Attorney General William Barr says it is possible that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) could encourage violence against police officers with her comments about federal law enforcement officers in Portland, Oregon.
On Tuesday, Barr was asked if Pelosi’s comments could encourage violence against police officers.
“I think that’s possible,” Barr said, adding, “I think it’s irresponsible to call these federal law enforcement officers stormtroopers.”
Watch the video below:
Attorney General William Barr on Tuesday accused House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) of potentially endangering America’s law enforcement community by likening the federal officers occupying Portland, to the “stormtroopers” of Nazi Germany https://t.co/iejODGpAEj pic.twitter.com/xNwb2I4lAo
— POLITICO (@politico) July 28, 2020
Last week, Pelosi denounced the deployment of federal officers in Portland, “The use of stormtroopers under the guise of law and order is a tactic that is not appropriate to our country in any way.”
Earlier this month, federal officers were deployed in Portland to protect federal buildings and monuments. However, their tactics quickly drew harsh criticism as videos surfaced showing officers using unmarked vehicles to arrest demonstrators allegedly involved in violence.
However, President Donald Trump has defended the deployment of federal officers to cities that are witnessing a surge in crime.
“We are trying to help Portland, not hurt it. Their leadership has, for months, lost control of the anarchists and agitators. They are missing in action. We must protect Federal property, AND OUR PEOPLE,” Trump said in a tweet on July 19.
And on July 20, Trump signaled that he would send additional personnel to cities with unrest, as IJR reported.
While Trump has insisted that federal officers will help quell the violence, protesters say the presence of federal officers has actually encouraged more violence and fueled the protests.