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CLEVELAND — In a heated interview with CNN’s Don Lemon, Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke said he predicted the recent police shootings in Baton Rouge, Louisiana that killed three law enforcement officers and wounded three others.

Editor’s note: Scroll down for part 2 of the interview.

“I’ve been watching this for two years. I’ve predicted this,” Clarke said. “This anti-police rhetoric sweeping the country has turned out some hateful things inside of people that are now playing themselves out on the American police officer.”

Clarke blamed the Black Lives Matter movement for inspiring violent crimes against law enforcement officers, calling the group “purveyors of hate.” Clarke argued that their ideology was false, saying there is no data that proves law enforcement officers treat black males more aggressively than white males.

“This anti-cop sentiment from this hateful ideology called Black Lives Matter has fueled this rage against the American police officer,” Clarke said.

“Sheriff, please, let’s just keep the volume down here,” Lemon said to Clarke. “Can we just keep it civil?”

“I’m looking at three dead cops this week, and I’m looking at five last week, and you’re to tell me to keep it down?” asked Clarke. “Don, I wish you had that message of civility toward this hateful ideology, these purveyors of hate. That’s what they do. These people preach bile and hate in the name of virtue.”

Part 2 of the interview:

During the second segment, Clarke told Lemon:

“There’s only one group in America – one, Don – that truly cares about the lives of black people in these urban ghettos, and it’s the American police officer who goes down there on a daily basis, puts their life on the line to protect who? Black people. So when you say we just want to have a conversation… let’s have a conversation about the black on black crime which kills more black males… which is more of a threat to any black male in the United States than a law enforcement officer.”

The high spirited interview garnered a lot of feedback on social media. Some of those reactions are listed below:

Am I the only one who just saw that on @CNN?? Emotions are raw and high right now.. @donlemon did the right thing going to break.. — Reggie Miller (@ReggieMillerTNT) July 18, 2016

Don Lemon and Sheriff David Clarke on CNN is most see TV! — Jarvis Escott (@Jarvisescott) July 18, 2016

https://twitter.com/Russian_Starr/status/754927713610235904

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