Kevin Hart says more Capitol rioters would have been killed ‘if they were black’

'It’s pure disrespect to all people of colour,' comedian wrote

Kevin Hart has said he believes that more Capitol Hill rioters would have been shot “if they were Black”.

The comedian and actor was one of many celebrities who commented on the incident that saw Donald Trump supporters attempt to stop Joe Biden’s presidency from being certified.

The siege, which interrupted the Electoral College Certification process, saw government officials quickly evacuated from the Senate Chambers and resulted in a total of four deaths. Ashli Babbitt, a 35-year-old Air Force veteran, was killed by a plain-clothed police officer.

Many criticised the police’s response to the rioters and noted the lack of initial force compared with that inflicted upon those  participating in peaceful Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.

“If these people were Black they would have all been shot dead,” Hart wrote shortly after.

“This s**t is past the word sad....at this point it’s pure disrespect to all people of colour. Why can’t we see this situation handled the same way that we have seen our people handled repeatedly.”

He added: “When the armed officers are supposed to use force they don’t... s**t is f***ing SAD!!!!!”

As the incident took place, Trump posted a video asking those involved to go home. However, he then called them “very special” and said “we love you", while also repeating his false claim that he won the election.

This prompted Twitter and Facebook to temporarily block him from posting any further messages. Celebrities are now vociferously calling on the social media sites to ban him permanently.