McConnell, who is up for reelection this year, made similar comments earlier at an event in Kentucky, where he said the police officers facing scrutiny in both states deserve a fair process but “look pretty darn guilty.”
His comments referenced episodes in Minneapolis, where a white officer was captured on video pressing his knee into the neck of George Floyd in a banned maneuver Monday; and in Louisville, where narcotics officers fatally shot Breonna Taylor after knocking down her front door in March. No drugs were found.
“Breonna’s family and all Kentuckians deserve truth, accountability, and justice,” McConnell said of the episode in his hometown, adding that he was pleased that local police and the FBI are investigating.
McConnell’s statement also alluded to a third episode in Glynn County, Ga., where Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed African American man, was fatally shot while jogging in February.
Both Minneapolis and Louisville experienced significant unrest overnight. Amid protests in Louisville, gunshots erupted, wounding at least seven people, police said. Anger has been fueled in that case by the release Thursday of a 911 call made by Taylor’s boyfriend after she was shot eight times.
While McConnell said he has long supported the right to peaceful protest, he condemned what took place in the two cities.
“Stealing, burning down buildings, attacking law enforcement officers, or laying siege to police precincts is not speech or protest,” he said in his statement. “It is violent crime that victimizes innocent people. Kentuckians cannot and will not accept violence and chaos on our streets.”
While fielding questions from reporters in Kentucky, McConnell sidestepped a question about a tweet by President Trump early Friday morning suggesting that the military might shoot looters in Minneapolis.
“I generally don’t comment on the president’s tweets,” McConnell said, adding that he was happy to offer his own views.
“I think what’s happening in Louisville and in Minneapolis really needs to stop,” he said. “Senseless violence and reaction to this is not helpful, but you can certainly understand the outrage. You can certainly understand the outrage. It’s not made better by engaging in random acts of violence.”
