North Carolina’s Governor Told Donald Trump Charlotte Protesters Are ‘Anarchists’

As the situation in Charlotte doesn’t seem to be getting any better, North Carolina’s Republican Governor Pat McCrory has aired his views on the protesters. McCrory told Fox News that those protesting the death of an African-American at the hands of police are ‘anarchists’.

According to the conservative Washington Examiner, which published a comparatively mild story on the protests, McCrory spoke to both President Obama and GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump about the state of emergency in Charlotte.

“I told them both that we have some anarchists who do not have legitimate reason to protest,” McCrory said. “We have other protests that are doing an incredible job of expressing their viewpoint, which needs to be heard.” It’s obvious why McCrory would phone Obama but calling Trump is an unusual decision.

McCrory is a controversial governor whose introduction of a ‘bathroom bill’ has seen his popularity plummet and made international headlines. McCrory is up for re-election this year and polls indicate he is losing to his Democratic opponent. McCrory is an unusually successful Republican in a state that usually elects Democrats to the state house.

More protests are expected in Charlotte tonight with reports of some violence. McCrory’s decision to declare a state of emergency and impose a midnight curfew has been seen as an overreaction by some commentators. McCrory does not have a good record in dealing with minority communities and his association with Donald Trump, who yesterday suggested the introduction of stop and frisk powers in black communities, will not help the governor diffuse the situation.