Fox News host Tucker Carlson has been slammed on Twitter after comparing Baltimore to Haiti on his Tuesday night show.
"Whatever you do, don't go to Baltimore", said Mr Carlson while referring to it as only 40 miles from where White House press secretary "Jen Psaki lives". It's one "of the worst places in the Western Hemisphere," he continued, "it's a little bit of Haiti in the Mid-Atlantic".
David Simon, the creator of highly acclaimed TV drams The Wire, which is set in the public housing projects of West Baltimore, led the criticism of Mr Carlson's comments: "Here now at a bar on Aliceanna Street with some friendly neighbours where we are presently sticking pins in a Tucker Carlson doll. Doll seems to like it a bit too much in its nether regions."
"The reason Tucker Carlson (and Trump, etc) keep trashing Baltimore is because it has a large Black population. It’s really that simple," said another user, referencing Donald Trump’s 2019 claim that Baltimore was a “rodent infested mess”.
"[Tucker Carlson] does more harm to the republic on a nightly basis than any issue in Baltimore. We have issues, but this is also a beautiful city," said another Twitter user.
"Baltimore has Black people in it so it must be compared to a struggling predominantly Black nation. Fun fact, the causes of trouble in both places are directly tied to racist US policy," said another user.
Mr Carlson went on to state on his show that Baltimore is a result of what happens if you "believe in the equity agenda and consider gender studies a legitimate academic discipline. In Baltimore pretty much everyone in charge is Black, and it's a matter of religious faith that the main thing that holding the city back is white racism," said the host.
“Baltimore is a scary place … for racists like Tucker Carlson,” said another Twitter user in response.
The Fox News host’s comments came on the first day of Black History Month in the US, which celebrates the achievements of Black Americans and their significant role in US history.
The Independent has contacted Fox News for comment on the reactions to Mr Carlson’s Tuesday night show.
