A Louisiana Senate debate including white supremacist David Duke turned ugly Wednesday, with police using pepper spray on a crowd of protesters.
Some protesters tried to get into the building at Dillard University in New Orleans, where the debate was held, leading police to twice use pepper spray on the crowd of about 70 protesters, Fox News reported.
Though there were six candidates on the debate stage Wednesday, it was former Ku Klux Klan leader Duke who took the spotlight from the others, Fox News said. Duke has struggled throughout the campaign for U.S. Senate, lagging in the polls, and has also been called out by other political figures.
Democratic lawyer Caroline Fayard called Duke a “snake,” while Republican state Treasurer John Kennedy referred to Duke as a “liar,” Fox News said.
During the debate, Duke, who was convicted in the past for tax fraud, argued that the conviction was a result of him being “targeted by the government,” The Hill noted.
Debate moderator John Snell interrupted Duke, moving the question in a different direction and sparking objection from the Republican candidate.
“Would you not interrupt me and give me my time?” Duke said. “Look, you are not one of the debaters here, I’m sorry."
“Let me rebut. Let me rebut,” Duke continued as Snell repeated the question. “See you are not a moderator, you are a typical media hack. You are going to silence me now? You are going to silence me?”
The heated exchange picked back up later in the debate when Snell asked the candidate about a blog post on his website that criticized “CNN Jews,” The Hill noted.
“Well we have to start talking openly about any subject…and there is a problem in America with a very strong, powerful, tribal group that dominates our media and dominates our international banking,” he said.
“I am not opposed to all Jews. I think there are a lot of great Jews. I think there are a lot of Jews I honor, but let me tell you something – I am against Jews, or anybody else, that puts interests of some other place, another country, over our own country,” Duke added.
According to USA Today, Louisiana police were called on to block protesters from entering the auditorium where the debate was being held, as protesters were heard chanting “No Duke. No K-K-K, no fascist USA. Let us in! Let us in!”
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