TEHRAN — A well-known U.S-based Iranian dissident has celebrated the U.S. police’s violence against protesters as rallies flare around the U.S. over the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

“Violence in itself is neither evil nor good,” Saeed Ghasseminejad, a senior Iran and financial economics adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), opined in a tweet on Sunday.

“Violence for overthrowing a bloodthirsty dictator or stopping a serial killer is authorized, legitimate and good,” Ghasseminejad wrote in Farsi.

“Violence for overthrowing a democratic government which is committed to human rights is unauthorized, illegitimate and evil and it must be confronted with legitimate, authorized and good violence,” he added, hinting at the widespread protests across the U.S.

The comments drew sharp criticisms from Twitter users, who described Ghasseminejad as a White House spin doctor and a paid apologist.

Protests erupted in various cities across the United States after a video went viral which showed brutal treatment of George Floyd under the knee of a U.S. police officer before his death.

Floyd’s last words were “I cannot breathe”.

On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump described the protesters as “thugs”. 

In a tweet, he also said “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.”

Trump’s tweet was widely interpreted as threatening those protesting Floyd’s death and prompted further outrage.

Twitter decided to hide the tweet, saying it violates rules about glorifying violence.

According to CNN’s tally, around 4,000 people have been arrested across the United States during the nationwide protests. 

Protesters around the world also took to the streets this week in solidarity with those demonstrating in the U.S. against police brutality and injustice.

MH/PA