In his speech, subsequent audio recording and tweets, President Trump continued to reject the U.S. election results and incite his supporters —leading thousands to storm and breach the U.S. Capitol. In response, Amnesty International USA Interim Executive Director Bob Goodfellow issued the below statement:
“President Trump’s refusal to facilitate a peaceful transfer of power has put human rights, public safety and the rule of law at grave risk in the United States. The President’s embrace of white supremacist groups and extremists has further fanned the flames of the chaos and violence we witnessed today. All U.S. officials must respect, protect, and fulfill human rights, including the right to be free from violence, intimidation, and racism.
Background and context
Amnesty International USA is monitoring the situation and is deeply troubled by what is occurring in the country. The organization is calling on the President to deescalate, not add to, the climate of fear, uncertainty, and turmoil. The human rights organization is also calling on the President and his administration to ensure that they are disseminating reliable and trustworthy information, countering false and misleading information, and doing everything in their power to prevent and condemn attacks and intimidation.
Media contact: Mariya Parodi, [email protected]