‘You’ve lost your mind’: Paul Gosar mocked for quoting U2 song about MLK to praise slain Capitol rioter

Supporters of US President Donald Trump protest inside the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC.

(AFP via Getty Images)

An Arizonacongressman has been mocked for quoting a U2 song about Martin Luther King in reference to a slain Capitol rioter.

Republican Paul Gosar took to Twitter to show his support for Ashli Babbitt, a Donald Trump supporter who was shot and killed by police as she stormed the US Capitol on 6 January.

And Mr Gosar used lyrics from U2’s hit song “Pride (In the Name of Love)” in his tweet on the day that Republicans in the Senate blocked a commission to investigate the insurrection.

“They took her life. They could not take her pride, #onemoreinthenameoflove,” tweeted the lawmaker.

Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger – an outspoken critic of Mr Trump – took to Twitter to tell his colleague, “Paul you’ve lost your mind.”

And he added: “Side note to anyone watching, don’t breach the house floor illegally, especially after warned.”

Last month a Capitol Police officer was cleared of criminal wrongdoing for fatally shooting the 35-year-old US Air Force veteran from California as she tried to breach a set of doors within the Capitol.

(Getty Images)

And social media users lined up to poke fun at Mr Gosar.

“You weasel. That mob could easily have attacked maimed or killed you imagining you were the wrong guy or thinking you were on the other side. You should kiss the feet of the capitol police. Snake,” tweeted actor Patricia Arquette.

“Ashli Babbitt attacked her own country’s government at the Capitol, democracy’s temple, in an attempt to prevent the peaceful transfer of power, the crown jewel of American democracy,” tweeted @MontyBoa99.

“The first violent attack on it since the British in 1812. That’s treason. She’s no ‘patriot.’”

And @mayatcontreras added: “Bono wrote ‘Early morning, April 4, shot rings out in the Memphis sky, Free at last, they took your life, they could not take your pride’ to commemorate MLK Jr’s life so of course a GOP Gosar is trying to compare MLK to a person trying to murder Congressional members. Shameless.”

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And @jimfusillibooks tweeted: With respect for her service to our country, at some point Ms Babbitt discarded her oath of enlistment and joined an insurrection whose purpose was to kill members of Congress and overturn a lawful election. Gosar, who encouraged the insurrection, is exploiting her memory.”

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