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US President Donald Trump has defended his former tweet “when the looting starts, the shooting starts”. Trump said he first heard the phrase from former Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo. The tweet came during the George Floyd protests. It became one of Trump’s most controversial to-date with critics suggesting that the president was pushing for a violent reaction to protesters. Twitter flagged the tweet as glorifying violence, a move that angered Trump. President was asked about the tweet and if he understood the quote’s controversial past during an interview with Fox News aired on Friday. Fox News host Harris Faulkner said, “You look at me, and I’m Harris on TV, but I’m a black woman. I’m a mom. You’ve talked about it, but we haven’t seen you come out and be that consoler in this instance. Why those words”?

Trump said, “So, that’s an expression I’ve heard over the years”. Faulkner then asked if the president knew where the phrase first originated. President said, “I think Philadelphia, the Mayor of Philadelphia”. Harris said, “No, it comes from 1967”. Miami police commissioner Walter Headley made the remark when speaking to the press in 1967. He said we don’t mind being accused of police brutality at a time when there was unrest within the black neighborhoods in the city. The Fox News host pressed the president about using the incendiary language. He said it frightened a lot of people. But the president stood by his Twitter comments and said that he first heard it from Frank Rizzo, who was a police commissioner in Philadelphia before serving two terms as mayor.

President said, “He had an expression like that”, and called Rizzo Tough. He added, “But I’ve heard it many times. I think it’s been used many times”. Point to be noted that Rizzo died in 1991 and he was known for being a strong opponent of the desegregation of schools. He also urged constituents to Vote White when running for a 3^rd term and prevented the construction of public housing in majority-white neighborhoods. A 2000-pound statue was erected in front of the city hall in 1999 in honor of the mayor, but the statue was taken down last week by local officials because of Rizzo’s controversial history. Last week, Mayor Jim Kenney said, “The continued display of the statue has understandably enraged and hurt many Philadelphians, including those protesting the heinous murders of George Floyd and too many others. I have seen and heard their anguish. This statue now no longer stands in front of a building that serves all Philadelphians”.