Mitt Romney marched with Black Lives Matter protesters in Washington D.C. on Sunday, appearing to be the first Republican senator to participate in the protests. The Utah senator joined demonstrators who were protesting police brutality and racial injustice in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death.
He posted a selfie showing him with a face mask among a crowd. He captioned his post: “Black Lives Matter.”
After a Washington Post reporter asked him why he was protesting, Romney said, “to make sure that people understand that black lives matter.” He was walking with a group of nearly 1,000 Christians to the White House, according to the tweet.
President Trump mocked Romney, a frequent critic of his, for participating in Sunday’s protest.
“Tremendous sincerity, what a guy. Hard to believe, with this kind of political talent, his numbers would ‘tank’ so badly in Utah!” he tweeted Monday.
Romney’s appearance in the protest was a rare public display of support for the Black Lives Matter movement by any sitting Republican in Congress. Texas Republican Congressman Will Hurd, who isn’t seeking reelection, shared a video himself participating in the protest in Houston earlier this week.
The actions by Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, also gained praise online.
Senator Kamala Harris, a Democrat, tweeted about Romney’s participation in the march: “We need more of this.”
