Attorney General William Barr warned Tuesday that additional law enforcement will be deployed to Washington, D.C. tonight as part of an effort to crack down on protests and riots sparked by the death of George Floyd.
“Last night was a more peaceful night in the District of Columbia. Working together, federal and local law enforcement made significant progress in restoring order to the nation’s capital,” Barr said in a statement.
“Not least, I am grateful to the many federal law enforcement agencies and personnel who helped protect the District, including the FBI, Secret Service, Park Police, ATF, DEA, Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Marshals Service, Capitol Police, Department of Homeland Security’s CBP and Border Patrol units, and others,” he added.
“There will be even greater law enforcement resources and support in the region tonight,” Barr continued. “The most basic function of government is to provide security for people to live their lives and exercise their rights, and we will meet that responsibility here in the nation’s capital.”
The streets of D.C. were largely under control Monday evening after President Donald Trump deployed the National Guard to the city. There were only minor instances of violence, with several shop windows smashed on 14th Street. A CVS store was also reportedly looted. Police arrested dozens of protesters in the city for violating the city’s 7:00 p.m. curfew.
Earlier Tuesday, the Pentagon said an additional 1,500 National Guard troops from other states would be deployed tonight to D.C.
On Monday, President Trump delivered a brief but stern statement in the Rose Garden about his administration’s next steps to prevent further unrest in the nation’s capital and around the country.
“My first and highest duty as president is to defend our great country and the American people,” the president said. “I swore an oath to uphold the laws of our nation and that is exactly what I will do.”
“If a city or state refuses to take the actions that are necessary to defend the life and property of their residents, then I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them,” he added.