Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) wants to know if racial justice protesters charged with crimes that occurred during the summer protests in 2020 are being treated the same as individuals arrested for allegedly participating in the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
During a Senate hearing on Tuesday, Johnson asked Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser, “Do you know how many people were arrested for the summer riots?”
“We’ve had dozens of people arrested over the last year,” Bowser responded.
Johnson asked the mayor how many people who were arrested in connection with riots that took place over the summer are still being detained. However, Bowser said she did not know.
The Wisconsin senator asked, “Do you know, by geolocation, did we go and arrest people who participated in the summer riots in their individual states like we did with the January 6th breachers?”
“If you’re asking about how the Federal Bureau of Investigation operates, you’ll have to address those questions to them,” she responded.
Watch the video below:
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) pushes DC Mayor Muriel Bowser about treatment of BLM protesters and Capitol insurrectionists:
— The Recount (@therecount) June 22, 2021
“Did we go and arrest people who participated in the summer riots in their individual states, like we did with the January 6th breachers?” pic.twitter.com/RGeJ6Yx9YX
Republicans have previously raised concerns about how those arrested in connection with the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol are being treated.
In a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, five Republican senators including Johnson said they have “concerns regarding potential unequal justice” in how suspected January 6 rioters and those charged with crimes from the racial justice protesters in summer 2020 are treated.
“DOJ’s apparent unwillingness to punish these individuals who allegedly committed crimes during the spring and summer 2020 protests stands in stark contrast to the harsher treatment of the individuals charged in connection with the January 6, 2021 breach of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.,” the senators wrote.
They added, “The Department of Justice needs to answer for why there hasn’t been an equal administration of justice with respect to violent protests that occurred throughout our nation last year.”
More than 400 individuals across 40 states have been charged for allegedly participating in the riot at the Capitol.
