(CNS News) -- After Hank Newsome, the head of Black Lives Matter for Greater New York, said his group "will burn down this system and replace it," if America doesn't "give us what we want," President Donald Trump tweeted that this is "treason" and "insurrection."
"Black Lives Matter leader states, 'If U.S. doesn’t give us what we want, then we will burn down this system and replace it.' This is Treason, Sedition, Insurrection!" tweeted Trump on June 25.
During a June 24 interview on FNC's Martha MacCallum show, Newsome said, "If this country doesn't give us what we want then we will burn down this system and replace it. All right. And I could be speaking figuratively, I could be speaking literally. It's a matter of interpretation."
"Like, let's be very real, and let's observe the history of the 1960s," said Newsome. "When black people were rioting, we had their highest growth in wealth, in property ownership."
"Think about the last few weeks," he added. "Since we started protesting, there have been eight cops fired across the country. You remember they were telling us that there was due process? ... But the moment people start destroying property, now cops can be fired automatically."
Under U.S. law, treason is defined as, "Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States."
Seditious conspiracy is defined as, "If two or more persons in any State or Territory, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof, they shall each be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both."
Rebellion or Insurrection is legally defined as, "Whoever incites, sets on foot, assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof, or gives aid or comfort thereto, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States."