Cruz leads Republicans in accusing Maxine Waters of 'actively encouraging riots and violence'

Senator Ted Cruz has accused Democrats of ‘actively encouraging riots & violence’ after California Representative Maxine Waters joined protesters in Minnesota on Saturday night, and urged the crowd to ‘get more confrontational’. 

Cruz and others slammed Waters for her remarks in Minneapolis on Saturday night — made just hours before two National Guardsmen tasked with keeping the peace there were injured in a drive-by shooting.

Waters traveled to Minneapolis the weekend before closing arguments in the trial of Derek Chauvin, charged with murdering George Floyd on May 25. She also spoke amid protests in response to the killing last week of Daunte Wright, a black 20-year-old shot and killed at a traffic stop by a white police officer, Kimberly Potter. 

 ‘I am not happy that we have talked about police reform for so long,’ Waters said, demanding a guilty verdict in the Chauvin trial and adding: ‘If we don’t [get it], we cannot go away. We’ve got to stay on the street.’

She added that protesters needed ‘get more active, more confrontational’ and they should ignore the curfew in place. 

Hours after Waters’ passionate speech, a Minnesota National Guard and Minneapolis police team were fired upon in a drive-by shooting.

Maxine Waters, congresswoman for California, was in Minnesota on Saturday evening, saying that demonstrators needed 'get more active, more confrontational'

Maxine Waters, congresswoman for California, was in Minnesota on Saturday evening, saying that demonstrators needed ‘get more active, more confrontational’

A bullet hole is seen in the windshield of a Minnesota National Guard vehicle that was targeted in a drive-by shooting early on Sunday. Two Guardsmen suffered minor injuries

A bullet hole is seen in the windshield of a Minnesota National Guard vehicle that was targeted in a drive-by shooting early on Sunday. Two Guardsmen suffered minor injuries

A bullet hole in a National Guard vehicle is seen after Guardsmen were targeted on Sunday

A bullet hole in a National Guard vehicle is seen after Guardsmen were targeted on Sunday

Senator Ted Cruz accused Waters and fellow Democrats of seeking to 'to tear us apart'

Senator Ted Cruz accused Waters and fellow Democrats of seeking to ‘to tear us apart’

The team was providing neighborhood security in Minneapolis when, at about 4.19am local time, a light colored SUV drove by and blasted shots at an occupied National Guard vehicle.

No team members were seriously injured, though two National Guard members suffered minor injuries: One was injured by shattered glass and taken to a local hospital, while the other suffered only superficial injuries. 

Cruz accused Waters and fellow Democrats of seeking to ‘to tear us apart.’ 

‘Why is Maxine Waters traveling to a different state trying to incite a riot? What good can come from this?’ asked Lauren Boebert, representative for Colorado.

Fellow Colorado representative Ken Buck said: ‘Why is a sitting member of Congress encouraging protesters to get “confrontational?”’ 

Arizona Republican Andy Biggs added: ‘The Radical Left don’t care if your towns are burning, if there’s violence in your streets, or if the police are too defunded to defend their communities. 

‘As long as the Left appeases their anti-America base, their job is done.’ 

And Marjorie Taylor Greene, congresswoman for Georgia, called for her to be expelled from Congress.  

‘As a sitting United States Congresswoman @MaxineWaters threatened a jury demanding a guilty verdict and threatened violence if Chauvin is found not guilty. This is also an abuse of power. #ExpelMaxineWaters’

She called Waters ‘a danger to our society.’  

On Twitter, others joined in the outrage at Waters’ remarks. 

‘Of course she’ll get away with saying that while anyone else would’ve been thrown in jail,’ Rick Santella tweeted.

Another user tweeted, ‘Good grief lady, leave get out of here.’

One person also accused Waters of ‘stirring people up again with her calls for violence.’  

Pictured: Congresswoman Maxine Waters leaving the protest at the Brooklyn Center Police Department on Saturday

Pictured: Congresswoman Maxine Waters leaving the protest at the Brooklyn Center Police Department on Saturday

Maxine Waters (D-CA) joins demonstrators in a protest outside the Brooklyn Center police station on Saturday night

Maxine Waters (D-CA) joins demonstrators in a protest outside the Brooklyn Center police station on Saturday night

Maxine Waters (D-CA) joins demonstrators in a protest outside the Brooklyn Center police station on Saturday night

Waters is planning on staying in town until Monday.

According to CBS Minnesota, officials stated that there was a brief altercation between reporters and protesters as Waters was leaving on Saturday, the first reports of any skirmishes.

The Pioneer Press reports demonstrators gathered Saturday afternoon at the home of Washington County Attorney Pete Orput, responsible for the second-degree manslaughter charges against Potter.

The protesters stood outside of Orput’s home before marching through is neighborhood in Stillwater.

Black Lives Matter activist Nekima Levy Armstrong said that Orput left his home briefly to engage in a conversation with protesters. 

Protesters outside the home of Pete Orput, the Washington County Attorney in Stillwater on Saturday afternoon

Protesters outside the home of Pete Orput, the Washington County Attorney in Stillwater on Saturday afternoon

Pictured: Armed members of the New Black Panther Party standing in front of the Brooklyn Center Police Department

Pictured: Armed members of the New Black Panther Party standing in front of the Brooklyn Center Police Department

Pictured: Peaceful protesters in front of the Brooklyn Center Police Department on Saturday night

Pictured: Peaceful protesters in front of the Brooklyn Center Police Department on Saturday night

A demonstrator spray-paints at Union Station near the U.S Capitol, during a march in Washington, D.C. on Saturday

A demonstrator spray-paints at Union Station near the U.S Capitol, during a march in Washington, D.C. on Saturday

Demonstrators raise their fists at Union Station near the U.S Capitol, during a march in Washington, D.C. on Saturday

Demonstrators raise their fists at Union Station near the U.S Capitol, during a march in Washington, D.C. on Saturday

A demonstrator holds a Black Lives Matter sign during a protest outside the Brooklyn Center police station on Saturday

A demonstrator holds a Black Lives Matter sign during a protest outside the Brooklyn Center police station on Saturday

A demonstrator holds up a sign during a protest outside the Brooklyn Center police station on Saturday night

A demonstrator holds up a sign during a protest outside the Brooklyn Center police station on Saturday night

Demonstrators gather during a protest outside the Brooklyn Center police station on Saturday night

Demonstrators gather during a protest outside the Brooklyn Center police station on Saturday night

Protests have also been taking place in Chicago following the death of 13-year-old Adam Toledo, as well as New York City and across the rest of the United States.

On Friday night, many protests across the nation started off peacefully before sporadic clashes broke out between Black Lives Matters protesters and the police.   

The U.S. Capitol Building is seen as police try to put out the fire from a flag during a demonstration in Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Capitol Building is seen as police try to put out the fire from a flag during a demonstration in Washington, D.C.

Police arrive to extinguish a burning "Thin blue line" flag during a demonstration in Washington, D.C. on Saturday

Police arrive to extinguish a burning ‘Thin blue line’ flag during a demonstration in Washington, D.C. on Saturday

Police officers stand guard on a roof as demonstrators gather during a protest outside the Brooklyn Center police station

Police officers stand guard on a roof as demonstrators gather during a protest outside the Brooklyn Center police station

Police officers stand guard on a roof as demonstrators gather beside a sign reading 'Stop State Terror'

Police officers stand guard on a roof as demonstrators gather beside a sign reading ‘Stop State Terror’

A fire is seen as a protester holds a flag at the Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain on Saturday night

A fire is seen as a protester holds a flag at the Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain on Saturday night

University of Minnesota medical students and doctors also marched on the Brooklyn Center Police Department on Saturday, a day after it was the site of most of the night’s unrest. 

Peaceful protests on Friday devolved into clashes between protesters and police, with flash bangs and pepper spray utilized by the cops.

There originally was not expected to be a curfew for the first time in several days, before one was suddenly imposed during the night’s demonstrations. 

Media members were briefly detained and 136 people were arrested. 

Demonstrators hold up photos of Daunte Wright as they protest outside the Brooklyn Center police station on Saturday

Demonstrators hold up photos of Daunte Wright as they protest outside the Brooklyn Center police station on Saturday

Saturday marks the seventh night of protests in Brooklyn Center since the police shooting of Daunte Wright

Saturday marks the seventh night of protests in Brooklyn Center since the police shooting of Daunte Wright 

Demonstrators march in Washington, D.C. to protest police violence after the death of Daunte Wright

Demonstrators march in Washington, D.C. to protest police violence after the death of Daunte Wright

Protesters took to the streets in Washington, D.C. to protest police violence on Saturday night

Protesters took to the streets in Washington, D.C. to protest police violence on Saturday night 

A temporary restraining order was filed to prevent police from arresting or harming journalists.

‘Following feedback from media, and in light of a recent temporary restraining order (TRO) filed in federal court, MSP will not photograph journalists or their credentials,’ the Minnesota State Patrol said in a statement.  

According to the Washington Post, several protesters were arrested on Saturday night. It’s unclear why they were arrested, as the protest of about a hundred was drawing to a close.

Earlier in the day, there were peaceful protests across the nation, including Columbus, Ohio, and Philadelphia.

According to NBC Philadelphia, crowds in that city walked through City Center towards City Hall peacefully in a protest that lasted around five hours.

Nevertheless, some businesses did board up and 1,000 National Guard troops were preemptively deployed. 

Police bicycles are seen on the street following a march in Washington, D.C. on Saturday night

Police bicycles are seen on the street following a march in Washington, D.C. on Saturday night

Following sporadic clashes on Friday night, there have been no reports of violence early on Saturday night in Washington DC

Following sporadic clashes on Friday night, there have been no reports of violence early on Saturday night in Washington DC

Black Lives Matter activists raise their fists in solidarity during a rally against police brutality in front of the Ohio Statehouse on Saturday afternoon in Columbus, Ohio

Black Lives Matter activists raise their fists in solidarity during a rally against police brutality in front of the Ohio Statehouse on Saturday afternoon in Columbus, Ohio

Protesters gathered in Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon to protest the recent police shootings

Protesters gathered in Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon to protest the recent police shootings

source: dailymail.co.uk