An emotional video of former California Republican Gov. and Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger strongly condemning the deadly riots in the U.S. Capitol has been shared more than 24 million times on Twitter.
In the clash of nearly eight minutes shared Sunday, Schwarzenegger compares the pro-Trump mob that stormed the Capitol building last Wednesday to the Nazis of the 1930s.
“I grew up in Austria. I’m very aware of Kristallnacht, or the night of broken glass,” he said. “It was an evening of rioting against the Jews carried out in 1938 by the Nazi equivalent of the Proud Boys.”
“Wednesday was the day of broken glass here in the United States,” Schwarzenegger continued. “The broken glass was in the windows of the American Capitol. But the mob not only broke the windows of the Capitol; they shattered the ideals we take for granted.”
“They not only broke down the doors of the building that houses American democracy. They trampled on the principles on which our country was founded. I grew up in the ruins of a country that suffered the loss of its democracy,” he said. he said.
“I was born in 1947, two years after World War II. When I was growing up, I was surrounded by broken men who drank away their guilt over their participation in the worst regime in history. Not everyone was rabid anti-Semites or Nazis. “Many just walked step by step along the road.”
As of Sunday night, the video had been viewed 24.3 million times, more than 870,000 likes and more than 330,000 retweets.
Schwarzenegger also blamed President Donald Trump for the attack on the Capitol, saying he “sought a coup by deceiving people with lies”.
“President Trump is a failed leader,” he said. “He will go up in history as the worst president ever.”
His remarks come days after crowds of Trump supporters flocked to the country’s capital on Wednesday to demand the overthrow of President Joe Biden’s election victory. Amid the protests, a violent crowd illegally entered the Capitol when lawmakers gathered to confirm the election results.
The rioters climbed barriers around the building and destroyed and entered the premises, making it all the way to the Living Rooms. Five people were killed in the attack, including a police officer.
A number of public figures quickly praised Schwarzenegger for his powerful statement.
Former CIA Director John Brennan tweeted, “Powerful and moving. A sobering message that all Americans should rejoice.”
‘I have often noticed that immigrants appreciate the greatness of America better than many born here. It @Schwarzenegger message proves it again, ”MSNBC host Joe Scarborough remarked on Twitter.
Newsweek reached the Republican National Committee for comment. This story will be updated with any answer.
Screenshot / Twitter