Dan Bongino interviews BLM activist who threatened ‘bloodshed’ clash over rioting: ‘Answer the question!’
Hawk Newsome recently threatened 'bloodshed' in response to policing reforms planned by New York City's mayor-elect
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Black Lives Matter activist cut short his interview with Fox News’ Dan Bongino on Saturday night after the "Unfiltered" host confronted him about rioting and vandalism linked to the group – and Newsome’s recent threat of more such incidents to come.
"God bless you, man. I’m out of here," Hawk Newsome, co-founder of BLM for the greater New York City area, told Bongino after the host’s persistent questioning.
Bongino started the segment by playing a video clip of Newsome speaking to reporters Wednesday about planned police reforms announced by Eric Adams, New York City’s mayor-elect, who is a former NYPD police captain and made fighting lawlessness a key theme of his campaign.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}BLM SAYS MAYOR-ELECT ERIC ADAMS LONGS FOR OLD NEW YORK WHERE ‘BLACK FOLKS GET THEIR HEADS CRACKED’
"If they think that they’re going to go back to the old ways of policing, then we’re going to take to the streets again," Newsome said, referring to the street clashes that took place frequently in 2020 following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. "There will be riots, there will be fires and there will be bloodshed."
""If they think that they’re going to go back to the old ways of policing, then we’re going to take to the streets again. There will be riots, there will be fires and there will be bloodshed."
Then Bongino – himself a former NYPD cop and Secret Service agent – opened his interview with Newsome by asking a straightforward question regarding street protests and rioting.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Do you condemn riots and burning down buildings after a police use-of-force incident you don’t like?" the host asked.
"No," Newsome responded. "What I’ll say is, I understand when a police officer unjustifiably kills someone, why people lash out. I understand that completely."
New York City Mayor-elect Eric Adams, left, has announced plans for police reforms that drew a response from Hawk Newsome, a co-founder of a Black Lives Matter chapter. (Getty Images)
"I’m not going to condemn, nor am I going to condone it," he added.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Bongino wasn’t satisfied with the answer.
"Isn’t that cowardly?" Bongino asked. "’I’m not going to condemn it, but I’m not going to condone it -- so I don’t want to take a stand’? … You seem to talk a lot of junk and then when I put you on the spot you won’t answer a damn question. Do you condone violence or you condemn violence? You’re all over the place. Just condemn violence and burning of buildings down. How hard is it?"
"You seem to talk a lot of junk and then when I put you on the spot you won’t answer a damn question."
Newsome complained that Bongino wasn’t allowing him to speak. The BLM activist then tried to make a point by comparing BLM protests to the response of the U.S. government after the attacks of 9/11.
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"OK, so when Usama bin Laden attacked the World Trade Center, did you say America should deal with it peacefully?" Newsome asked.
"You’re not answering the question, man," Bongino fired back. "That has nothing to do with people burning down businesses in New York City. You’re not gonna answer the question, Hawk … "
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"OK, I’ll give you this," Newsome answered. "I don’t condone it, I don’t promote it, but I will not condemn it."
"Man, that’s just cowardly. That’s just cowardly," Bongino said.
"You’re trying to bait me," Newsome answered, before removing his audio wire and ending the interview.