HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on Tuesday urged the nation to "turn the tide" against political violence and to reject a retaliatory mindset that he said only deepens divisions and danger.
Speaking as the keynote at the Eradicate Hate Global Summit in Pittsburgh, Shapiro called on political leaders to condemn every form of politically motivated violence and to abandon what he described as a "rhetoric of vengeance." His remarks came days after the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which has intensified debate about political rhetoric and safety for public figures.
"It is all wrong, and it makes us all less safe," Shapiro said. "During moments like these, I believe we have a responsibility to be clear and unequivocal in calling out all forms of political violence, making clear it is all wrong." He warned that violence does more than injure or kill; it terrorizes, silences and "tears at the fabric of American society."
Shapiro emphasized that rejecting violence must not be used as a pretext to prosecute constitutionally protected speech. He also criticized what he called the "rhetoric of rage" from some political leaders and said that people "in the dark corners of the internet, all the way to the Oval Office, want to cherry-pick which instances of political violence they want to condemn."
The governor recounted how, in April, he and his family fled the governor's official residence in the middle of the night after an alleged arsonist broke in and set the building on fire in an apparent attempt to kill him. The family had been asleep after celebrating the Jewish holiday of Passover. The incident drew national attention to threats against elected officials and heightened concerns about political violence.
Shapiro, a Democrat considered by some as a potential presidential contender in 2028, warned that widespread distrust in government and other institutions has pushed some people to online communities that glorify and urge violence. "It leads to a belief among some that the only way they can address their problems is through violence," he said, adding that online networks can take frustrations and turn them into hate.
The Eradicate Hate conference, now in its fifth year, was launched after a gunman attacked and killed 11 worshippers at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018, the deadliest attack on Jews in U.S. history. Organizers and speakers have used the summit to discuss ways to counter hate and extremism, promote community resilience and urge political leaders to speak out against violence across the ideological spectrum.
Shapiro urged leaders at all levels to be explicit in rejecting violence and to avoid language that could be interpreted as endorsing or excusing it. He said the nation must restore confidence that democratic institutions can address problems so Americans do not turn to violence as a solution.