Del Rio apologizes for referring to Capitol attack as a "dust-up" originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio apologized Wednesday evening for referring to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol as a “dust-up” but maintains he stands by recent tweets and a public statement comparing countrywide protests over racial injustices sparked by George Floyd's death in 2020 to the Capitol attack.
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Earlier on Wednesday morning after a Commanders OTAs practice, Del Rio was asked about recent tweets that appeared to question coverage of the racial justice protests of 2020 compared to the Capitol insurrection.
"Why are we not looking into those things — if we're going to talk about it — why are we not looking into those things?" Del Rio said referring to what he perceives as a lack of scrutiny toward the protests. "I can look at images on the TV, people's livelihoods are being destroyed, businesses are being burned down, no problem. And then we have a dust-up at the Capitol, nothing burned down, and we're going to make that a major deal."
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Del Rio made clear in his apology that he should not have used the phrase "dust-up" to refer to what was a violent and deadly attack on the Capitol. But while tweeting that it was "irresponsible and negligent" to use that phrase, Del Rio also stood by his recent tweets about Jan. 6 and the summer 2020 protests.
Del Rio also maintained he stood by his comments "condemning violence in communities across the country."
He added: "I say that while also expressing my support as an American citizen for peaceful protest in our country."
