“Our hearts and minds are with the people being persecuted so unfairly relating to the January 6th protest concerning the Rigged Presidential Election,” the former president wrote in a statement on Thursday.
“In addition to everything else, it has proven conclusively that we are a two-tiered system of justice.” On Saturday, former Trump campaign operative Matt Braynard plans to host a “Justice for J6” rally with his organisation Look Ahead America.
He has said the demonstration will be peaceful, and is meant to highlight what he argues is overzealous prosecution of the Capitol demonstrators, who ranged from peaceful protestors to those violently attacking police.
Donald Trump has offered his public support to those accused of joining the 6 January riot at the US Capitol which killed five people, claiming that suspects are “being persecuted so unfairly,” just days before a “Justice for J6” rally in Washington is set to commemorate the insurrection.
“These people’s faces are up on billboards,” he told The New York Times on Wednesday. “They’re losing their jobs. They’re losing their homes. They’re spending all their savings on attorneys. They’re going bankrupt for doing what on any other day, for any other cause would have gotten you a $50 fine and a slap on the wrist.” Donald Trump has denied any responsibility for causing the Capitol riot, but has long spoken sympathetically about those who joined in the mob, releasing a video the day his supporters ransacked the Capitol as Congress met to certify his election loss where he told them, “We love you, you’re very special.”
Still, the ex-president, as well as virtually all other top Republicans in Washington, are steering clear of the demonstration this weekend. Mr Trump views the event as a “setup” to make him look bad in the eyes of the media, anonymous sources told The New York Times.
Russia Calls for Anti-Terror Cooperation With US on 9/11
Russia on Saturday said it was ready to resume anti-terrorism cooperation with the United States as America marked the 20th anniversary of 9/11.
In a statement released by Moscow’s diplomatic mission in Washington, ambassador Anatoly Antonov said Russia was grieving together with the United States and proposed reviving cooperation on the fight against terrorism despite a litany of problems in bilateral ties.
The Moscow envoy said Russia was ready to resume bilateral dialogue on counterterrorism which was carried out under the auspices of the foreign ministries in 2018-2019.
«The Russian side is ready to revive the mentioned format. This is our natural priority,» Antonov said in a statement posted on the Facebook page of the Russian embassy.
«We should put aside all contradictions and disputes and cooperate for the benefit of security and prosperity of not just Russia and the United States, but all of humanity,» Antonov added.
Russia, he said, was grateful to the United States for sharing information that helped prevent attacks in Saint Petersburg in 2017 and 2019.
Troubled bilateral relations have rapidly deteriorated further after Joe Biden increased pressure on the Kremlin since becoming U.S. president in January.
In May, Russia formally labelled the United States an «unfriendly state.»
On Friday, Moscow summoned U.S. ambassador John Sullivan over what it said was interference of US tech giants in Russian parliamentary polls due next week.
