Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said President Donald Trump should "keep his mouth shut" if he doesn't have anything "constructive to say" instead of telling law enforcement officials to "dominate" protesters.
“On behalf of the police chiefs in this country, if you don’t have anything constructive to say, keep your mouth shut,” Acevedo told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, in reference to a phone call where the president told governors “dominate” protesters.
Riots have torn apart cities around the United States following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis last week after then-officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck.
“Because you’re putting men and women in their early twenties at risk,” Acevedo said. “It’s not about dominating, it’s about winning hearts and minds. And let’s be clear, we do not want people to confuse kindness with weakness, but we do not want ignorance to ruin what we’ve got here in Houston.”
He added: “This is not Hollywood, this is real life, and real lives are at risk."
This isn't the first time Acevedo has spoken out against Republican politicians. In December he called for more gun control and lashed out at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. and Texas Republican senators, John Cornyn and Ted Cruz after Sgt. Chris Brewster was shot and killed responding to a domestic violence call.
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