President Biden on Wednesday called Russian President Vladimir Putin’s comparison of the Black Lives Matter movement and arrests of Jan. 6 rioters to the treatment of pro-democracy protestors in Russia as “ridiculous.”
The president was asked about Putin likening the jailing and killing of his critics to avoiding “disorder” such as racial justice protests and equating it to the arrests of rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol during the deadly attack on Jan. 6.
“My response is kind of what I communicated, that I think that’s a ridiculous comparison,” Biden said at a press conference following his meeting with Putin.
“It’s one thing for literally criminals to break through, go into the Capitol, kill a police officer and hold them accountable, than it is for people objecting and marching on the capital to say you are not allowing me to speak freely, you are not allowing me to do A, B, C, or D,” Biden added.
Putin had said at his press conference that some rioters on Jan. 6 were “shot on the spot” and that he felt “sympathy” for the U.S. about BLM, adding that he doesn’t want a similar movement to happen in Russia.
Putin in his comments didn’t mention opposition leader Alexei Navalny by name. Biden was asked about the imprisoned Putin critic Navalny and what he had told Putin would happen if he dies.
“I made it clear to him that I believed the consequences of that would be devastating for Russia,” Biden said.“What do you think happens when he says it’s not about hurting Navalny, all the stuff he says to rationalize the treatment of Navalny. And then he dies in prison.”