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Australia acting PM equates Capitol attack with BLM protests
Australiaâs acting prime minister has defended his comments comparing the attack on the U.S. Capitol building with Black Lives Matter protests despite criticism from Indigenous and human rights groups
By ROD McGUIRK Associated Press
January 12, 2021, 6:34 AM
⢠3 min read
The Associated Press
Australian Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack listens during question time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra on Dec. 7, 2020. Acting prime minister McCormack on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021 defended his comments comparing the attack on the U.S. Capitol building with Black Lives Matter protests despite criticism from Indigenous and human rights groups. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP)
Aussie acting PM defends Capitol attack comments
AP, CANBERRA
Australia’s acting prime minister yesterday defended his comments comparing the attack on the US Capitol building with Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests, despite criticism from Indigenous and human rights groups.
Australian Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, who is acting as the Conservative government’s leader while Prime Minister Scott Morrison is on vacation, has come under widespread criticism since Monday, when he described last week’s insurrection on Capitol Hill that claimed five lives as “similar to those race riots that we saw around the country last year.”
McCormack, who leads the rural-based The Nationals junior coalition partners, used several television and radio interviews to reject calls for an apology over his comparison.
ABORIGINAL groups condemned Australia’s acting prime minister today for comparing the Black Lives Matter movement with the riot at the US Capitol building last week.
On Monday Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, filling in for Prime Minister Scott Morrison who is away on holiday, said on Monday that the Washington DC insurrection that claimed five lives was “similar to those race riots that we saw around the country last year.”
“Amnesty International and others and I appreciate there are a lot of people out there who are being a bit bleeding-heart about this and who are confecting outrage but they should know those lives matter too,” Mr McCormack told reporters on Tuesday.
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