Former Obama administration official Juliette Kayyem backpedaled a call Thursday for actions against Canadian truckers protesting their government’s strict coronavirus policies, Fox News reported.
The CNN analyst, who is also a senior lecturer in International Secutiry at Harvard, wrote in a social media post, “I tweeted something that has been used by others to suggest I was promoting vigilantism. I was not.” She apparently claimed her words had been misinterpreted.
“People have the freedom to protest. Governments have the responsibility to protect public safety. That was what I intended to say,” she added.
However, some Twitter users fired back at her post, one person writing, “I don’t think you were promoting vigilantism. I think you were promoting violence.”
“So what exactly is ‘slashing the tires’ and ’emptying the gas tanks’? Good ol fashioned family fun?” another replied.
In a post just before 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, Kayyem shared video footage of truckers blocking the Ambassador Bridge, a major trade route between America and Canada.
“The convoy protest, applauded by right wing media as a ‘freedom protest,’ is an economic and security issue now. The Ambassador Bridge link constitutes 28% of annual trade movement between US and Canada,” she tweeted.
“Slash the tires, empty gas tanks, arrest the drivers, and move the trucks,” Kayyem’s tweet continued.
Followers blasted her comments.
“You’re a ‘professor,’ right? You’re advocating violence and property damage for peaceful protestors? Were you this outspoken when BLM and Antifa were torching businesses and killing people? That was an economic and security issue, too,” one user replied.
“Can you elaborate on your brilliant plan to “move” trucks with no tires and no gas off of a bridge?” another asked.
In a subsequent post on Thursday, Kayyem wrote, “Trust me, I will not run out of ways to make this hurt: cancel their insurance; suspend their drivers licenses; prohibit any future regulatory certification for truckers, etc,”:
Meanwhile, Canadian Conservative party (CPC) MP and leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and voiced support for the Freedom Convoy protestors, Breitbart News reported Saturday.
According t0 National Post, Poilievre told journalist Anthony Furey during an interview, “I’m proud of the truckers and I stand with them.”
He added, “They have reached a breaking point after two years of massive government overreach of a prime minister who insults and degrades anyone who disagrees with his heavy-handed approach.”