Maxine Waters Warns Supporters of Potential 'Armed Protests' Against Her
Rep. Maxine Waters warned her supporters that she anticipates possible "armed protests" against her, and urged followers not to get drawn into counter protests. Waters issued the warning on Wednesday, July 18, following a call for demonstrations against her from an extremist group.
According to a statement from the Democratic representative for California, she has been made aware of potential protests by a group calling themselves the Oath Keepers. The group has been involved in armed protests across the country in the past, according to ABC News.
The Oath Keepers are reportedly planning weeks of protests against her starting Thursday, July 19.
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Waters warned her supporters to be careful not to be "baited" into staging potentially violent counter protests of their own. She also urged them not to confront the group that she described as "an anti-government militia," one that has a track record of "violent and provocative behavior" according to the congresswoman.
"I am requesting those individuals and groups planning a counter-protest to not be baited into confronting the Oath Keepers with any demonstrations in opposition," she said in a statement, as quoted by The Hill.
Waters herself was assailed by critics from both sides of the aisle for her earlier call to supporters to confront members of the Trump cabinet. Days later, she would attempt to back up on her confrontative rhetoric by saying that she has "nothing to do with the way people decide to protest."
Since then, she has emphasized her claimed belief on "peaceful protests," as she reaffirmed earlier this week. "Such an occurrence would only exacerbate tensions and increase the potential for conflict," she added about any counter-protests people could be planning against the Oath Keepers.
"The Oath Keepers would like nothing more than to inflame racial tensions and create an explosive conflict in our community," Waters added.
