Arizona councilman chants ‘I won’t be able to breathe’ at anti-facemask rally

An Arizona councilman invoked the ultimate words of George Floyd and Eric Garner all through an anti-facemask rally Wednesday.

Scottsdale Town Council member Dude Phillips chanted “I can’t breathe!” before ripping off his facemask in front of a crowd of about 200 attending an “Unmask Us” protest.

Phillips adopted the chant, normally made use of through demonstrations from the law enforcement killing of black persons, in entrance residents protesting from the state’s new mandatory facemask plan executed immediately after a large spike in coronavirus cases, the Arizona Republic documented.

Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane promptly condemned the remarks on Twitter, calling them “callous and insensitive.”

“Councilman Phillips’ comments at his anti-mask protest rally currently at Town Corridor do not represent the values of our Scottsdale community,” wrote Lane, incorporating “I sincerely hope he understands how completely wrong that was and provides a honest apology.”

Phillips to begin with stood by his comments when questioned by the Republic, stating that the chant had “no connection” to Floyd and he did “not necessarily mean any disrespect.”

“It was very hot and stuffy,” Phillips instructed the paper.

But the lawmaker later on issued an apology and apparently deleted his Twitter account.

“I am sorry about a comment I created now that was the exact same remark Mr. Floyd experienced designed,” Phillips stated. “He didn’t deserve what happened to him and I by no implies was attempting to make gentle of it by indicating I cant breathe in a mask. Be sure to acknowledge my sincerest apology and that goes out to any person who became offended.”

Arizona coronavirus cases have soared because the point out began reopening Memorial Working day weekend. On Tuesday, the state recorded a one-working day record of 3,800 new COVID-19 circumstances, up from just the 198 that were noted on the holiday break.