Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday issued an official condemnation of President Donald Trump for the ''assault on democracy by violent rioters'' that he ''incited'' while Congress finalized his loss in the 2020 presidential election.
''What we witnessed was an assault on democracy by violent rioters incited by the current president and other politicians,'' Trudeau said at a press conference outside his residence, according to CBC.
''As shocking, deeply disturbing, and frankly saddening as that event remains, we have also seen this week that democracy is resilient in America, our closest ally and neighbor,'' he continued. ''Violence has no place in our societies, and extremists will not succeed in overruling the will of the people."
When asked if he thought his remarks would hurt Canada’s relationship with the Republican Party in the U.S., Trudeau said, "It's extremely important that we be there to defend democracy."
He added, "We have a responsibility as Canadians to continue to lead with respect, to engage substantially with different points of view and to never resort to violence as a way of impacting public discourse. That is something that Canadians have recommitted to across the country over these past days and we will continue to be extremely vigilant to remember that the choices we make as leaders, as politicians, have consequences."