The Twitterverse branded Donald Trump a "racist" on Tuesday after he made seemingly insensitive remarks about ongoing riots in Baltimore and President Barack Obama.
"Our great African American President hasn't exactly had a positive impact on the thugs who are so happily and openly destroying Baltimore!" Trump tweeted early Tuesday.
The real estate mogul's comments come as a state of emergency was declared in Maryland when rioting, looting and fires began Monday after the funeral of Freddie Gray, a black man who died from a spinal cord injury days after his arrest on a weapons charge by Baltimore police.
Six officers have since been suspended, but the police department has faced pressure from the public to reveal how to the 25-year-old's spine was injured after he was cuffed and forced into a police van on April 12.
Twitter users quickly lambasted Trump following his comment.
@realDonaldTrump you should be ashamed of yourself and having such a racist comment.
— IG:@Iam_SnowBlack (@Iam_SnowBlack) April 28, 2015
@realDonaldTrump There it is, as if there were any doubt before it's clear now, donald trump is a racist! #UniteBlue pic.twitter.com/5vnAqrfafh — 4q2 (@ForQ2) April 28, 2015
@realDonaldTrump So he's now an American when a city is in flames but you wanted a birth certificate when he was elected. Ok then. Blessings
— Nicolette Carney (@Miss_NicciC) April 28, 2015
National guard troops were sent to Baltimore early Tuesday as the violence escalated. There were reports of cinder blocks thrown at fire trucks and rocks thrown at officers, ABC News reported. At least 15 officers were wounded, six seriously, but their injuries are non-life-threatening.
Officials called for an end to the senseless violence. Gray's mother Gloria Darden also pleaded for peace after her son's funeral.
"I want you all to get justice for my son, but don't do it like this here. Don't tear up the whole city just for him," Darden said, according to ABC News. "It's wrong."
