Schwarzenegger compares US Capitol protests to historic Nazi ‘Kristallnacht’
Schwarzenegger likened the events of the protest to an attack on democracy and the ideals upon which the US was founded.
Movie star-turned-politician Arnold Schwarzenegger. Picture: Screenshot (Twitter)
Actor-turned-politician Arnold Schwarzenegger shared a video on Sunday evening regarding his views of the recent attack on Capitol Hill in the US.
“As an in immigrant in this country, I would like to say a few words to my fellow Americans and to our friends around the world about the events of recent days,” he began.
Recounting his upbringing in Austria, he recalled learning about a moment in history now referred to as Kristallnacht (The Night of Broken Glass).
“It was a night of rampage against the Jews carried out in 1938 by the Nazi equivalent of the Proud Boys,” said Schwarzenegger, adding that last Wednesday’s protest was America’s own Kristallnacht.
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Schwarzenegger likened the events of the protest to an attack on democracy and the ideals upon which the US was founded.
He added that as someone who was raised “in the ruins of a country that suffered the loss of its democracy”, he grew up watching men who participated in one of the most evil regimes in history, try to drink their guilt away.
One such man was his father, whom Schwarzenegger revealed used to beat him and his mother upon returning from a night out of drinking to cope with his trauma.
“So being from Europe, I’ve seen first hand how things can spin out of control.”
Schwarzenegger implored the nation’s public servants to serve something bigger than their own heart and their own party, and reminded them of a quote from Theodore Roosevelt, which states: “Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president.”
Schwarzenegger concluded by wishing US president-elect Joe Biden luck during his upcoming term, and declared that he would stand by Biden in defence of America’s democracy.
Watch the full video below.
My message to my fellow Americans and friends around the world following this week’s attack on the Capitol. pic.twitter.com/blOy35LWJ5
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) January 10, 2021
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