Former NBA star and current Inside the NBA analyst Charles Barkley has called Ferguson, Missouri looters “scumbags,” while applauding police officers who work in black neighborhoods. Barkley added that he supports the grand jury’s decision not to indict Darren Wilson for shooting of Michael Brown.

Regarding the Ferguson verdict, Barkley told Mike Missanelli at 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia Tuesday that “the true story came out from the grand jury testimony.”

Sir Charles added that he was aware of “key forensic evidence, and several black witnesses that supported Officer Darren Wilson’s story. I can’t believe anything I hear on television anymore. And, that’s why I don’t like talking about race issues with the media anymore, because they (the media) love this stuff, and lead people to jump to conclusions. The media shouldn’t do that. They never do that when black people kill each other.”

Barkley commented on the looting in Ferguson, saying, “there is no excuse for people to be out there burning down people’s businesses, burning down police cars.”

The response to Barkley’s comments has been mixed:

Charles Barkley, always one to speak the obvious. Gotta love it. Calls the #Ferguson rioters #scumbags http://t.co/SM43Dm4tGt

— Scott (@NorthCounty3303) December 1, 2014

charles barkley is trash, that's why he got kicked off the court in space jam.

— michael uzowuru (@michaeluzowuru) December 1, 2014

#CharlesBarkley must be going for The Uncle Tom Heisman, The Uncle Tom Oscar, The Uncle Tom Grammy, & The Uncle Tom Academy Award. #Ferguson

— Edgar Allan Flow (@MasaiATG) December 1, 2014

Charles Barkley will always be one of my favorites! #brilliant http://t.co/8OIXDOvg4k

— aj♕KCCO (@Californiner) December 1, 2014

Race Baiters Will Not Be Happy with What Charles Barkley Said About #Ferguson Rioters http://t.co/0rv8PnnGRN

— Federalist Papers (@TheFederalist1) December 1, 2014

Barkley went on to praise police officers, and remarked, “We have to be really careful with the cops, because if it wasn’t for the cops we would be living in the Wild, Wild West in our neighborhoods.”

The NBA great added, “We can’t pick out certain incidentals that don’t go our way and act like the cops are all bad. … Do you know how bad some of these neighborhoods would be if it wasn’t for the cops?”

Charles Barkley calls #Ferguson rioters “scumbags” http://t.co/YhGdaBObyK pic.twitter.com/TE2LErnr1F

— National Review (@NRO) December 1, 2014