A feud has started between Democratic presidential bet Hillary Clinton and Republican hopeful Donald Trump, with Clinton saying Trump's derogatory comments about Mexicans could incite racial hatred similar to what caused the recent fatal shootings at a historic black church in South Carolina.
Clinton referred to Trump's remarks during his announcement of his presidential bid that Mexico is "not sending the best" of its people to the US, reported Fox News.
"They're sending people that have lots of problems and they're bringing those problems," Trump said. "They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists and some, I assume, are good people, but I speak to border guards and they're telling us what we're getting."
Clinton pointed at Trump's speech as something that could spark racial hatred similar to that of Dylann Roof, the suspect who gunned down nine people inside the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, in Charleston, South Carolina, last week.
The 21-year-old Roof reportedly made racist comments and threats of violence well before Trump made his contentious speech.
"The people who do this kind of dastardly, horrible act are a very small percentage," Clinton said in Nevada on a radio show. "But unfortunately public discourse is sometimes hotter and more negative than it should be, which can, in my opinion, trigger people who is less than stable to do something like this."
"A recent entry into the Republican presidential campaign said some very inflammatory things about Mexicans. Everybody should stand up and say that's not acceptable. ... You don't talk like that on the kind of political campaigns. I think he is emblematic," Clinton said.
Trump hit back on Instagram, saying Clinton's comment is proof that politicians are "no good."
"Wow it's pretty pathetic that Hillary Clinton just blamed me for the horrendous attack that took place in South Carolina," he said. "This is why politicians are just no good. Our country is in trouble."
The business magnate also turned to Facebook, saying he held off a campaign event in South Carolina.
"Mr. Trump believes that Hillary Clinton has lost all credibility when she blames him for the horrible incident in South Carolina. Why would Mrs. Clinton attack Donald Trump for something that he has nothing to do with?" he wrote in a post. "Mr. Trump continues to send his prayers and condolences to the people of South Carolina."
"Mr. Trump believes that Hillary Clinton does not have any credibility when she blames words for violence. ... It is totally inappropriate for Mrs. Clinton to exploit this terrible tragedy and use it as an opportunity to attack Donald Trump. She must be nervous about something," he added.
In a related development, Clinton vowed to push for "common sense" reforms to US gun laws following the fatal Charleston shootings, telling the audience at the 83rd annual meeting of the US Conference of Mayors in San Francisco on Saturday that she will do what President Barack Obama has failed to do, and that is pass a law that would bridle gun violence.
"We can have common sense gun reforms that keep weapons out of the hands of criminals and the violently unstable while respecting responsible gun owners," she said. "The stakes are too high, the costs are too dear, and I am not and will not be afraid to keep fighting for common sense reforms, and along with you, achieve those on behalf of all who have been lost because of this senseless gun violence in this country," she said.
"I know that so many of us hoped by electing our first black president we had turned the page on this chapter in our history. I know there are truths we don't like to say out loud or discuss with our children. But we have to. That's the only way we can possibly move forward together. Race remains a deep fault line in America. Millions of people of colour still experience racism in their everyday lives."
