Trump authorizes feds to arrest people vandalizing, taking down monuments
President Trump has ordered a crackdown on anyone caught vandalizing or tearing down monuments amid a wave of Confederate and other statues being toppled by people protesting racial injustice.
The commander-in-chief wrote in a tweet early Tuesday, “I have authorized the Federal Government to arrest anyone who vandalizes or destroys any monument, statue or other such Federal property in the U.S. with up to 10 years in prison, per the Veteran’s Memorial Preservation Act, or such other laws that may be pertinent.”
Trump warned those protesting that the order will be “effective immediately, but may also be used retroactively for destruction or vandalism already caused. There will be no exceptions!”
Speaking to reporters as he left the White House to visit portions of the border wall in Arizona, Trump said he would soon be signing an executive order that would allow people vandalizing statues to be prosecuted.
“We are looking at long-term jail sentences for these vandals, and these hoodlums, and these anarchists and agitators — call it whatever you want — some people don’t like that language, but that’s what they are,” the president said. “They’re bad people, they don’t love our country, and they’re not taking down our monuments, I just want to make that clear.”
He also said his administration was poised to help state and city governments that are struggling to contain the protests.
“In Minnesota, they might need help. If they need help, the federal government is willing to help them,” he continued. “These are not protesters, by the way, these are anarchists, and other things. If these hoodlums come around and the states can’t handle it, we are ready, willing and able to help.”
These comments echo previous remarks the president made to Fox News Monday night, when the commander-in-chief pledged to sign an executive order on the matter, which would force cities to guard the monuments.
“You see Ulysses S. Grant, where they want to take him down. He’s the one that stopped the ones that everybody dislikes so much. It’s a disgrace. Also, remember, some of this is great artwork, this is magnificent artwork, as good as there is anywhere in the world. As good as you see in France. As good as you see anywhere. It’s a disgrace,” he told the network.
Speaking to Fox News Tuesday morning, Trump again denounced those who were attacking the statues.
“I don’t like it at all, I don’t like it at all. I don’t like anything that’s going on. Now federal I’ve stopped, I’ve stopped federal. But the states are — a lot of states are weak, a lot of people are weak, and they’re allowing it to happen,” the president told the network in an Oval Office interview.
Trump went on to rail against efforts to take down the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Grant, specifically.
“You have to understand history, you have to understand the culture and so many other aspects of our country,” Trump added. “And people can study [slavery] and they can hate it, and let’s all hate it, but you can’t take down George Washington’s statue. And half of our country is named after Washington. We have to remember the heritage — the culture of our country.”
The decision comes as monuments of historic figures across the country and cities abroad have been targeted during the civil unrest over the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man.
Officials across the country have promised to re-evaluate their monuments, in some cases pledging to take them down outright. Despite this, some protesters have taken it upon themselves to either severely vandalize or tear down statues they consider controversial.