Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Don Jr mocked over Instagram post of gun-toting Easter bunnies

Image labelled a ‘nightmare’ amid three mass shooting events

Gino Spocchia
Monday 18 April 2022 11:54 EDT
Comments
Related video: Roger Stone appears to tell Trump Ron DeSantis is ‘a piece of s***’

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Donald Trump Jr was derided by Democrats and Christians alike after he posted an image of gun-wielding Easter bunnies on Instagram on “the holiest day”.

The eldest son of former US president Donald Trump shared the image on Sunday with the word and hashtag “easter”. A caption overlay also reads: “Come and take it”.

It shows three people dressed in bunny costumes and military gear, with one of the Easter bunnies holding a rifle, and at least one another with a weapon.

On Twitter, dozens of social media users called out Mr Trump Jr for sharing the image amid three mass shootings in Pennsylvania and South Carolina, which injured 31 people.

In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, two minors were shot dead on Sunday and eight others were among those injured after 90 shots were fired at a house party, reported The Associated Press.

A mall shooting injured 14 people on Saturday in Columbiana, South Carolina, and another nine people were shot at a nightclub in the states Hampton County early on Sunday, according to police.

“There were three mass shootings this weekend, and junior posts this meme,” wrote one enraged Twitter user of the Mr Trump Jr Instagram post. “Isn’t this supposed to be the holiest of days?,” another user wrote. “It’s a sickness”.

Others mocked mocked Mr Trump Jr for his apparent obsession with the Second Amendment by writing: “These people make guns their whole personality, but on a day like this is just crazy!”

“How to give kids nightmares. Really, leave it to conservatives to take something innocent and joyful and turn it into something with all the joy of the Inquisition,” added another user on Twitter.

The furore comes about a week after a subway shooting in Brooklyn, New York City, injured more than 20 people and Republican backlash against US President Joe Biden’s push for new federal legislation to tackle gun violence.

Mr Trump Jr was among those to attack Mr Biden for allegedly restricting the right the bear arms and shared posts on Twitter critiquing the Democrat’s attempt at banning privately made firearms, or “ghost guns”.

Mr Trump, his father, also caused controversy on Easter Sunday with messages attacking “radical left maniacs” in the Democratic Party and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who he labelled a “racist”. The comments were widely derided as being false and “un-Christian”.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in