An 18-year-old girl who saw a video online of three of her family members in a heated confrontation at a Trump rally has made their identities public. The physical encounter took place in Washington D.C. the night before the storming of the Capitol building.
Helena Duke, was notified by a cousin of the video filmed the night before the march on the Capitol. In the video, Duke's mother, aunt and uncle are in a confrontation with a black female counter-protestor. Duke's mother was hit in the face and left bleeding after she tried to grab the woman.
Hi this is the liberal lesbian of the family who has been kicked out multiple times for her views and for going to BLM protests to care what happens to me so:
— Helena Duke (@duke_helena) January 7, 2021
Mom: Therese Duke
Uncle: Richard Lorenz
Aunt: Annie Lorenz pic.twitter.com/cuBAPJ3GJA
Her family, knowing she disagreed with their political views, had lied and said they were taking her aunt to a medical appointment. Duke told Buzzfeed News:
"My initial reaction was more like, Oh my gosh, I was right. I was actually right about them being there. It was very surreal because it was an insane video, first of all, and then it was the revelation that, Oh, that's my mother. That's her."
She added:
"Before President Trump was elected, she [her mother] was a Democrat for the majority of her life. And then, I don't know what happened. Something switched in her brain, and she went through a very dramatic change to very far right… She told me she thought Black Lives Matter was a violent organization and they would be inciting violence. I always felt almost heartbroken over how they viewed the world and how skewed it was and how they wouldn't allow me to express my views. But showing that they can act in such a horrible way is just really appalling to me. I am honestly very disappointed to have to be part of this family that is so…just, very not welcoming or supportive. I don't feel safe being part of this family."
After seeing the video, Duke posted a tweet online saying:
"Hi mom remember the time you told me I shouldn't go to BLM protests bc they could get violent…this you?"
hi mom remember the time you told me I shouldn’t go to BLM protests bc they could get violent...this you? https://t.co/9ZkbAq0ehO
— Helena Duke (@duke_helena) January 7, 2021
It is not known whether the family attended the following day's protest at the Capitol building in which 5 people died. Her aunt did however, text her begging her to take down the tweet. In the text message, she said:
"Please call me or talk to me if you really wanna know. We are not proud of how things went in DC. I know you are upset but putting us in danger isn't going to solve anything. Please … I am Begging you to remove."
Helena now says she intends to break ties with her family for their involvement in the pro-Trump protests.
Since the Capitol building riot, President Trump has become the first president in US history to be impeached twice. He now faces a Senate trial that could bar him from running for office again if found guilty. He officially leaves office on the 20th of January though, Trump supporters across the country are once again planning to take to the streets on the baseless claim that the election was rigged in the Democrats' favour.
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