LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) – The FBI said it is aware of a Facebook live video recorded by protesters outside of Senator Mitch McConnell’s Louisville home Monday night in which one protester is heard on the video appearing to threaten harm to the senator.
The protester heard supposedly threatening to stab Senator McConnell is Louisville Black Lives Matter leader Chanelle Helm.
She said her comments, which many have called "death threats" towards the senator, are a misunderstanding.
Helm did a Facebook Live throughout the protests outside of Senator McConnell’s home Monday night in which she is heard saying “stab the [expletive] in the heart.” Helm said Tuesday that comment was only in reference to a voodoo doll.
“There were no death threats given to Mitch McConnell last night. People need to really critically listen and critically read,” Helm said.
Helm's comments faced backlash on social media, but she said their protests sent the exact message they wanted.
“Because that was the message we were sending. Just because of the way that it is presented doesn't mean it needs to come in any type of way. People want us to be nice and to be complacent to these folks who are killing us. Absolutely not. Any way and by any means possible,” Helm said.
It wasn't Senator McConnell's stance on gun legislation that made them take to the streets. Helm said they chose to protest Monday night because they knew he was at home with a shoulder injury as he recovered from a fall earlier in the week.
“Anytime that he's in town and we know it, we're going to make sure that he sees us and he hears us," Helm said.
Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin addressed Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer on Twitter in light of the protests, telling him to stop embarrassing Louisville by allowing "public disorder" on the streets.
Fischer responded, saying he stands with "those calling Senator McConnell to return to D.C. and protect our families from more death.”
The two went back and forth in a few more tweets, with Bevin pointing to comments from protesters Monday night he said were "death threats," and Fischer disavowing any such comments as “repulsive.”
The FBI says it is aware of the video with Helm's comments, but no federal charges have been filed at this time.
►Contact reporter Tyler Emery at temery@WHAS11.com. Follow her on Twitter (@TylerWHAS11) and Facebook.