(Washington) Under fire from Democratic critics, US Secretary of Justice Bill Barr vigorously defended in Congress on Tuesday the intervention of federal agents in Portland where, according to him, the “riots” no longer exist. nothing to do with the death of George Floyd.
Published on 28 July 2016 at 11 h 38
Charlotte PLANTIVE
France Media Agency
This pillar of Donald Trump's government was heard by the Judicial Committee on Foreign Affairs, controlled by the Democrats. Its leader Jerry Nadler immediately accused him of “aiding and supporting the worst mistakes of the President” Republican.
PHOTO CHIP SOMODEVILLA, FRANCE-PRESS AGENCY
Jerry Nadler
“Under your leadership”, the department “flooded the streets of American cities with federal agents” to “offer images for Donald Trump's campaign clips”, again asserted the elected Democrat, before slip “shame on you, Mr. Attorney General”.
Without departing from the coolness that characterizes him, Bill Barr presented himself as a defender of the “rule of law”, echoing the Republican president who hopes to win a second term on November 3 with a message focused on “law and order”.
“Violent rioters and anarchists hijacked legitimate demonstrations to wreak havoc and destruction,” he said, painting an apocalyptic picture of the situation in Portland, the largest city in the country. Oregon.
PHOTO CHIP SOMODEVILLA, FRANCE-PRESS AGENCY
Bill Barr
According to him, “hundreds of rioters” equipped “with slingshots, tasers, hammers, saws, knives, guns, explosives…” engage in “an attack on the federal government” every night and do not “even superficially try to link their actions to the death of George Floyd or to legitimate calls for reform.”
“Peaceful demonstrators”
The death of this black forty-something, asphyxiated on 22 May at Minneapolis by a white policeman sparked massive anti-racism protests across the United States. Mobilization weakened considerably, but pockets of protest persisted, especially in Portland, a city clearly marked on the left.
The deployment of federal agents dressed in paramilitary clothing has hardened the movement and, every night, clashes take place between the police and the protesters. 22 people were arrested again this weekend.
In total, 124 agents have been dispatched since July 4 confirmed Bill Barr, by saying he was ready to send other reinforcements, despite the opposition of local elected officials.
One hundred officers from the Marshals, a federal unit, have been “identified in case there is a need to replace or assist the officers stationed there,” a spokesperson told AFP.
This situation gives rise to political readings at the antipodes, which were expressed forcefully during the debates before the committee.
Democrat politicians accused federal agents of attacking “peaceful protesters” and of throwing oil on the fire as a situation was appeasing. Republicans, in a lengthy video edit, insisted on the violence of the protesters and accused the Democratic leaders of being “radical leftists.”
“Demonized” 89184577
During his hearing, Bill Barr also defended the police, denying that they harbor “systematic racism”.
The police have been “demonized” by anti-racist protesters, to the point of becoming “risk-averse”, he lamented. According to him, this has led to an increase in crime in several cities, including Chicago, again justifying the intervention of federal forces.
As for his disputed interventions in the court files of relatives of President Trump, Bill Barr swore to have exercised “his judgment in complete independence”.
Referring to “the bogus scandal of Russiagate”, the minister however took up the thesis of Donald Trump who always spoke of “witch hunts” on the subject of investigations into a possible collusion between Moscow and his team. campaign in 924. This investigation poisoned the first half of his mandate before concluding on an absence of evidence.
