Rapper/R&B singer Chris Brown took to social media this week to urge those planning on protesting Donald Trump rallies to travel in large groups so as to be better protected when altercations break out.
In an expletive-filled video posted to his Instagram on Thursday (that appears to have since been deleted), the 26-year-old singer told his nearly 25 million followers that those planning to interrupt the billionaire GOP presidential frontrunner’s rallies should do so in groups of people “40, 50 deep.”
“Man, this sh–t is getting crazy. Black people getting assaulted at f–king rallies where you’re supposed to talk at,” Brown said in the video, posted shortly after news emerged that an attendee at Trump’s North Carolina rally last week had punched a protester in the face. “What you need to start doing — all these black people, go together 40, 50 deep.”
“See what they do then,” the singer added, according to the New York Daily News. “Keep touching us, motherf–ker.”
Brown reportedly captioned his video rant: “F–k Trump and f–k the pigs. To see this evil sh–t is so wrong! God will have his revenge! Trust me!”
According to Gossip Cop, the singer appeared to take partial credit for the violent protests that disrupted Trump’s planned rally in Chicago Friday night, reportedly re-posting a fan’s image to Instagram, showing a group shot of the protesters along with the caption: “Chris’ Voice/Opinion is So Powerful.”
“Even if it’s not for me, the message doesn’t change, vote, be aware, be articulate, be heard!!!!!” Brown commented.
In another video posted to social media (that also appears to have since been deleted), the “Don’t Judge Me” singer said he was “glad to see us as a people are starting to use our voice more.”
“All I can say is just no violence, man, no violence,” Brown said, according to Gossip Cop. “Go to these rallies, protest, man, vote, speak for what is right. I’m saying it like everyone else, but do the right thing.”
Of course, Brown has his own troubled history with violence; in 2009, the singer infamously pled guilty to felony assault after beating his then-girlfriend Rihanna in a car shortly before the pair’s scheduled performances at that year’s Grammy Awards. In May, the singer was named a suspect in a basketball-related battery in Las Vegas, just two weeks after settling another assault case.