Washington — Division of Homeland Safety Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas known as the social media rhetoric “terribly alarming” that adopted the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson earlier this month, warning of the danger of violent extremism it poses.
Mayorkas mentioned in an interview that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that he is “alarmed” by the “heroism that’s being attributed to an alleged assassin of a father of two kids on the streets in New York Metropolis,” because the the insurance coverage government’s killing in midtown Manhattan on Dec. 4 has prompted scattered celebration on social media — and lionizing of the person charged within the lethal taking pictures.
“It speaks of what’s actually effervescent right here on this nation, and sadly we see that manifested in violence, the home violent extremism that exists,” Mayorkas mentioned.
Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old suspect, faces federal costs together with homicide. Investigators’ working concept of the motive is animosity towards the well being care business. On social media, assist for the suspect has materialized surrounding grievances towards perceived inequalities within the insurance coverage and well being care methods.
Mayorkas mentioned the division sees a “big selection of narratives” that “drive some people to violence.”
“We have seen narratives of hate. We have seen narratives of anti-government sentiment. We have seen private grievances within the language of violence, accompanying or being part of these narratives,” Mayorkas mentioned. “it is one thing that we’re very involved about — that may be a heightened menace atmosphere.”
The Homeland Safety secretary mentioned the specter of home violent extremism “is likely one of the nice menace streams that we should counter.” And he famous that DHS has been involved about social media rhetoric “for a while.”
Nonetheless, Mayorkas, whose tenure on the helm of the division is coming to an finish subsequent month, mentioned that whereas his religion within the American individuals is “rattled” by incidents just like the “cold-blooded homicide of a United Well being Care government,” he famous that “that is the actions of a person, not reflective of the American public and of the democracy by which we dwell.”
“I think about the American individuals,” Mayorkas added.
