Former California governor and veteran actor Arnold Schwarzenegger took to social media on Sunday (10 January) to appeal for unity after the attack on the US Capitol, which he described as an attempted coup by President Donald Trump. Schwarzenegger also drew comparisons of the attack to Nazi Germany.
In his video message, the veteran Hollywood actor compared the attack by Trump supporters to Kristallnacht or the "Night of Broken Glass," when Nazis carried out pogroms in Germany in 1938, which included breaking windows of stores owned by the Jews.
"Wednesday was the Day of Broken Glass right here in the United States", said Schwarzenegger, adding, "The broken glass was in the windows of the United States Capitol. Growing up, I was surrounded by broken men, drinking away their guilt over their participation in the most evil regime in history". The actor, born in Austria in 1947, recounted his experience living through the horror.
Speaking about his childhood, Schwarzenegger said, "I have never shared this so publicly because it is a painful memory, but my father would come home drunk once or twice a week and he would scream and hit us and scare my mother."
Though the Terminator actor did not explicitly say that his father was a Nazi, he added that his dad and neighbours were brainwashed with lies and "I know where such lies lead".
Terming President Donald Trump as a 'failed leader' the actor said, "President Trump sought to overturn the results of an election and of a fair election. He sought a coup by misleading people with lies. President Trump is a failed leader. He will go down in history as the worst president ever. The good thing is that he soon will be as irrelevant as an old tweet".
Schwarzenegger then went on to convey a message to US President-elect Joe Biden. "President-elect Biden, we wish you great success as our President. If you succeed, our nation succeeds".
The actor concluded, "And to those who think they can overturn the United States Constitution, know this: you will never win".
Pro-Trump protesters stormed the United States Capitol in Washington DC, on Wednesday, 6 January, in scenes that were broadcast live on multiple news channels across the world.
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