UN rights body slams hatred incitement

A demonstrator holds a sign calling for the 25th Amendment to remove US president Donald Trump from office during a protest outside the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on Thursday a day after pro-Trump mob stormed and trashed the Capitol. President Donald Trump faced a growing chorus of calls January 7 to be removed from office under the 25th Amendment for inciting the mob violence that swept through the US Capitol one day earlier. — AFP photo

The UN rights chief on Thursday urged US president Donald Trump to ‘disavow false and dangerous narratives’, saying the storming of the Capitol showed the destructive impact of ‘incitement to violence and hatred’.

Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, backed calls for a thorough investigation into Wednesday’s chaos in Washington.  A

mob of supporters whipped up by Trump stormed the legislature in a shocking assault on the heart of US democracy.

‘We are deeply troubled by Wednesday’s attack on the US Capitol, which demonstrated clearly the destructive impact of sustained, deliberate distortion of facts, and incitement to violence and hatred by political leaders,’ Bachelet said in a statement. ‘Allegations of electoral fraud have been invoked to try to undermine the right to political participation.’ ‘

We are encouraged to see that the process has continued in spite of serious attempts to disrupt it.’

‘We call on leaders from across the political spectrum, including the president of the United States, to disavow false and dangerous narratives, and encourage their supporters to do so as well.’

The former Chilean president also noted ‘with dismay the serious threats and destruction of property faced by media professionals.

‘We support calls from many quarters for a thorough investigation into Wednesday’s events.’

Meanwhile, the torrent of condemnation came as Capitol Police said Officer Brian Sicknick had died at a hospital of injuries sustained during clashes with the crowd-waving mob, which overwhelmed police and forced their way into the legislature.

It was the first law enforcement death from a day of violence which also left four protesters dead, including a woman who was shot and killed by police.

Three other deaths were reported on the Capitol grounds, but the circumstances remained unclear.

Bipartisan anger has mounted since the riot over the failure of law enforcement to prevent the mobs from entering Congress.

Steven Sund, the chief of the 2,300-strong Capitol Police, handed in his resignation, and lawmakers vowed a thorough investigation on security lapses.

Many questioned how police would have responded had the crowd been not overwhelmingly white Trump supporters but Black anti-racism protesters, who were met with force in nationwide demonstrations last year.

The controversy spread beyond Washington.

‘I think the most worrying thing about the recent events is the degree of police complicity with the right-wing extremists,’ said Daniel Colligan, a sociology professor who was among hundreds in New York marching Thursday night to Schumer’s home to demand Trump’s immediate ouster.

Former first lady Michelle Obama also weighed in.

‘True progress will be possible only once we acknowledge that this disconnect exists and take steps to repair it,’ she said.

‘And that also means coming to grips with the reality that millions voted for a man so obviously willing to burn our democracy to the ground for his own ego.’ AFP