Katie Hobbs’ Press Secretary Faces Backlash For Tweet Suggesting Violence Against “Transphobes”

Josselyn Berry, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs’ press secretary, received vitriol for posting an image that appeared to call for violence against “transphobes.”

In the wake of the Nashville Covenant School shooting, Berry posted a picture from the 1980 movie “Gloria” of a woman holding two handguns.

“Us when we see transphobes,” Berry stated with the picture.

Twitter users expressed outrage over Berry’s tweet:

This is Governor Katie Hobbs's press secretary, Josselyn Berry, advocating for violence against those who oppose the radical Trans agenda. pic.twitter.com/5dH7aCmi8U

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) March 29, 2023

Josselyn Berry, the woman running @katiehobbs's comms, sent this threat out following the murder (hate crime) of six innocent Christians by a trans activist

This message is reprehensible & deserves bipartisan condemnation pic.twitter.com/NVtm1pgH9F

— Kari Lake War Room (@KariLakeWarRoom) March 29, 2023

Even Keith Olbermann said Berry must apologize and resign.

This, from AZ Gov @katiehobbs' spokesperson Josselyn Berry hours after the Nashville school shooting, is abhorrent and indefensible. And to go 36 hours without comment?

Barring the most improbable of explanations, she must apologize – and resign.https://t.co/Ad3l8iHG2z pic.twitter.com/LMAIGEGE1r

— Keith Olbermann⌚️ (@KeithOlbermann) March 29, 2023

Twitter deleted Berry’s tweet and locked her account.

Twitter has deleted Katie Hobbs’ press secretary Josselyn Berry’s tweet threatening to kill people for being “transphobes.” It violated the rules. Berry has now locked her account. pic.twitter.com/1FYAI0pN8x

— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) March 29, 2023

“This is the contact information for the governor’s office. I’ll be giving it out again tomorrow on my show. And the next day. And the day after. We are going to start holding these people to the same standard and the same rules,” political commentator Matt Walsh wrote.

This is the contact information for the governor’s office. I’ll be giving it out again tomorrow on my show. And the next day. And the day after. We are going to start holding these people to the same standard and the same rules. pic.twitter.com/VEqxaWAvmj

— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) March 29, 2023

The Arizona Freedom Caucus also called for Berry’s immediate firing for her tweet.

“Less than 12 hours after the tragic shooting in Nashville by a deranged transgender activist @katiehobbs’ Press Secretary calls for shooting people Democrats disagree with. Calling for violence like this is un-American & never acceptable. @joss_berry should be fired immediately,” the Arizona Freedom Caucus wrote.

Less than 12 hours after the tragic shooting in Nashville by a deranged transgender activist @katiehobbs’ Press Secretary calls for shooting people Democrats disagree with.

Calling for violence like this is un-American & never acceptable.@joss_berry should be fired immediately pic.twitter.com/wYHHkmsNNE

— Arizona Freedom Caucus (@AZFreedomCaucus) March 29, 2023

AZ Central reported:

A social media post from Gov. Katie Hobbs’ spokesperson suggesting the use of violence against those who disparage transgender people has prompted a backlash and calls for the governor to take action.

Hobbs spokesperson Josselyn Berry late Monday posted an image on Twitter from the 1980 movie “Gloria,” showing a woman with a handgun in each hand. “Us when we see transphobes,” Berry wrote in an accompanying post that followed a prior message.

The post was made hours after a mass killing at a Nashville school where the shooter was identified by law enforcement authorities as a transgender person. The tweet was amplified Tuesday by Republican lawmakers and consultants, who panned it as tone deaf and advocating violence.

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The Arizona Freedom Caucus, which includes the state Legislature’s farthest-right members, called for Berry’s dismissal, saying that “calling for violence like this is un-American & never acceptable.”

The Washington Times added:

The tweet was part of a conversation that began Monday evening with Ms. Berry condemning “transphobic” progressives, often feminists who condemn transgenderism as an erasure of women.

“If you work in the progressive community and are transphobic, you’re not progressive. Period. End of story. It’s not hard to understand but [your] bigotry masquerading as feminism absolutely is,” she said.

Someone responded: “Not sure these transphobic-from-the-left posers know who they’re messing with,” prompting Ms. Berry’s tweet of the gun-toting woman.

Nashville police identified the shooter who killed three children and three staffers at the Covenant School as Audrey Hale, 28, later saying that she identified as male. The suspect was shot and killed by police about 14 minutes after the first 911 call.