14 hours ago
Minnesota GOP disputes protest critical of right-wing rhetoric said to have fueled lawmaker shootings
Protestors gathered outside Minnesota Republican headquarters in Edina Monday evening, speaking out against what organizers call right-wing violence and hate that they say is fanned by the Republican Party.
Investigators have not pointed to specific political affiliations for Vance Boelter in the recent lawmaker shootings, but protesters blame far-right-wing rhetoric.
"What happened that day was not shocking because it's the culmination of decades of violent rhetoric finally being turned into action by somebody," said Drew Harmon with the political organization MN 50501.
"The background that we have on Vance and the alleged shooter of these incidents, it's very clear that his political views were Republican leaning and he was very anti-choice," said Dieu Do, a member of the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee.
Republicans on Monday called the protest "reckless," asking for the DFL and Gov. Walz to "...take responsibility for the climate their allies are creating..."
"I think it's just really disrespectful to be doing this at a time that comes so close to such horrific political violence," said Minnesota GOP Deputy Director Donna Bergstrom.
The protest makes the Minnesota GOP a target, Bergstrom said.
"In recent weeks, the Minnesota GOP office has experienced vandalism and an alarming rise in online threats. Even interns have faced harassment from individuals physically showing up at the office," a spokesperson said.
"Myself personally, I've had my tires slashed recently," said Bergstrom.
"Protesting is a constitutional right, so we have every right to be here," said Do.
Bergstrom said protestors have First Amendment rights, but they shouldn't express them in a building the GOP shares with other occupants, and not so soon after the shootings of Minnesota lawmakers.
"This just really is not the time and place for this to happen, and that people can certainly exercise their First Amendment rights, but really be respectful of other people and their rights also," said Bergstrom.
"If they think that our group of protestors, who are completely peaceful, as fanning to the violence, then I would ask them what their party is doing," said Do.
