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Gov. Beshear calls effigy wrong, evil, vile; says he won't bow to terror

Gov. Beshear calls effigy wrong, evil, vile; says he won't bow to terror
NOT BACK DOWN. WLKY’S ANDREW CHERNOFF HAS MORE ON THE GOVERNOR’S RESPONSE. THINK ABOUT IT. A CELEBRATION OF ASSASSINATION ON OUR CAPITOL GROUNDS ANDREW: KENTUCKY GOVERNOR ANDY BESHEAR DID NOT MINCE WORDS AS HE ADDRESSED SUNDAY’S PROTEST OUTSIDE OF HIS HOME. THE GROUP WAS PART OF THE PATRIOT DAY RALLY, WHICH CENTERED AROUND PROTECTING GUN RIGHTS. SOME PROTESTORS WALKED PAST BARRIERS OUTSIDE THE GOVERNOR’ MANSION AND ONTO THE PORCH AND LATER HUNG AN EFFIGY OF BESHEAR ON A TREE. >> LET’S START BY CALLING IT WHAT IT WAS AND WHAT IT IS. ACTIONS AIMED AT CREATING FEAR AND TERROR. ANDREW GOVERNOR BESHEAR DID NOT ONLY BLAME THE PROTESTORS FOR THEIR ACTIONS. >> THEY DIDN’T GET THERE ALONE. THEY HAVE BEEN EMBRACED AND EMBOLDENED BY ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO HAD RALLIED WITH THEM WEEKS BEFORE. YOU CANNOT FAN THE FLAMES AND THEN CONDEMN THE FIRE. ANDREW: BESHEAR AND HIS FAMILY LIVE IN THE GOVERNOR’S MANSION FULL-TIME, ALTHOUGH HIS KIDS WERE NOT HOME DURING THE RALLY. TUESDAY HE SAID THIS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES SINCE BECOMING GOVERNOR THAT HE HAS FEARED FOR HIS CHILDREN’S SAFETY. >> WE MAY HAVE TO LOOK AT ADDITIONAL SECURITY OR THE DIFFERENT STRUCTURES AROUND THAT MANSION. I HATE THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE REALLY ENJOY IT. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE DON’T CARE ABOUT THE REST OF US AND DO THE WRONG THING. ANDREW: THE GOVERNOR ALSO ADDRESSED THOSE WHO HAVE COME OUT IN SUPPORT. ON MONDAY, PEOPLE LEFT POSITIVE MESSAGES OUTSIDE THE MANSION >> I KNOW THAT WE ARE A GOOD AND COMPASSIONATE AND CARING PEOPLE. MY FAMILY KNOWS THAT TOO AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT BRITTANY REALLY APPRECIATED I AND I THINK SO DID I. ANDREW: AS FAR AS WHAT THIS WEEKEND’S EVENTS MEAN GOING FORWARD BESHEAR HAD A SIMPLE , MESSAG >> I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. I WILL NOT BE BULLIED. AND I WILL NOT BACK DO
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Gov. Beshear calls effigy wrong, evil, vile; says he won't bow to terror
In his first coronavirus briefing since Friday, Gov. Andy Beshear addressed a rally at the Capitol where an effigy made in his likeness was hung from a tree.The rally happened Sunday. He says it is the first time since becoming governor that he has feared for his children's safety.Beshear said protesters walked up and stood on his porch that day, "just a windowpane away from where my kids play." Beshear's children are ages 9 and 10, and he said thankfully they were not home that day.The rally was a Patriot Day Rally, centered around protecting gun rights.According to the event description, the rally was held "to educate and inspire everyone today to be more like the original American Patriots who would not stand for their God given right to protect themselves and their loved ones to be taken away by tyrants."Beshear said after the group of people left his porch, they retreated nearly 100 yards and "hung a dummy with my face on it." The effigy also featured a saying believed to be yelled by Abraham Lincoln's assassin John Wilkes Booth: "Sic semper tyrannis." It's a Latin phrase meaning, "Thus always to tyrants."The governor called the act wrong, vile and evil.He made his message to those at the rally clear: "I will not be bullied.""Hanging an effigy? That is using fear to get your way," Beshear said.Beshear put some of the blame on elected leaders who he said emboldened and embraced them.He said he was referring to some, including a senator, who participated in a recent previous rallies, although he would not call anyone out by name. “You cannot fan the flames and then condemn the fire," Beshear said of them.Republican representatives Savannah Maddox and Stan Lee were observed at a protest on May 2.Beshear was asked if he regrets his decision to move into the governor's mansion to which he answered no. "I'm not moving out. I'm not bending to terror."As to whether those seen on video hanging his effigy will be charged, Beshear said that'll be up to prosecutors.

In his first coronavirus briefing since Friday, Gov. Andy Beshear addressed a rally at the Capitol where an effigy made in his likeness was hung from a tree.

The rally happened Sunday. He says it is the first time since becoming governor that he has feared for his children's safety.

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Beshear said protesters walked up and stood on his porch that day, "just a windowpane away from where my kids play." Beshear's children are ages 9 and 10, and he said thankfully they were not home that day.

The rally was a Patriot Day Rally, centered around protecting gun rights.

According to the event description, the rally was held "to educate and inspire everyone today to be more like the original American Patriots who would not stand for their God given right to protect themselves and their loved ones to be taken away by tyrants."

Beshear said after the group of people left his porch, they retreated nearly 100 yards and "hung a dummy with my face on it." The effigy also featured a saying believed to be yelled by Abraham Lincoln's assassin John Wilkes Booth: "Sic semper tyrannis." It's a Latin phrase meaning, "Thus always to tyrants."

Beshear effigy
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The governor called the act wrong, vile and evil.

He made his message to those at the rally clear: "I will not be bullied."

"Hanging an effigy? That is using fear to get your way," Beshear said.

Beshear put some of the blame on elected leaders who he said emboldened and embraced them.

He said he was referring to some, including a senator, who participated in a recent previous rallies, although he would not call anyone out by name.

“You cannot fan the flames and then condemn the fire," Beshear said of them.

Republican representatives Savannah Maddox and Stan Lee were observed at a protest on May 2.

Beshear was asked if he regrets his decision to move into the governor's mansion to which he answered no. "I'm not moving out. I'm not bending to terror."

As to whether those seen on video hanging his effigy will be charged, Beshear said that'll be up to prosecutors.