Trump faces protests ahead of Civil Rights Museum visit

President Trump plans to visit Mississippi this weekend to celebrate the opening of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum — but the NAACP wishes he’d go play golf instead.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Tuesday that Trump will help open the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum on Saturday as part of the state’s bicentennial observance.

But NAACP President Derrick Johnson said in a statement that Trump’s record on civil rights and fraught relationship with many in the African-American community made him an unwelcome guest at the Magnolia State event.

“President Trump’s statements and policies regarding the protection and enforcement of civil rights have been abysmal, and his attendance is an affront to the veterans of the civil rights movement,” Johnson said.

“He has created a commission to reinforce voter suppression, refused to denounce white supremacists, and overall, has created a racially hostile climate in this nation.”

Amos Brown, the San Francisco branch president and a native of Jackson, Mississippi, agreed that the president should stay away.

“As a freedom fighter and contemporary of Emmett Till, Trump’s visit is an insult. He has never been a supporter of civil rights or equal opportunity or justice,” Brown said.

“He’s been silent on civil rights issues, and his silence speaks volumes.”

Trump has been criticized for racially charged tweets and comments, including blaming “both sides” for violence at a deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

He has also been critical of NFL players who kneel during the national anthem to protest police violence and racism, and for years peddled the bogus “birther” conspiracy theory that ex-President Obama was not born in the US.

Activists have threatened to boycott or protest Trump’s participation, which Sanders said would be unfortunate.

“I think that would be honestly very sad. This is something that should bring the country together to celebrate the opening of this museum and highlighting the civil rights movement and the progress that we’ve made,” she said at the White House press briefing.

“And I would hope that those individuals would join in that celebration instead of protesting it. However, they have ever right to protest it.”

With AP