In response to the violence at the U.S. Capitol building, delaying the certification of the Electoral College tally, ACLU of New Mexico Executive Director Peter Simonson issued the following statement:
"The ACLU of New Mexico calls on elected officials throughout New Mexico to publicly denounce the actions of President Trump and his followers to disrupt the peaceful transition of power that was meant to occur in our Capitol today. Our constitutional rights to freedom of speech and assembly do not protect acts of violence and mayhem. The scene that unfolded in the Capitol today was not a legitimate protest but an attempt to disrupt the government and thwart the will of the American electorate."
"We should be witnessing a peaceful and legitimate transfer of power. Instead, we are grappling with the culmination of four years of Trump inciting division and racism, and attacking the very pillars of our democracy. As White paramilitary actors breach the walls of our Capitol and stage a coup, it is impossible to ignore that they have been met with less violence than peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters in the wake of George Floyd’s murder."
"The basis of American democracy is that We the People pick our leaders. The people have spoken and they have spoken against four more years of division and bigotry. They have spoken for justice and change. We will stand with the American people against each and every attempt to debase and destroy our democracy."
"Again, we urge our elected leaders, regardless of party stripe, to make a similar stand and condemn the disgraceful and dangerous mobilization that our out-going president inspired today. It is imperative that they demonstrate that these kinds of actions will not be tolerated, now or in the future. Our democracy depends on it."
