US: Republican Mayor Mike Coffman released a statement following President Donald Trump’s rally
US: Following former President Donald Trump’s Friday rally in Aurora, Colorado, Republican mayor Mike Coffman issued a statement denouncing as “grossly exaggerated” comments on Venezuelan gang involvement in his city, which “have unfairly hurt the city’s identity and sense of safety.”
In August, Aurora came to the attention of the country after a video appeared on the internet purporting to show members of an armed Venezuelan gang going through an Aurora apartment building. Since then, Trump has seized on the narrative, used the episode to support his assertions that the Biden administration’s immigration policies have allowed a large influx of dangerous criminals over the southern border.
At a rally in the city on Friday, which is east of Denver, the former president repeated his assertions that immigrants had “invaded and conquered” Aurora. Additionally, he charged Vice President Kamala Harris for permitting dangerous migrants, gang members, and “barbaric thugs” to infest public structures.
“The reality is that the concerns about Venezuelan gang activity in our city-and our state-have been grossly exaggerated and have unfairly hurt the city’s identity and sense of safety,” Coffman wrote in part in a statement sent to Newsweek.
In her statement, Coffman said that migrant gangs have not “taken over,” “invaded,” or “occupied” the state or city. She also said that the events the city has seen have been “limited” to a few apartment buildings and that police “have acted on those concerns.”
Trump has brought up images of the Aurora tragedy in August on many occasions. The former president said during his discussion with Harris last month that immigrants were “taking over the town.”
“They’re occupying structures. They’re entering with violence,” Trump went on. “She and [President Joe] Biden allowed these individuals to enter our nation. Additionally, they are ruining our nation.”
“Thousands of people attended” Trump’s event on Friday, according to Coffman’s statement; “some of whom might have visited Aurora for the first time, who were able to see firsthand the mischaracterizations of our great community.”
“I am disappointed that the former president did not get to experience more of our city for himself,” said the mayor.
Republican leaders in Ohio have also chastised Trump for propagating false reports that allege Haitian migrants are stealing and consuming the pets of locals. For weeks, there were safety concerns in the little community in southwest Ohio as a result of the accusations made by the former president and his running partner, Ohio Senator JD Vance. There were also many bomb threats against government buildings and educational institutions.
In September, Republican Springfield Mayor Rob Rue said, “federal politicians that have negatively spun our city, they need to know they’re hurting our city, and it was their words that did it.” Rue has since denied the accusations made against Haitians. Republican governor of Ohio, Mike DeWine, has also criticized the “hurtful” language.
