Current Events > Trump threatens anyone who destroys monuments with 10 years in prison

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-protesters-destroy-monuments-statues-arrest-ten-years-prison-a9580916.html

Donald Trump has threatened anyone who desecrates statues in the US with 10 years in prison after a number of prominent monuments were defaced and pulled down amid ongoing civil rights protests.

The president added that any charges could be applied "retroactively" to those who had caused damage to such sites in recent weeks doubling down on a similar call for prison time for those who vandalise monuments on Monday evening.

It comes after statues particularly those of figures linked to the confederacy, colonialism and slavery were defaced by protesters aligned with the Black Lives Matter movement as part of an ongoing drive to challenge structural racism following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis last month.

"I have authorized the Federal Government to arrest anyone who vandalizes or destroys any monument, statue or other such Federal property in the US with up to 10 years in prison, per the Veterans Memorial Preservation Act, or such other laws that may be pertinent.", the president wrote on Twitter.

"This action is taken effective immediately, but may also be used retroactively for destruction or vandalism already caused. There will be no exceptions!"

The day before his tweet, protesters had attempted to remove a statue of president Andrew Jackson a slave owner who displaced native Americans to use their land for plantations from Lafayette Park, opposite the White House.

Mr Trump has previously identified the 7th man to hold the position as his favourite predecessor.

Shortly after the incident US interior secretary David Bernhardt issued a statement, saying: "Let me be clear: We will not bow to anarchists. Law and order will prevail, and justice will be served."

It follows on from action that has continued across the nation and the world as activists attempt to shine a light on systemic racism while calling into question those who are deemed worthy of veneration.

In the UK a statue of slaver Edward Colston was dragged to the ground and thrown into the river Avon earlier this month, while other monuments including a likeness of Winston Churchill outside parliament were defaced.

And at the weekend protestors in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park toppled a statue of Francis Scott Key, the composer of the National Anthem and a slave owner, as well as a statue of Spanish missionary Junipero Serra, a Roman Catholic priest who forcibly converted and brutalized Native American people. A statue of Ulysses S Grant, the Union general responsible for the defeat of the Confederacy who himself owned a slave, was also torn down.

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1. I'm pretty sure he doesn't have the ability/power to do this

2. He's outright stating the Veteran's Memorial Preservation Act covers members of the Confederacy? Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
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Rofl does he realize this will just make people try even harder to destroy these statues?

What a dumbass. Hes so clueless

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Didnt they take down a monument of Grant? They arent just tearing down Confederacy monuments.

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Kazi1212 posted...

Didnt they take down a monument of Grant? They arent just tearing down Confederacy monuments.

Basically if you existed before WW1 your statute is coming down.

Whether you were on the good or bad side.

Because slave owners bad (they are but this is the most base common reason for non-Confederates)

So clueless.

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Duncanwii posted...

Fair Next. If you destroy history we'll destroy you in return.

Who's "we"?

DoctorPiranha3 posted...

Who's "we"?

No one in particular I just wanted to sound tough.
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Kazi1212 posted...

Didnt they take down a monument of Grant? They arent just tearing down Confederacy monuments.

Yes but that is irrelevant to the point at hand. He said "any".

Confederate soldiers are not recognized as veterans of the US Military, and thus the Act cannot apply.
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Pretty sure we have a rather important document that prohibits ex post facto law.

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Destroying the Confederacy is an important part of my heritage.

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Bio1590 posted...

In the UK a statue of slaver Edward Colston was dragged to the ground and thrown into the river Avon earlier this month, while other monuments including a likeness of Winston Churchill outside parliament were defaced.

I'm pretty sure that one just tripped. Freak accident, could've happened to anyone/

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the fuck does he think this country is? China?

authoritarian rule isnt gonna work here Trumpy

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Well that'll stop them

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trump's america

ScionTC_07 posted...

the fuck does he think this country is? China?

authoritarian rule isnt gonna work here Trumpy

He has seemingly wanted to be little dictator his entire Presidency.

"I have authorized the Federal Government to arrest anyone who vandalizes or destroys any monument, statue or other such Federal property in the US with up to 10 years in prison, per the Veterans Memorial Preservation Act, or such other laws that may be pertinent.", the president wrote on Twitter.

At least he's providing some sort of legal justification. Probably kinda shaky, but it's there.

Bio1590 posted...

1. I'm pretty sure he doesn't have the ability/power to do this

He does, in regards to people violating the Veterans Memorial Preservation Act. It's most likely doesn't apply to Confederate statues, also I doubt the Federal law enforcement will actually follow through, though.

JE19426 posted...

He does, in regards to people violating the Veterans Memorial Preservation Act. It's most likely doesn't apply to Confederate statues, also I doubt the Federal law enforcement will actually follow through, though.

He doesn't, Barr does. Obviously at this point there's no real separation of powers there, but Trump has no authority to tell anyone to do anything in regards to this himself.

Also I'm pretty sure this only applies to federal property as well.
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Bio1590 posted...

He doesn't, Barr does. Obviously at this point there's no real separation of powers there, but Trump has no authority to tell anyone to do anything in regards to this himself.

There's no separation of power between Barr or Trump, they are both part of the executive branch, and Trump is in charge of that. Nor was there every supposed to be.

Also I'm pretty sure this only applies to federal property as well.

It doesn't, it applies to all areas under the jurisdiction of the Federal government, which due to the way dual sovereignty works, means all of the US.

MFBKBass5 posted...

Rofl does he realize this will just make people try even harder to destroy these statues?

What a dumbass. Hes so clueless

Crazy like a fox tbh. He wants attention and has mastered the art of getting it.

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Can he do that?

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And then conservatives complain when he gets called a fascist. I cant imagine any other previous president in recent memory doubling down on fighting the protesters instead of opening up dialogue and say whatever it takes to DEESCALATE the situation.

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When did serial liars become genuinely respectful of history?

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Firewerx posted...

When did serial liars become genuinely respectful of history?

When an Andrew Jackson statue was threatened, and said serial liar has said that genocidal maniac is his favourite President.
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I counter propose that anyone who takes down that Andrew Jackson statue be made president in Trump's place

Turbam posted...

Can he do that?

The one thing that particularly sticks in my craw is his threat to 'retroactively' punish people for it. Someone more learned might need to correct me on the finer points, but I'm pretty sure ex post facto law is one of the first things expressly addressed and forbidden in the Constitution; it's something that our Founding Fathers unilaterally agreed upon at both state and federal level, probably because (shockingly) it's a baby-dick tyrant move.

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Imagine trying to lock someone away for a decade over a fucking statue. Rapists get less time than that.

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masterpug53 posted...

The one thing that particularly sticks in my craw is his threat to 'retroactively' punish people for it. Someone more learned might need to correct me on the finer points, but I'm pretty sure ex post facto law is one of the first things expressly addressed and forbidden in the Constitution; it's something that our Founding Fathers unilaterally agreed upon at both state and federal level, probably because (shockingly) it's a baby-dick tyrant move.

as no surprise to anyone, Trump has never read the constitution and has no idea what is allowed in the US

Itt: monuments are history

xD

masterpug53 posted...

The one thing that particularly sticks in my craw is his threat to 'retroactively' punish people for it. Someone more learned might need to correct me on the finer points, but I'm pretty sure ex post facto law is one of the first things expressly addressed and forbidden in the Constitution; it's something that our Founding Fathers unilaterally agreed upon at both state and federal level, probably because (shockingly) it's a baby-dick tyrant move.

He isn't passing an ex post factor law. He is merely "ordering" (technical he is given them permission instead or ordering) one already in place get enforced. So it doesn't apply.

JE19426 posted...

He isn't passing an ex post factor law. He is merely "ordering" (technical he is given them permission instead or ordering) one already in place get enforced. So it doesn't apply.

Pretty sure ex post facto also covers retroactively increasing punishment for existing laws, not just making up new retroactive laws. The way Trump worded his 'authorization' falls into this category. Not to mention that he, well, deliberately used the word 'retroactively.'

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got to protect his hero andrew jackson...

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Did he build the wall? Did he throw Hilary in jail? No? Then who cares?

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bunker orange, black people are getting destroyed!
bunker orange: ^_^
duncanwii: ^_^

bubkee orange, statues are getting destroyed!
bunker orange: NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
duncanwii: WE WILL DESTROY U!

I'm starting to think that Trump has no idea what powers the President actually has and he thinks that the President is the same as a dictator.
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Duncan is like that annoying little brother that hangs around behind mom whenever shes yelling at you saying "Yeah!" like his balls have suddenly decided to drop.

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Ving_Rhames posted...

Duncan is like that annoying little brother that hangs around behind mom whenever shes yelling at you saying "Yeah!" like his balls have suddenly decided to drop.

like chihuahuas bark when theyre in the arms of their owners?

TopKekBro posted...

like chihuahuas bark when theyre in the arms of their owners?

And the chihuahua thinks that they know everything even though they're sheltered af.
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masterpug53 posted...

Pretty sure ex post facto also covers retroactively increasing punishment for existing laws, not just making up new retroactive laws. The way Trump worded his 'authorization' falls into this category. Not to mention that he, well, deliberately used the word 'retroactively.'

They aren't changing the punishment. It was always up to 10 years.

You should get exactly as many years in prison for tearing down a racist monument as you get for doing a hostile takeover of government buildings in buttfuck wyoming or wherever.
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This is both morally wrong and legally/constitutionally wrong. But when has either of those things ever stopped the fat orange fuck from trying?
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You see Trump is a fucking moron