Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band Member Steven Van Zandt Says He Meant to Say ‘Exterminate’ Conservatives ‘At the Ballot Box’

After calling for and then deleting his demand for the left to “exterminate” conservative “cockroaches,” Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt is still walking back his incendiary comment, claiming he meant to say “exterminate at the ballot box.”

In a recent set of angry tweets, Steven Van Zandt defended his use of “cockroaches” to describe the political opposition after someone pointed out that the same insult was used in Rwanda to foment genocide.

Van Zandt claimed his use of “cockroach” was just “symbolism” and that he really meant to say “exterminate at the ballot box.” He called Trump supporters “pathetic MAgotts” and warned them: “Don’t project your mindless violence fantasies on this peace loving hippie.”

As Breitbart News reported,  Van Zandt tweeted on Sunday for the left to “exterminate these cockroaches once and for all,” referring broadly to conservatives. He appeared to be reacting to GOP opposition to gun control efforts in Tennessee.

Van Zandt deleted the tweet shortly thereafter, saying:

He later deleted that tweet as well.

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