President Trump retweeted a video showing a group of anti-lockdown protesters in the New York City borough of Long Island hurling insults and profanities at a local news reporter who was on the scene to cover the event.
“FAKE NEWS IS NOT ESSENTIAL,” Trump wrote, retweeting video from News 12 Long Island reporter Kevin Vesey.
“FAKE NEWS IS NOT ESSENTIAL!”https://t.co/5286zgRVWQ
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 16, 2020
The videos, which have been viewed over 9 million times, show protesters carrying Trump campaign flags and memorabilia while some visibly angry people target Vesey with anti-media rhetoric, some of which mirrors echoes used by Trump, referring to Vesey as “fake news” and ” the enemy of the people.”
“You’re disgusting. You are the virus!” one person said.
“Traitor!” says another.
In a later tweet, Vesey wrote that he’ll “probably never forget what happened today.”
“I was insulted. I was berated,” he wrote. “I was practically chased by people who refused to wear masks in the middle of a pandemic. All the while, I was there to tell THEIR story. Here’s the finished product.”
I'll probably never forget what happened today.
I was insulted. I was berated. I was practically chased by people who refused to wear masks in the middle of a pandemic.
All the while, I was there to tell THEIR story. Here's the finished product. pic.twitter.com/HV2Hrcs7gi— Kevin Vesey (@KevinVesey) May 14, 2020