Georgia county commissioner faces calls to resign for saying police should ‘shoot to kill’ George Floyd protesters
- Bibb County Commissioner, Joe Allen, made the comment on Facebook Monday
- ‘It’s now time to SHOOT to KILL them if they continue to destroy,’ Allen wrote
- People took to social media calling for his resignation over ‘divisive’ remark
- Allen later issued an apology: ‘I regret my choice of words in the online comments and what it means to people’
- His remarks come during a time of unrest over the killing of George Floyd, 46
- Floyd died after an officer kneeled on his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds
- Previously, President Donald Trump said ‘when looting starts, shooting starts’
Bibb County Commissioner, Joe Allen (pictured), is facing calls to resign for saying that police should ‘shoot to kill’ George Floyd protesters in Wisconsin
A Georgia official is facing calls to resign for saying that police should ‘shoot to kill’ George Floyd protesters in Wisconsin.
Bibb County Commissioner, Joe Allen, who represents District 6, made the comment under Fox 6 Milwaukee’s live stream on Monday.
‘It’s now time to SHOOT to KILL them if they continue to destroy,’ Allen wrote under the live stream. His comment has since been deleted.
Following the comment, several people took to Twitter demanding he resign.
‘Don’t be a coward now!! Own what you said!’ on Twitter user wrote.
Allen responded to that comment, saying: ‘I’m not that. I said it. And I replied to you why . And I stand by that. If my family or myself were confronted . And if it’s my family or myself or even you. Saving lives are my business.’
Another user then replied: ‘But you weren’t referring to saving lives. You were referring to shooting and killing people. That is what you said.’
A third Twitter user tweeted: ‘@BibbJoe I demand your immediate resignation for incendiary, divisive comments on an article about racial unrest in Minneapolis [sic].
‘These thoughtless words stoke the violence and support police brutality. We have no room for either in Bibb County.’
‘It’s now time to SHOOT to KILL them if they continue to destroy,’ Allen wrote (pictured) under the live stream. His comment has since been deleted
Allen later issued an apology to the Macon Telegraph.
‘I regret my choice of words in the online comments and what it means to people,’ he said.
‘It was a poor choice, and I’m sincerely sorry for these hurtful comments. We should be working to help all people and making sure we are together.’
Allen’s comments came just days after President Donald Trump publicly said ‘when looting starts, shootings starts’ as he assured Minnesota Gov Tim Walz that the military was on his side.
At least 9,300 people have been arrested across the United States since protests erupted following the killing of George Floyd.
While the majority of the protests have been peaceful, some have turned violent in cities like New York City, Los Angeles and Minneapolis.
At least 9,300 people have been arrested across the United States since protests erupted following the killing of George Floyd
While the majority of the protests have been peaceful, some have turned violent in cities like New York City, Los Angeles and Minneapolis. A protester is seen demonstrating in Atlanta on Wednesday
At least 11 people have been killed since the protests began.
Floyd, 46, died after Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin, 44, kneeled on his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds on May 25 while three other cops stood by and did nothing.
Chauvin was arrested and charged on Friday with third-degree murder. His charge has been upgraded to second-degree unintentional murder.
He still faces third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
As of Wednesday, the other three cops, Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J Alexander Kueng, have been arrested and are all facing charges of aiding and abetting second-degree unintentional murder, as well as aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.