.

"This was quite the psychotic rant. I wonder how many martinis went into this diatribe," said commentator Kyle Becker.

"According to Pelosi, burning cops cars and Waymos are the product of exuberance. Careful, Nancy, you’re starting to sound like an anarchist yourself," said another critic.

"Yes whenever I feel exuberant I always go and break a few windows and burn a couple of cars. Totally normal," joked another X user.

"Exuberance of the moment, what a crock of s**t this lady is regurgitating. Tell that to the small business owners who's shops were looted; others who lost their cars and property. F**k this lady and all of those f**king cronies up there!" read another angry response.

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Photo by Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

The beleaguered California GOP also weighed in on the Pelosi comment.

“'The exuberance of the moment' ?!? Time to restore law and order," the group wrote.

As the week wore on, protests that began in Los Angeles on Friday had spread to other parts of the country, some with violence and vandalism. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, a Democrat, said that the violence and vandalism of the ICE rioting had significantly eased on Tuesday evening, but she also accused Trump of needlessly escalating tensions.

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