In North Carolina address, Vance says Democrats’ rhetoric and soft-on-crime policies fueling political violence

Vice President JD Vance delivered a fiery speech Sept. 24 in Concord, North Carolina, condemning political violence and tying recent high-profile crimes to what he called Democrats’ “soft-on-crime” policies and escalating rhetoric. 

The visit followed the August murder of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee fatally stabbed on a Charlotte light rail train. State lawmakers are now advancing “Iryna’s Law” to curb cashless bail and toughen penalties for violent offenders, CatholicVote reported.

Opening his remarks, Vance praised the officers standing behind him, telling them, “We love you. We’re grateful to you, and we’re always going to stand behind you.” 

He framed public safety as a basic expectation of taxpayers. 

“You all pay your taxes. They go to safe streets and safe cities,” he said. “You ought to be able to enjoy the places that were built by your tax dollars.”

Vance pointed to Zarutska’s death as evidence of failed leadership. 

“She came from a war-torn country. She sought shelter in the United States of America, and because of soft-on-crime policies, she was murdered here, not in the war-torn country she came from,” Vance said. “Isn't that disgrace?”

He noted that her alleged killer, Decarlos Brown Jr., had been arrested 14 times by law enforcement before the August attack.

“Law enforcement did their job,” Vance declared. “It was the political leadership that failed.”

Vance contrasted the parties’ approaches bluntly, saying that “Democrats want to let them [criminals] out of prison, and Republicans want to put them in prison and keep them there so that all of us are safe in the process.”

The vice president also addressed the Sept. 24 shooting at a Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, calling it “violent left-wing extremism.” 

As CatholicVote reported, one detainee was killed and two were wounded when a gunman opened fire at an ICE facility. The gunman died from a self-inflicted wound. Police said rounds recovered near the suspected shooter’s location revealed anti-ICE messaging, and they are investigating it as an act of targeted violence.

Vance accused Democrats of fueling such attacks with their rhetoric.

“It’s time to stop the rhetorical assault on law enforcement,” he said, singling out California Gov. Gavin Newsom as an example. 

Newsom recently signed a bill that bans state and federal law enforcement from wearing masks on the job, according to FOX News. Speaking about the bill in a Sept. 23 interview, Newsom said ICE’s activity is “authoritarian.”

“When they encourage us to unmask ICE enforcement officers, what do you think is going to happen?” Vance asked.

“If you want to stop political violence, stop attacking our law enforcement as the Gestapo,” he continued. “If you want to stop political felons, stop telling your supporters that everybody who disagrees with you is a Nazi. If you want to stop political violence, look in the mirror.” 

His comments came after the White House rapid response X account posted clips of Democratic politicians comparing ICE to “Nazi Germany” and “the Gestapo.” 

Offering prayers for the Dallas victims, Vance stressed, “Just because we don’t support illegal aliens, we don’t want them to be executed by violent assassins engaged in political violence either.”

Closing, Vance said safety is an essential part of the “American dream.” 

“I want to tell you: when I talk about protecting the American dream, when President Trump talks about fighting for the American dream, at the very top of that list is fighting for your ability, whether you're rich or poor, to be safe in the home that you love,” he said. “It is our sacred obligation.”