Barr Says ‘Voices of Peaceful’ Protests Over George Floyd’s Death ‘Hijacked by Violent Radical Elements’

Attorney General William Barr is condemning violence during protests that have broken out across the U.S.

“With the rioting that is occurring in many of our cities around the country, the voices of peaceful and legitimate protests have been hijacked by violent radical elements,” Barr wrote in a statement on Sunday. “Groups of outside radicals and agitators are exploiting the situation to pursue their own separate, violent, and extremist agenda.”

Barr put his foot down as he called for an end to the “watching the violence” and to start “to confront and stop it.” He said the riots and what he called domestic terrorism “undercuts the urgent work that needs to be done” between the 🚓Law Enforcement and communities.

“Preventing reconciliation and driving us apart is the goal of these radical groups, and we cannot let them succeed.”

He later wrote, “The violence instigated and carried out by Antifa and other similar groups in connection with the rioting is domestic terrorism and will be treated accordingly.”

Read Barr’s full statement below:

Additionally, as Barr’s spokesperson tweeted late Sunday, “As a reminder, it is a federal crime to cross state lines or to use interstate facilities to incite or participate in violent rioting. We WILL be enforcing these laws.”

On Sunday afternoon, President Donald Trump