A Pro-Trump Sheriff Is Calling For People To Riot With "Pitchforks And Torches"

The sheriff has previously called Black Lives Matter protests "primitive" and "subhuman behavior."

By
Julia Reinstein
by Julia Reinstein

BuzzFeed News Reporter

As more and more women come forward to allege they were sexually assaulted by Donald Trump, the candidate has doubled down on claims of a conspiracy to rig the election against him.

Evan Vucci / AP

Heeding his words, many of his supporters have begun calling for violence if Hillary Clinton is to win.

“If she’s in office, I hope we can start a coup. She should be in prison or shot. That’s how I feel about it,” Dan Bowman, a 50-year-old contractor, told the Boston Globe. “We’re going to have a revolution and take them out of office if that’s what it takes. There’s going to be a lot of bloodshed. But that’s what it’s going to take...I would do whatever I can for my country.”

The violent rhetoric went a step further on Saturday when David A. Clarke Jr., a conservative Milwaukee sheriff, said it was "pitchforks and torches time."

Twitter

Though registered as a Democrat, Clarke is a prominent Trump supporter, and spoke at the GOP convention in July.

People were horrified at the sheriff's words, calling his statement "sedition" and saying it "[incited] mass violence."

Dave Wasserman @Redistrict

For those who don't think threat of post-election civil unrest is real, here's the elected (pro-Trump Dem) sheriff… https://t.co/U092ZIOdzY

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Samuel Sinyangwe @samswey

A sheriff inciting mass violence. Just another Saturday. https://t.co/xh5lWgFa9o

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Paul Vale @PaulVale

@SheriffClarke A man elected to maintain law and order calls for mob violence and insurrection. 'O say can you see...'

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Writhing Cortex @SeethingVortex

This is a hair's breadth away from outright sedition https://t.co/VMR6uYHquk

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Mikel Jollett @Mikel_Jollett

@SheriffClarke To be clear: you want to kill people, like me, who choose a different candidate?

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And many pointed out the irony that Clarke vehemently opposes the Black Lives Matter movement, even calling one such protest "primitive" and "subhuman behavior."

Jasmine Shea @SheaDiamond

so you're calling for white people riot now..when black people did it over an actual injustice you called them thugs https://t.co/ERbCte7P1i

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Travis Proulx @travisproulx

This is a sheriff encouraging rioting. BTW he's the same "law and order" sheriff who speaks against protests when t… https://t.co/CwfzasQSDP

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BuzzFeed News has reached out to Clarke for comment.

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