NAACP demands Trump apologize to John Lewis

NAACP President Cornell William Brooks is calling on Donald Trump to apologize to Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) after the president-elect sent tweets attacking the civil rights icon on Saturday.

“By disrespecting John Lewis, Donald Trump dishonored Lewis’ sacrifice & demeaned Americans & the rights, he nearly died (for). Apologize,” Brooks tweeted. 

By disrespecting @repjohnlewis, @realDonaldTrump dishonored Lewis’ sacrifice & demeaned Americans & the rights, he nearly died 4. Apologize. pic.twitter.com/kFBSfz2wyv

— Cornell Wm. Brooks (@CornellWBrooks) January 14, 2017

{mosads}Trump slammed Lewis in a pair of tweets on Saturday morning after Lewis said he didn’t think Trump was a “legitimate president.”

Lewis also announced that he would not attend Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, joining at least a dozen other Democrats in boycotting the event.

A number of lawmakers rushed to Lewis’ defense on Twitter on Saturday after the criticism from Trump. The lawmakers painted the civil rights icon as a devoted activist and politician.

Lewis helped organize protests and events to raise awareness about voting rights during the civil rights movement. Police beat him and other voting rights activists in 1965 as they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., on what is now known as “Bloody Sunday.”