Bernie Sanders supporters pummel Civil Rights hero John Lewis on Twitter

Georgia congressman John Lewis was on the receiving end of Twitter's wrath after he appeared to dismiss Bernie Sanders' work during the civil rights era.

Lewis, a civil rights icon who walked with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma, Alabama was endorsing Hillary Clinton for president when he was asked about Sanders' participation in the civil rights movement.

"I never saw him. I never met him," Lewis said. "I chaired the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee for three years from 1963 to 1966. I was involved in the sit-ins, the Freedom Rides, the March on Washington, the march from Selma to Montgomery and directed the voter education project for six years. I met Hillary Clinton, I met President Clinton."

Click through images from a recent Bernie Sanders and Al Sharpton meeting:

Also Read:Find Out if Jimmy Fallon's Bernie Sanders Impression Can Compete With Larry David's (Video)

That apparently didn't sit will with Sanders supporters. Lewis quickly became a top trending topic on Thursday, with some trolling Lewis on Twitter:

Click through reactions from Sanders supporters:

— Very Serious People™ (@TheXclass) February 11, 2016

Lewis made his remarks on Capitol Hill, where members of the Congressional Black Caucus' political action committee officially endorsed Clinton.

The remarks come as the two Democratic presidential candidates are gearing up for the crucial Southern states primaries where the African-American vote could tip the balance.

Also Read:Bernie Sanders Gets a Taste of Southern Hospitality From Stephen Colbert

As Mother Jones reported, Sanders was involved in the chapter of the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE) while a college student during the 1960s.

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