The head of the Minneapolis Democratic Party defended his claim that the burning of a police building during the George Floyd riots last summer was an "act of pure righteousness."
Devin Hogan, chair of the Minneapolis Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, argued in an August column for Southside Pride that the burning of the Third Precinct in Minneapolis during the riots last year was justified as a "genuine revolutionary moment." Police fled the building in May 2020 as rioters broke in and set the building on fire.
In a statement issued on Monday, Hogan defended his comments as accurate and truthful.
"Fetishizing decorum over substance is a hallmark of white supremacy," Hogan said. "If antiracism offends your sensibilities then please use this moment to examine the role you play in maintaining and upholding these systems. Which side are you on?"
The Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, the state affiliate of the national Democratic Party, did not respond to a request for comment.
Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey (D.) ordered police to flee the Third Precinct as an estimated 2,000 protesters gathered outside, some of whom turned violent and looted nearby buildings.
"Death to one of our officers or the general public, that was not a consequence I could have on my watch," Frey told FOX 9.
Hogan, in his column, insisted that the riots were justified because the "cops started it."
"They killed George Floyd and took every opportunity to escalate, agitate, and make things worse. The cops are rioting and the people are responding," he wrote. "The people declared themselves ungovernable and unilaterally took their power back."