Gun control activist David Hogg condemned violence on Monday before drawing back his comments and apologizing for suggesting his comments included violent acts committed by nonwhite people, the Daily Wire reported.
Hogg, cofounder of the gun control advocacy group March For Our Lives, called for a “nonviolent political revolution” and stated that movements pushed through “violence and hate” are counterproductive. His comments came after a summer of Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests that spawned hundreds of riots across major American cities.
“Young people can stage a nonviolent political revolution over the coming decade but it will require all of us voting in consistently high # EVERY election, protesting, organizing and running for office and most importantly the persistence, love and community to overcome setbacks,” Hogg tweeted on Monday morning. “To do so we must all practice the humility, kindness and grace to be the political leaders we need to be in order to create such change.”
“We must not fall for the slander espoused by those in power that says violence will solve our problems, they only say that so they can have an excuse to grow their authoritarianism. I have seen how violence and hate destroys lives and communities- it is not the answer,” he continued. “The use of violence to acquire political power is deeply rooted in imperialism, capitalism and white supremacy[.] I personally refuse to believe that the use of this same violence will ever create nonviolent systems of government that represent and support everyone.”
Hogg later clarified that his comments are only directed at “young white people” who have managed to use protests and riots as “cover” to loot, vandalize, and destroy stores and attack others.
He continued by saying that “BIPOC”—an acronym that stands for black, indigenous, and people of color—are exempt from his statement condemning violence. He apparently made the correction after a number of his followers criticized him for not separating violent acts committed by white and nonwhite people.
“This is directed specifically at the young white people I see arming themselves or wanting to so they can go and loot and act in antagonistic ways against the state trying to use allyship as a cover,” Hogg said. “Let me be clear what I am NOT trying to do is tell BIPOC people how they should react to violence directed at them by the state. It’s not my place or any white persons to direct or criticize the way BIPOC people choose to defend themselves against this violence from the state.”
“I am sorry for how understandably anyone could have misinterpreted what was said,” he continued. “I appreciate those that have called me out and let me know how this tweet was offensive and I am welcome to continuing to learn. Many are understandably upset and offended and I have have (sic) to do my part in admitting to mistakes when I make them and supporting my friends.”
A recent example of Hogg’s sentiment comes as a nonwhite BLM protester in Southern California drove into a crowd of Trump supporters—an act that has not garnered widespread condemnation from those on the left. The message appears to be that political violence is permitted so long as it is not a white person committing the heinous acts.
A female journalist in Austin, Texas was assaulted last week for doing nothing more than asking questions and filming the demonstrations. These so-called political revolutionaries punched her in the back of the head, shoved her around, and stole her phone before she was able to get out of the area.