While discussing police brutality protests, Sebastian Gorka tells Black commentator Ameshia Cross that “Martin Luther King would be horrified” of her

The Sinclair panel segment featuring Cross and Gorka ended before Cross could respond to the racist insult

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

Sinclair Broadcast Group's national program America This Week featured a panel discussion on June 3 about the recent nationwide protests following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and other Black people at the hands of police.

Throughout the discussion, host Eric Bolling and far-right, pro-Trump panelist Sebastian Gorka peddled a series of right-wing talking points against the protests as liberal panelist Ameshia Cross, a Black woman, attempted to respond with facts about the protests and the movement behind them. 

The discussion concluded with Gorka telling Cross that “Martin Luther King would be horrified” of her for defending the continued protests. The segment ended directly after his racist insult, without an opportunity for Cross to respond. Below is the full panel segment:

From the June 3, 2020, edition of Sinclair Broadcast Group's America This Week

SEBASTIAN GORKA: The fact is the following: These are Democrat, left-wing voters trashing cities run by Democrats. They have betrayed the Black community for decades. Somebody has to bring law and order back. Right now, that person looks to be President Trump. 

AMESHIA CROSS: There isn't enough time in this broadcast to go over the list of African Americans who have lost their lives to gun violence under policing and police brutality across this country -- 

ERIC BOLLING (HOST): Well, hold on, hold on. Ameshia, Ameshia, Ameshia. Let's not mix these stories. Let's stay with this. And here's the question that I have for you: There have been so many peaceful protests. I have seen officers, peace officers -- notice the name, “peace officers" -- praying and kneeling with protesters. And as soon as the sun goes down on some of these cities, it breaks out into rioting, violence, and looting and mayhem. So, I mean, do you not agree that at some point you have to separate the peaceful protesters from the anarchists who are ruining the streets, and the police are the only people to do that? 

CROSS: There are provocateurs in every single riot we've seen and every protest we've seen across this country. If we can talk about Stonewall, we can talk about the riots during the civil rights movement, we can talk about all of those that have brought about great change in American society and for American people who are just trying to enjoy the democracy that is supposed to be granted to all of us regardless of our race or our creed or anything else. And right now, we're just not seeing that. So yes, I say they continue. No justice, no peace. 

BOLLING: Alright --  

GORKA: Martin Luther King would be horrified of you. 

BOLLING: It's going to be quite a next few weeks and we will bring you guys back. I'm sure we're going to be talking about this a lot more. Thank you again, Ameshia Cross and Sebastian Gorka. Thank you.