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While campaigning for his wife Hillary Clinton, former President Bill Clinton was confronted by a swarm of #BlackLivesMatter protesters over his 1994 crime bill. Bill did not back down, instead he got defensive.

During a speech he was giving in Philadelphia, Clinton was interrupted by protesters holding up signs criticizing the controversial 1994 Violent Crime Control and Prevention Act that many feel resulted in a extremely high number of Black males and non-violent drug offenders getting arrested and sent to prison for longer sentences.

While protesters have argued that the bill has destroyed families and had a negative impact on the African-American community, Clinton defended the bill by arguing record-low murder rates and a 46-year-low in the deaths of people by gun violence during his presidency.

But it wasn’t the actual stats that riled protestors, it was Clinton’s actual words. Especially when he told the angry crowd, “You are defending the people who killed the lives you say matter. Tell the truth. You are defending the people who caused people to go out and take guns.”

The bill has re-entered public consciousness as Mrs. Clinton inches closer to winning the Democratic Party’s nomination for President of the United States. Video clips from 1994 have surfaced of her promoting the bill saying that it will get “super predators” off the street and that the bill will “bring them to heel.” Many have taken those comments to be coded language for locking Black people up and treating them like animals.

Mr. Clinton addressed his wife’s remarks during his confrontation stating, “I don’t know how you would characterize the gang leaders who got 13-year-old kids hopped up on crack, and sent them out in the streets to murder other African-American children. Maybe you thought they were good citizens — she didn’t.”

Mrs. Clinton herself was confronted by a protester about the remarks earlier this year at a private fundraising event. She was criticized for her handling of the protester who was later escorted out by security. Mrs. Clinton has insisted that the comments have been used out of context but has since apologized for using the terminology.

Photo: WENN.com