Montgomery County Commissioners Val Arkoosh and Ken Lawrence joined together Tuesday afternoon to denounce a statement regarding the riots and looting in Philadelphia and throughout the country issued by their colleague, Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Gale, on Monday.
“The perpetrators of this urban domestic terror are radical left-wing hate groups like Black Lives Matter,” Gale wrote on Montgomery County letterhead on June 1.
“This organization, in particular, screams racism not to expose bigotry and injustice, but to justify the lawless destruction of our cities and surrounding communities. Their objective is to unleash chaos and mayhem without consequence by falsely claiming they, in fact, are the victims.”
Arkoosh and Lawrence said they wanted to “make it clear that [Gale’s] statement, in no part, reflects the sentiments or opinions of the majority Commissioners, or of this County government.”
They further stated: “Our democracy celebrates the rights of citizens to express themselves in demonstrations and to do so without fear. Those with a desire for change took to the streets to send a strong message for an end to institutionalized racism in our criminal justice system, our economy, our health care system, and our schools. The message of those peaceful protestors is clear: systemic equity is a goal we must strive for in all sectors of society and the goal we must strive for here in Montgomery County.”
Click through to Facebook to view Commissioners Arkoosh and Lawrence’s full response.
