President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday night that he was “prepared” to send federal assistance to Louisville, Kentucky after two police officers were shot during the unrest over a grand jury’s decision not to indict the officers involved in the Breonna Taylor shooting for her death.
“Praying for the two police officers that were shot tonight in Louisville, Kentucky,” Trump tweeted. “The Federal Government stands behind you and is ready to help. Spoke to @GovAndyBeshear and we are prepared to work together, immediately upon request!”
“LAW & ORDER!” he tweeted several hours later shortly after midnight.
Protests erupted in the streets of Louisville on Wednesday after a grand jury declined to charge any of the police officers involved in the fatal shooting of Taylor for homicide. Two police officers were shot during demonstrations and have been hospitalized for non-threatening injuries. Authorities reported that the suspect is in custody.
During a press briefing earlier on Wednesday, Trump praised Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s (R) “really brilliant” handling of the Taylor case.
The President’s tweets on Wednesday night are yet another instance of his hostile response to protests against police brutality and shootings of unarmed Black people. Trump and his administration, particularly Attorney General Bill Barr, have used the unrest to demonize what the President calls “Democrat-run” cities and to justify militaristic crackdowns with rubber bullets and tear gas on the demonstrations, including non-violent ones.
