Trump Signs Executive Order To Imprison Statue Destroyer For 10 Years

Presiden AS Donald Trump (Twitter/@RealDonaldTrump)

JAKARTA - President of the United States (US) Donald Trump, signed an executive order that says anyone who destroys a public statue will be subject to punishment. A 10-year prison sentence will be imposed on the person found guilty of tampering.

"I have just had the privilege of signing a very strong executive order to protect America's Monuments, Remembrance and Sculpture - and to combat Criminal Violence recently," Trump said as quoted by CNN.com, Saturday, June 27.

"Long prison terms for unlawful action against our Great Nation!", "Trump said.

Meanwhile, a number of historical statues of colonialism in the Uncle Sam's country have been revealed in anti-racism protests in several places. This action was triggered by the death of black US man George Floyd by white police.

Trump has even given the federal government permission to arrest and prosecute the destroyer of a statue or monument belonging to the American government.

Trump has allowed the federal government to prosecute anyone who destroys a statue or monument belonging to the American government. He also asked that criminal charges be maximized. "With (the sentence) 10 years in prison," Trump said.

He also asked the attorney general to enforce the existing law. In fact, he asked that enforcement of this case take precedence.

Then, he called for restrictions on federal grants to jurisdictions and law enforcement agencies that allow desecration of monuments, memorials, or statues. As such, all heads of executive departments and agencies were asked to review their individual grant programs.

The order multiplies on perceived religious elements as destructive, stating that "Christian figures are now on the cross line" and quoting an unnamed "influential activist" as stating. "That many existing religious depictions of Jesus and the Holy Family should be removed from our places of worship,"

CNN reports some of Trump's allies have pushed the White House to take a stand on the racial issues that are roiling the country.

Meanwhile some outside advisers have advocated condemning looting and destruction. They admit a peaceful approach that embraces the other side of the debate will serve the President better than his resistance.

The outside adviser said the monument's executive order, which they pushed to the White House, would be a "symbolic move" to uphold the law and a message that some felt damaged by the government's inability to stop the statue's destruction and its problematic failure.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said that in signing the order, Trump "took firm action to end this lawlessness and protect American roads from vandalism and mob violence."

"President Trump will never allow violence to control our streets, rewrite our history, or endanger the American way of life," he added.

Trump personally instructed Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to return the only statue of the Confederation in Washington, DC, after it was torn down last week.

Two people with knowledge of the matter told CNN. Trump went on a rampage at the sight of the statue being burned and torn down on June 19.