Michigan Rep. Justin Amash denounced armed protesters in his state who rallied inside the Michigan state capital building last week to voice their opposition with Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s lockdown policy.
Amash, who launched an exploratory committee for president upon becoming Libertarian, told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday that hundreds of armed protesters inappropriately conveyed their message with military-style weapons that scared lawmakers, who wore bulletproof vests to the legislative session.
“Everyone has the right to protest, and I think the governor overreached in a lot of ways, and that upset a lot of people in the state of Michigan. But when we protest, we have to do it in a way that is appropriate. I totally denounce and condemn Nazi symbols that were used in some of the protests. I think it’s a terrible idea to come into the capital bearing weapons, knowing that it might be perceived as some form of intimidation toward legislators. So, I denounce those things.”
Whitmer’s executive decision to close nonessential businesses in the state has been met with fierce criticism. Hundreds of protesters, some of who carried firearms and refused to wear face masks, stormed the Michigan state capital on April 27 as lawmakers debated extending the state’s quarantine policies.
Amash is an adamant Trump critic who announced his departure from the Republican Party in a July 4 piece published in the Washington Post. Amash said Trump’s election had led to a “partisan death spiral” in American politics.
On Tuesday, Amash defended his gun comments after he was criticized for appearing to strike against the unabashed Second Amendment protectionism espoused by the Libertarian Party.
“I fully support open carry in Michigan and the right of protesters to bear arms in the Capitol,” Amash tweeted. “But that doesn’t mean it’s wise to openly carry arms in the Senate gallery above legislators on the floor. We must recognize how it’s perceived and how it may undermine public support.”
