OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Protesters destroyed an event featuring former Speaker of the House and California Rep. Nancy Pelosi as they heckled her as a “war criminal” and “sad old drunk.”
The City University of New York’s Graduate Center played host to the representative and economist Paul Krugman as video spread across the Internet of the former Speaker of the House being verbally accosted.
“You know Pelosi, that’s a very good place for you, in the depths of hell,” one protester said.
“For some reason, you have a very bad obsession of getting us into war. Hey, why is it that you did not admit that there were no WMDs in Iraq? You lied us into a war in Iraq. You got us to invade Afghanistan. Now over 90 percent of those people are impoverished and are dying. Why don’t you tell the truth about Nordstream?” the protester who was being dragged out of the building by security said as he accused Pelosi of being a “war criminal.”
Another protester quickly took his place and shouted at the former Speaker of the House.
“Hey congresswoman, I came to see a warmonger but you’re a sad old drunk! What happened? When you went to Taiwan, were you looking for Ukraine? Did we blow up the Nordstream on accident or on purpose?” he said.
"I came to see a warmonger, but you're a sad old drunk"
-US protester confronting Nancy Pelosi pic.twitter.com/p4jolWVxa5
— Richard (@ricwe123) April 4, 2023
Pelosi was among those who tweeted after former President Donald Trump was indicted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
The announcement of the indictment came on Thursday and it did not take long for Democrats to celebrate the unprecedented news. But it was Pelosi’s comments that were likened by some to being reminiscent of Joseph Stalin and the former Soviet Union.
“The Grand Jury has acted upon the facts and the law. No one is above the law, and everyone has the right to a trial to prove innocence. Hopefully, the former President will peacefully respect the system, which grants him that right,” the former Speaker said.
But in the United States no one is required to prove their innocence. And that got her a fact check from Twitter readers who added context.
“Ms. Pelosi mistakenly says that Trump can prove his innocence at trial. Law in the US assumes the innocence of a defendant and the prosecution must prove guilt for a conviction,” the note said.
The Grand Jury has acted upon the facts and the law.
No one is above the law, and everyone has the right to a trial to prove innocence.
Hopefully, the former President will peacefully respect the system, which grants him that right.
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) March 31, 2023
“A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is assumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty. As such, a prosecutor is required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the person committed the crime if that person is to be convicted. To do so, proof must be shown for every single element of a crime,” Cornell University Law School said.
“The right to ‘prove innocence’? This is America, not Stalinist Russia,” Republican Missouri Senator Josh Hawley said.
The right to “prove innocence”? This is America, not Stalinist Russia. https://t.co/v5ELf9Rth6
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) March 31, 2023
“Nancy Pelosi is dead wrong here. Does she really have no clue that the burden is not on a defendant to prove their innocence at trial?” Lee Zeldin, former Republican candidate for governor of New York said.
Nancy Pelosi is dead wrong here. Does she really have no clue that the burden is not on a defendant to prove their innocence at trial? https://t.co/h2i25rMeyM
— Lee Zeldin (@leezeldin) March 31, 2023
“Wrong. So obviously wrong. Most Middle Schoolers know this—at least they used to, when civics and the Constitution was respected in schools,” former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani said. “You’re innocent until proven guilty.”
Wrong. So obviously wrong. Most Middle Schoolers know this—at least they used to, when civics and the Constitution was respected in schools.
You're innocent until proven guilty. https://t.co/edaKuOlxbe
— Rudy W. Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) March 31, 2023
“Stalinist Pelosi. Prove innocent? It’s innocent until proven guilty, moron. Or at least used to be,” Fox News host Mark Levin said.
Stalinist Pelosi. Prove innocent? It's innocent until proven guilty, moron. Or at least used to be. https://t.co/BbaJlLvLmU
— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) March 31, 2023
All officers with the NYPD have been instructed to show up Friday morning in “full uniform” following a Manhattan grand jury’s indictment of former President Donald Trump on Thursday.
The grand jury determined that sufficient evidence existed to indict Trump concerning the concealment of quiet money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016, even though legal experts have expressed doubt about Trump’s culpability and though federal authorities passed on filing similar charges.
The department has instructed its detectives to wear their full uniform, even those who typically dress in plain clothes, as the city prepares for potential unrest. Additionally, more law enforcement officers will patrol all five boroughs of the city, although there have been no credible threats reported, the Washington Examiner noted.
“The department remains ready and available to respond to protests and counter-protests,” NYPD said in a statement to the Wall Street Journal, adding that the department will be working with state and federal authorities regarding safety protocols.
Trump urged his followers to demonstrate on the streets of New York after initially alerting them to his potential arrest earlier this month. In the subsequent weeks, city and law enforcement authorities have convened to strategize security measures.
