Gov. Eric Holcomb denounced the violence incited by the pro-Trump mob that stormed the Capitol building this afternoon, expressing frustration and sadness at Wednesday afternoon’s events.
Holcomb was holding his weekly COVID-19 briefing when asked to respond to the situation. He later released a statement on his Twitter account, expressing disdain for the behavior of the mob and further condemning the violence.
“Passion, patriotism and love for our nation should always and only be expressed in constructive ways that seek to honor the ideals on which our nation was founded,” Holcomb said on Twitter. “Any means of violence runs counter to who we are and is never acceptable.”
While he said he hadn’t seen the footage on TV, he heard about the mob that stormed the capitol this afternoon during a congressional meeting to certify the Electoral College results, cementing President-elect Joe Biden’s win. The events led to the evacuation of Vice President Mike Pence and both houses of Congress.
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Holcomb used historical events to express his thoughts, citing his belief in the resilience in the U.S. during events of the 1960s and 1970s, such as the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.
“We’ve been here before,” Holcomb said during the briefing. “But we’re going to get through it.”
Holcomb said he believes there is still an opportunity to fight for the country in a way that is responsible and compassionate, but people must do it differently.
“It’s going to require folks to step up and show there's another way and there's a productive way,” Holcomb said. “We need to stick to those principles that made this country great and unique and exceptional in the first place.”
