Former President Donald Trump supporters angry of his 34-felony conviction by a New York jury flooded pro-Trump websites with calls for riots, revolution and violent retribution, reports "Reuters".
After Trump became the first US president to be convicted of a felony, his supporters responded with dozens of online posts of comments on three Trump-related websites: the former president's own Truth Social platform, Patriots.Win and Gateway Pundit.
Some called for attacks on jurors, the execution of the judge, Judge Juan Mercan, or outright civil war and armed insurrection.
"Someone in New York with nothing to lose should look after Murchan," wrote one commentator on Patriots.Win. "Hopefully he meets up with an illegal with a machete," the post said in reference to illegal immigrants.
Comment posted on Gateway Pundit calls for shooting liberals after verdict. "It's time to start curbing some lefties," the post said. "This cannot be decided by a vote."
Threats of violence and intimidating rhetoric have increased since Trump lost the 2020 election and falsely claimed the vote was stolen. While campaigning for a second term in the White House, Trump portrayed the judges and prosecutors in his trials as corrupt tools of the Biden administration.
Threats of violence and intimidating rhetoric have increased since Trump lost the 2020 election and falsely claimed the vote was stolen.
"This was a disgrace, this was a rigged trial by an embattled judge who was corrupt," Trump told reporters afterward, repeating comments he often made during the trial.
A 12-judge jury found Trump guilty on Thursday of falsifying documents in an attempt to cover up a payment in exchange for silence about having sex with a porn star before the 2016 election. Sentencing is scheduled for July 11, days before the Republican Party officially nominated Trump for president ahead of the Nov. 5 election. Trump has denied wrongdoing and is expected to appeal the decision.
After Thursday's verdict, many of his supporters also said his conviction was proof that the American political system is broken and that only violent action can save the country.
"1,000,000 armed men should go to Washington and hang them all. It's the only solution," Patriots.win said in a comment. Another added: "Trump should know by now that he has an army ready to fight and die for him if he says the words... I'll take a gun if he wants.
Other publications suggest that Democrats in general should be shot. "America has been completely destroyed by the Democrats. Lock and load," wrote a commenter on Gateway Pundit.