Friday 24 June 2022 12:15 PM Channel 4 journalists rally round Siobhan Kennedy after she was told to 'go ... trends now
British journalists have rallied around their Channel 4 News colleague after she was told to 'go back to your country' by a furious Republican firebrand politician.
Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene lashed out at reporter Siobhan Kennedy after she questioned her over American gun laws and the validity of the Second Amendment at a press conference in the US.
Producers at the UK news channel have called the Washington Correspondent 'brilliant' for the way she handled the heated debate on gun control laws.
Siobhan also told MailOnline that she wanted to hold the Republican politician to account for her statements.
Greene, 48, had stepped away from the microphone when the Siobhan pointed out that the UK doesn't 'have mass shootings' or the Second Amendment.
She became verbally aggressive and barked that its 'our job to defend the Second Amendment', which gives US citizens the right to own a gun.
Kennedy said: 'We don't have guns in the UK, that is true, but we don't have mass shootings either. And our children aren't scared to go to school.'
The controversial politician loudly shot back: 'You have mass stabbings, lady. You have all kinds of murder and you've got laws against that.'
Republican Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene told a Channel 4 journalist Siobhan Kennedy (pictured) to 'go back to your country' after she questioned her over American gun laws and the validity of the Second Amendment at a press conference in the US
Greene, 48, had stepped away from the microphone when Kennedy (pictured today) pointed out that the UK doesn't 'have mass shootings' or the Second Amendment
Marjorie Taylor Greene told a Channel 4 journalist Siobhan Kennedy to 'go back to your country' after she questioned her over American gun laws
Siobhan Kennedy's new colleagues rallied round her to support her hitting back at the fiery Republican. They supported her by sharing the footage originally posted by Channel 4 News of the incident
Channel 4's Washington Correspondent Siobhan Kennedy questioned the firebrand Republican over her views on gun laws. She had been attending a press conference in the US over the Second Amendment caucus
Channel 4's Washington Correspondent hit back: 'Not like the rates here.'
Greene waved off the statement, replying: 'Well, you can go back to your country and worry about your no guns.'
Producer Zahra Warsame shared the footage of the heated exchange posted by Channel 4 news and added: 'We don't have guns but we don't have mass shootings either.... a fair point from Siobhan Kennedy'.
Health and Social Care Editor Victoria Macdonald wrote: 'My brilliant colleague Siobhan Kennedy pushing back against Marjorie Taylor Greene.'
Presenter & Investigations Editor for the broadcaster Cathy Newman added: 'Brilliant from Siobhan Kennedy.'
Brazen Greene shared the clip on her Twitter page writing: 'When British press wants to argue about our God-given American gun rights, my answer is: ''Go back to your own country.''
Hitting back online Siobhan said: 'Marjorie Taylor Greene isn't happy with me for pointing out that the proposed gun legislation is not about taking her guns away!
'Nor is knife crime in the UK in any way comparable with gun crime here. There are no 'mass stabbings' in the UK. 'Yet here kids are frightened to go to school?'
Speaking to MailOnline, Siobhan added that the Republican was 'doubling down' on her opinions by reposting the footage online.
She said: 'It was a press conference of the 2nd Amendment caucus - in other words a group of very conservative Republicans who reject any type of gun control, like the legislation going through Congress right now which looks very likely to pass.
'It was a big back and forth after I asked her and the other members of group essentially what they were scared of- that no one was threatening to take their guns away
'It's important to call these politicians out and hold them to account'
The conference comes just a day after a bipartisan gun control bill was agreed upon in the Senate on Tuesday, aimed at toughening up background checks for younger gun purchasers.
It would also beef up penalties for gun trafficker's, and stop romantic partners convicted of domestic abuse who are not married to their victims from getting firearms.
In the Senate 14 Republicans joined 48 Democrats along with two independents on the bill.
Despite this, Greene defiantly told the British journalist: 'We like our [guns] here.'
The Second Amendment has been a hot button topic for decades in the US, as well as gun control.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, 48, became verbally aggressive toward the journalist at a press conference yesterday after the female reporter pointed out the UK doesn't 'have mass shootings' nor the Second Amendment.
The outspoken Republican told the unidentified journalist to 'go back to your country' after the reported brought up that the UK does not have mass shootings like the US. Green hit back saying that the UK has 'all kinds of murder'.
Greene also named dropped several Republicans she said failed the GOP, including Mitch McConnell (left) and Mitt Romney (right). 'I don't mind naming their names, because people all over our country are furious at them,' she bluntly claimed
It comes after several mass shootings in American, including an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, in which 19 students and two teachers died.
A total of 66 mass shootings have taken place since the May 24 tragedy, according to the Gun Violence Archive - which defines a mass shooting as four or more injured or killed.
Lawmakers have been pushed to come to a conclusion on the ever pressing issue as children have claimed to be scared to return to school and educators are once again bestowed the complicated task of revamping classrooms to protect the youth.
The bill also provides $750million to 19 states that have 'red flag laws,' making it easier to temporarily take firearms from people adjudged dangerous, and to other states with violence prevention programs.
States with 'red flag' laws that receive the funds would have to have legal processes for the gun owner to fight the firearm's removal.
The bill would disburse money to states and communities to improve school safety and mental health initiatives.
Senate bargainers reached the agreement Tuesday potentially teeing up final passage by week's end.
Lawmakers released the 80-page bill nine days after agreeing to a framework for the plan and 29 years after Congress last enacted major firearms curbs.
Greene later claimed in the press conference that
