Volunteer State News

Nashville Mayor John Cooper attended an anti-racism protest, yet he has continually delayed lifting COVID-19 lockdown measures, citing that it wasn’t safe to do so.

"I urge all of my colleagues in the Metro Council to join me at today's 'I Will Breathe' rally," wrote Cooper on Twitter, Fox reported. "This is an especially critical time for all of us, as Metro’s leaders, to show up and listen to Black voices speaking out from across Davidson Count.”

Cooper said the rally was organized by several advocates and Black leaders in the city’s community.

“This is an especially critical time for all of us, as Metro’s leaders, to show up and listen to Black voices from across Davidson County as they speak out against the senseless killing of George Floyd and the deep-seated issues of racial injustice in our country,” Cooper said in the tweet.

Fox’s Tomi Lahren was not happy with this comment, feeling it did not sit right with her.

"So business owners and employees are punished, but protesters, looters, rioters get a pass?" Lahren said on an episode of Fox Nation's "Final Thoughts.”

Lahren said it bothered her that Cooper was still keeping lockdown measures in place, but urging people to protest.

"Our illustrious mayor delayed our progression to phase three of reopening due to an uptick in COVID-19 cases," Lahren said. ”Yet, ironically, before the decree was made, Mayor Cooper encouraged people to join him in protest.”

Lahren said the city was suffering.

"You can't keep your city, its economy, and businesses under strict rules and restrictions due to COVID-19, while simultaneously encouraging people to gather and protest because that fits your pandering agenda," Lahren said.

Cooper later said there was no evidence that the protests caused an uptick in COVID-19 cases in the city.