'Soulless bunch': Internet slams GOP club for showing video of Breonna Taylor's killing in restaurant
BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY: The Republican Women's Club of South Central Kentucky hosted an event on Tuesday, January 17, that honored one of the law enforcement officers who participated in the raid that resulted in the death of Breonna Taylor.
The gathering took place at Anna's Greek Restaurant in Bowling Green, a well-known local establishment that features both a dining room and a space on the restaurant's second floor that can be rented out for parties and other gatherings.
RELATED ARTICLES
Taylor was shot eight times in March year 2020 by police, who accidentally stormed her home in connection with a drug bust. According to TNR, former Louisville Metro Police Department Sergeant Jonathan Mattingly, one of the officers who carried out the said raid, displayed photos and played video footage with the sounds of gunshots.
Meanwhile, as other guests, who were unaware of the event, including people of color, were left dumbfounded seeing what was happening. The restaurant failed to warn the guests, some of whom had booked reservations, about the unexpected event taking place upstairs at the last minute.
One of the guests, Cayce Johnson, told The New Republic that the lights were lowered while they were eating. “The woman comes back on and introduces Jonathan Mattingly, and everyone just roared upstairs—applause, cheers, and our mouths just dropped,” Johnson said.
Johnson took the audience "back to March 2020" before going through the presentation with photos and video footage with the sound of gunshots. "One of the members of our group was a war veteran and he has PTSD, so we were just in extreme shock," Johnson added.
Another diner, Katelyn Jones, reportedly said there was a raffle and some funny Covid-19 jokes at the occasion. According to her, her father first couldn't hear anything being said at the dinner table because of how loud the event was.
A Facebook video showed Johnson and her friends going to the restaurant owner, Vilson Qehaja, after they learned that Mattingly would be attending the event, to which he replied, "I have nothing to do with that, so."
"Republicans seem to be a rather soulless bunch"
The internet exploded with anger after such behavior from the Republicans. A reddit user wrote, "This is just sick. I hope this group of women is shunned by all their friends and family. Despicable," while another wrote, "Is this what they call the Daughters of the Confederacy these days?" Another user commented, "There is no bottom for people who hate as an identity."
"Republicans seem to be a rather soulless bunch," one user wrote. Criticizing the party, another person wrote, “Such disturbing occurrences must not be tolerated especially in places of public accommodation. Agreed." "Because people are quick to idolize someone who accomplishes their sick fantasies," another user wrote. One more user wrote, "For Republicans there is no bottom."
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.