







In a speech to law enforcement officials on Friday, President Trump received applause after encouraging police officers to be physically “rough” when handling suspects they arrest.

While giving a major law enforcement and immigration policy speech in Long Island, N.Y., the president endorsed police brutality when he told police officers not to be “too nice” to suspects they are arresting.

The president suggested that officers should not be concerned with the suspects’ safety, telling officers to hit their heads on the doors of their police cars.

“When you see these towns and when you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon, you just see them thrown in, rough, and I said, ‘Please don’t be too nice,’” Trump told the audience at Suffolk County Community College in Brentwood.

“Like when you guys put somebody in the car and you’re protecting their head, you know, the way you put their hand over, like, don’t hit their head and they’ve just killed somebody, don’t hit their head, I said, ‘You can take the hand away, OK?’” he added.

His remarks received a round of applause.

“For years and years, [laws have] been made to protect the criminal,” Trump said. “Totally protect the criminal, not the officers. You do something wrong, you’re in more jeopardy than they are. These laws are stacked against you. We’re changing those laws.”

President urges officers to commit acts of brutality, officers laugh and cheer wildly. Beginning to think problem isn't a few bad apples. pic.twitter.com/o1sSgw6lGy — Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) July 28, 2017







The Hill adds:

Trump was giving a speech detailing the administration’s plan to defeat the MS-13 gang. New York is a sanctuary city, and Trump’s speech was expected to take a hard line on the link between immigration enforcement and the rise of gang-related crime.

Police officers, all enjoying government paid for health care, disgracefully applauded Trump's now hopeless vow to destroy Obamacare. — Lawrence O'Donnell (@Lawrence) July 28, 2017

Here's the moment: Trump suggests it's OK for police to rough up the people that they arrest. https://t.co/JHw5kkK51P — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) July 28, 2017

Trump just told NYPD police officers to not be too nice during arrests. Literally said he's told cops to assault people. No class, no sense. — Scott Dworkin (@funder) July 28, 2017

President Trump is openly and explicitly calling for, to wild applause just moments ago, cops to commit more police brutality. — Asawin Suebsaeng (@swin24) July 28, 2017