NORRISTOWN, Pa. - Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Gale is under fire for releasing a statement in which he called Black Lives Matter a “hate group.’’ In response to his remarks, some county residents organized a protest to call for his resignation, WLVR’s Megan Frank reports.
“Joe must go! Joe must go!”
A crowd of over 200 people gathered at the Montgomery County Courthouse on Thursday to call for the resignation of county commissioner Joe Gale.
In a lengthy statement released on Monday, the commissioner called Black Lives Matter a ‘“radical left-wing hate group’’ and referred to Democratic leaders as ‘’sympathizers of enemy combatants.’’ Notably, the remarks were printed on official county letterhead.
Jennifer Thompkins, a youth advisor for the NAACP, condemned Gale for using his platform to speak against the Black Lives Matter movement.
“Every single day as an African-American, we have to remind ourselves that we matter. So, when we say that out loud, that shouldn't be seen as hateful, that’s self-pride. It’s saying, black lives matter. To me, it’s crazy to call that a hate group.”
While there was a police presence at the event, no officers sported riot gear. Norristown police chief Mark Talbot said he wanted to ensure the protesters felt safe.
“I think it’s fantastic. I think anytime that people feel strongly enough to come out for something they believe in, they should do it. I think there absolutely needs to be change. Anytime you see a result like we all saw a few weeks ago, it indicates that there is a deeper issue that needs to be worked out,” said Talbot.
Commissioner Gale did not return our request for comment.