#TuckerCarlsonIsARacist trends after Fox host calls BLM 'powerful political party' that doesn't care for blacks
Tucker Carlson opened his eponymous show on Monday, June 8 night by slamming Minneapolis’ Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey for kowtowing to Black Lives Matter activists over the weekend, describing the display as "manic enthusiasm and feigned empathy."
The popular Fox News host was addressing the growing calls to defund police departments across the country in the wake of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis police custody.
"Within days, pressure mounted on the mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey, to get rid of his city's police department," Carlson began. "This was a problem for Frey. Frey has greater political aspirations and this was the last conversation he wanted to have. So he did his best to change the subject... "
The host subsequently played a viral clip of the mayor standing with a large crowd of demonstrators near his home, confessing into a microphone that he was “coming to grips with my own brokenness.” Frey also vowed to revamp "a systemic racist system."
"Groveling ... good try ... no dice," Carlson remarked.
But Frey's words only served to agitate the protesters further, with one unidentified person on stage asking him whether he would support dismantling the city's police department and demanding a straight "yes or no" answer.
"I do not support the full abolition of the Minneapolis Police Department," Frey responded.
"All right, then get the f--- out of here," the person blatantly yelled at the mayor. “Go home, Jacob, go home,” the demonstrators joined in, with several booing and jeering “Shame, shame, shame," as Frey made his way through the crowd with his head down.
"What a remarkable piece of tape that is," Carlson commented. "Has a big-city mayor in this country ever been more thoroughly humiliated? The correct answer to that, needless to say, is, 'Up yours, lady. I'm not going anywhere, I run the city.'
"Do you doubt that the entire crowd would've cheered Jacob Frey if he'd said that?" the host continued "People always admire resolve, even when they disagree with the point of view, but that's not what Jacob Frey did. He slunk away like a child caught doing something filthy."
You can watch the video here.
According to Carlson, the most "telling moment" from the tape came when the lead protester threatened to defeat Frey in the next election.
"What does that tell you?" he asked. "It tells you that Black Lives Matter is, in fact, a political party. Maybe the strongest political party of the United States as of tonight."
"Its members believe they can reshape this country and so far, they are proving to be right," Carlson added.
The Fox News anchor's monologue caused the hashtag #TuckerCarlsonIsARacist to start trending on Twitter, with several of his critics attacking his interpretation of said events.
"I’m not saying @TuckerCarlson is a racist (though plenty of white celebrities are), but I am saying his words & actions certainly mirror racist rhetoric. It’s a time of reckoning for Black Americans & if you’re not a racist #TuckerCarlson stop acting like one! #BlackLivesMatter," CNN political analyst April Ryan tweeted.
"I woke up today... Water is still wet. The sun rose in the east. Birds still flying. Fish still swimming. Trump is still a damn moron. And #TuckerCarlsonIsARacist. Some things will never change," another tweet read.
However, some appeared to support Carlson's point of view and slammed the hashtag.
"#TuckerCarlsonIsARacist ??? Nope. He's the most honest man on television and brings receipts every single episode. If you think he's going to lose sponsors because of your 900th hashtag attempt at smearing him again....good luck with that!! LMAO," one user commented.
"Cut the games, Lefties! How many times have you tried to make the whole #TuckerCarlsonIsARacist thing stick? It never does and it never will. He’s great!" California Republican Errol Webber tweeted.
You can watch Carlson's video here.