A leading black pastor and TV talk show host, Rev Jesse Lee Peterson, is calling for the arrest of Snoop Dogg for a controversial video which shows the rapper shooting a clown-style mock-up of US President Donald Trump with a replica gun.
The 'Lavender' music video, which also features BadBadNotGood and Kaytranada, shows a clown played by actor Michael Rapaport dressed like the president. Snoop Dogg takes aim directly at a clownish Trump figure and pulls the trigger.
Peterson said in a statement: 'Snoop Dogg and the directors of this disgusting video should be locked up for encouraging the assassination of President Trump. Enough is enough. This video is no laughing matter. The mock assassination of Donald Trump and lyrics encouraging the shooting of police are like pouring gasoline on a fire.
'There are angry people in this country who hate Donald Trump and want to harm him. We've seen people inspired by radical left-wing groups like Black Lives Matter carry out violence against Trump supporters and kill police officers in Dallas, TX.
'Snoop's music reaches millions of angry youth, and he is affiliated with gang members, so, it's possible for this video to incite these people.
'If a white artist and director depicted a mock assassination of Barack Obama, politicians and "activists" – especially members of the Congressional Black Caucus and Black Lives Matter – would be outraged. But since Donald Trump is a white Republican these hypocrites are silent. What a shame. This is the wrong message to send to black youth who are suffering not because of 'racism,' but as a result of being raised by angry single black mothers without fathers.
'Snoop Dogg has a history of violence. In 1996, he was acquitted of first-and second-degree murder charges in the shooting death of a gang member; the jury deadlocked on the manslaughter charge.'
Donald Trump himself tweeted, 'Jail time!' in response to the video:
The music video has been criticised for its obscene content and foul language. Evangelist Franklin Graham said on Facebook, 'How low can we go? We've had so many problems in this country between law enforcement and minority communities, we should be looking for ways to unite and bring people together.'
