BATON ROUGE – Donald Rouse sr., Co-owner of Rouses, issued a public apology during a radio interview on Friday, about two weeks after he was photographed during a pro-Trump protest that ends with rioters in the US Capitol.
Rouse told WBOK in New Orleans that he exercised “poor judgment” when he attended the January 6 rally, which eventually turned violent when protesters stormed the Capitol building and interrupted lawmakers trying to defeat the presidential election to confirm.
He said during the interview that he was not there to protest the election results, but that he wanted to experience the opportunity first hand.
“I did not go there in support of Trump,” Rouse said. ‘I went there to hear him speak. I went there … for history, I would say, I would think. ‘
Rouse added that he did not have a ticket and stayed out of the barrier to watch Trump’s speech, reiterating that he left before the protest became violent. He also said he was one of the few people at the event who wore a mask, which made him feel a little out of place.
Actor Wendell Pierce, who was among those who called for a boycott of the store following the protest, also asked Rouse during the interview if he thought the 2020 presidential election was ‘stolen’.
“No sir, I do not believe the election was stolen,” he said. “I believe Trump was wrong … I will support Joe Biden as long as he is president.”
According to NOLA.com, the businessman also admitted that his son had warned him to go to Washington, DC, adding that he might have listened to him.
WBOK 1230 AM is one of the longest-running black-owned radio stations in the country. Terrebonne Parish NAACP President Jerome Boykin, a friend of Rouse, encouraged him to interview the station.
Boykin said he did not agree with Rouse’s decision to attend the protest, but that he thought it was clear Mr. Rouse gave back to all communities, including the African-American community. ”