WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th July, 2020) Ongoing protests in Portland, Oregon, have been hijacked by violent elements seeking to burn down the Federal courthouse and other government installations and only a handful of federal law enforcement officers were defending them, US Attorney General William Barr said in a congressional testimony.
"These aren't peaceful protestors: They bring power tools to cut through the wires to get in," Barr told the US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. "Why can't we just say violence against federal courts has to stop? Can we say something like that?"
When asked by a Republican congressman whether the federal courthouse building would still be standing today if he had not deployed forces to protect it, Barr replied, "I don't think so."
Barr said peaceful protests were protected by the US Constitution, but using violence and breaking the law were not.
Protests have continued for nearly two months in Portland following the death of George Floyd, a 46-year old black man who died in police custody on May 25. However, the protests have turned into riots complete with violence against police and civilians as well as acts of vandalism and arson.
