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| Charlotte congressman sorry for Newsnight race comments | Charlotte congressman sorry for Newsnight race comments |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| North Carolina congressman Robert Pittenger has apologised following remarks about the black community he made to BBC Newsnight. | North Carolina congressman Robert Pittenger has apologised following remarks about the black community he made to BBC Newsnight. |
| "The grievance in their mind is the animus, the anger," Mr Pittenger said about the protesters in the city of Charlotte in his home state. | "The grievance in their mind is the animus, the anger," Mr Pittenger said about the protesters in the city of Charlotte in his home state. |
| "They hate white people because white people are successful and they're not." | "They hate white people because white people are successful and they're not." |
| Protests followed the fatal police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott, a black man, in Charlotte on Tuesday. | Protests followed the fatal police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott, a black man, in Charlotte on Tuesday. |
| Mr Pittenger, who represents the city in the US House of Representatives and has backed Donald Trump for president, apologised within hours of the interview on Thursday night. | Mr Pittenger, who represents the city in the US House of Representatives and has backed Donald Trump for president, apologised within hours of the interview on Thursday night. |
| Watch the whole interview here | Watch the whole interview here |
| He had faced severe criticism from his constituents as well as fellow members of Congress. | He had faced severe criticism from his constituents as well as fellow members of Congress. |
| Democratic North Carolina Congressman GK Butterfield, who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus, attacked his colleague's remarks on Twitter. | Democratic North Carolina Congressman GK Butterfield, who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus, attacked his colleague's remarks on Twitter. |
| "This is an appalling sentiment from an era our country has left behind - and it is beneath any American, let alone a Member of Congress," Mr Butterfield tweeted. | "This is an appalling sentiment from an era our country has left behind - and it is beneath any American, let alone a Member of Congress," Mr Butterfield tweeted. |
| Criticism also came from North Carolina state politicians. | Criticism also came from North Carolina state politicians. |
| Mr Pittenger later appeared on CNN, attempting to walk back his comments, but many were unconvinced. | Mr Pittenger later appeared on CNN, attempting to walk back his comments, but many were unconvinced. |
| Charlotte has seen three nights of protests since the death of Mr Scott. Thursday's was largely peaceful after violence a day earlier during which one person was fatally shot. | Charlotte has seen three nights of protests since the death of Mr Scott. Thursday's was largely peaceful after violence a day earlier during which one person was fatally shot. |
| Police say that Mr Scott was armed with a handgun but his family and neighbours claim he was holding a book. His family say they want video recording of the shooting to be released. | Police say that Mr Scott was armed with a handgun but his family and neighbours claim he was holding a book. His family say they want video recording of the shooting to be released. |
| Meanwhile, Mr Trump's campaign chair in Ohio resigned on Thursday after claiming racism did not exist before President Barack Obama was elected. | |
| Kathy Miller, who managed Mr Trump's campaign in Mahoning County, told the Guardian: "I don't think there was any racism until Obama got elected. | |
| "We never had problems like this … Now, with the people with the guns, and shooting up neighbourhoods, and not being responsible citizens, that's a big change, and I think that's the philosophy that Obama has perpetuated on America." | |
| Ms Miller resigned hours after the newspaper published her interview and apologised for her "inappropriate" comments. |