Attorney General Bill Barr announced Thursday that investigations of recent violence spinning out of protests yielded evidence that not only are various "extremist" groups taking advantage of the unrest for his or her own ends but that foreign actors also are getting involved.
After expressing deep sympathies over George Floyd's death in Minneapolis police custody, Barr said at a press briefing that three different sets of actors are involved within the demonstrations -- namely peaceful protesters, looters and extremist agitators that hijack protests to pursue various agendas.
Barr said that there's evidence that those extremists include Antifa and other groups of various political persuasions, also as foreign actors playing all sides to exacerbate the violence.
FBI Director Christopher Wray elaborated on this, noting that "these individuals have begun to sow discord and upheaval."
This echoed what a senior Department of Justice official told Fox News Wednesday about how the feds have seen signs of "very organized" coordination from "professional" agitators, some linked to Antifa. Barr made it clear Thursday that there were a "witches brew" of extremists with varying ideologies, including anarchists and people seeking to incite a war.
There are quite 100 arrests in Washington as a result of the protests and riots associated with the death of Floyd in Minneapolis, consistent with federal officials. Around 20 of these people weren't charged. Meanwhile, 70 to 75 people are charged with crimes like assault, breaking and entering the destruction of property, and other violations.
Barr said that the Department of Justice has used real-time intelligence and other resources to quell the violence which the govt "will still investigate, to form arrests, and to prosecute[.]"
Addressing Floyd's death, Barr said that the Department of Justice and FBI are "conducting a parallel investigation" to ascertain if there have been violations of federal civil rights laws.
"The day is coming soon," Barr said, "when justice is going to be served."
June 4, 2020