Calls for harassment of Trump supporters unacceptable: Sarah Sanders

Washington: Days after she was asked by a Virginia restaurant to leave, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Tuesday decried calls for harassment and push for any supporter of US President Donald Trump to avoid the public, saying such a move was 'unacceptable'.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders was kicked out of The Red Hen restaurant in Lexington, Virginia on Friday for working for Trump.

Also read: White House spokeswoman asked to leave restaurant for working for Trump

"Healthy debate on ideas and political philosophy is important, but the calls for harassment and push for any Trump supporter to avoid the public is unacceptable. America is a great country and our ability to find solutions despite those disagreements is what makes us unique," Sanders told reporters at her daily news conference.

She said over the weekend, she was asked to leave a restaurant where she went to have dinner with her family. "My husband and I politely left and went home. I was asked to leave because I worked for President Trump," she told reporters.

"We're allowed to disagree, but we should be able to do so freely and without fear of harm. And this goes for all people, regardless of politics. Some have chosen to push hate and vandalism against the restaurant that I was asked to leave from," Sanders said.

"A Hollywood actor publicly encouraged people to kidnap my children, and this weekend a member of Congress called for people to push back and make clear to those serving their country and this administration that they are not welcome anywhere, anytime for anything," the White House Press Secretary said.

The restaurant's co-owner Stephanie Wilkinson told 'The Washington Post' that her reasons to kick Sanders out included the concerns of employees who were gay and knew she had defended Trump's desire to bar transgender people from the military. Wilkinson said she believed Sanders works in an "inhumane and unethical" administration.

Earlier in the day, Trump said the restaurant instead should focus more on cleaning its filthy canopies and windows.

"The Red Hen Restaurant should focus more on cleaning its filthy canopies, doors and windows (badly needs a paint job) rather than refusing to serve a fine person like Sarah Huckabee Sanders," he said. "I always had a rule, if a restaurant is dirty on the outside, it is dirty on the inside!" the president said in a tweet.

Meanwhile Democratic Congresswoman Maxine Waters called for protesters to confront Cabinet members publicly to shame them over the Trump administration's policies. Trump slammed the Democratic lawmaker in a tweet.

"Congresswoman Maxine Waters, an extraordinarily low IQ person, has become, together with Nancy Pelosi, the Face of the Democrat Party. She has just called for harm to supporters, of which there are many, of the Make America Great Again movement. Be careful what you wish for Max!" Trump said in a tweet.