The Justice Department is increasing police presence in major cities across the U.S., with Attorney General William Barr dispatching riot teams to Washington D.C. and Miami in order to help with protesters in the wake of a weekend of looting and riots.
The federal Bureau of Prisons sent riot teams, and the FBI has directed the Hostage Rescue Unit to help in D.C., according to a senior Justice Department official. In addition to the special response teams, the FBI has set up command posts.
Much of the nation has erupted into protests to express outrage over George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis, with some of the protests turning violent and destructive.
Washington D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham said 88 people were arrested on Sunday, and half of those arrests carried charges of felony rioting. The FBI will begin working with local law enforcement to review arrests of those who come from out of state to riot for possible federal charges.
D.C was hit particularly hard on Sunday, with largely peaceful demonstrations breaking out into violence after dark. Much of the destruction centered around Lafayette Square, which is near the White House. Several monuments were defaced with graffiti.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that effective Monday there will be a curfew beginning at 7 p.m and will remain in effect for two days as demonstrations are expected to continue over the next several days.
“Smashed windows and looting are becoming a bigger story than the broken system that got us here,” Bowser said.
Newsham is offering up to $1,000 rewards for anyone who can identify those participating in violence.
In Miami, Assistant Police Chief Manny Morales said much of the violence and destruction occurred on sundown on Saturday and that most of the protests during the day were peaceful.
People threw bottles and rocks outside Miami police headquarters, and five police cars were set on fire. The violence caused Miami’s public transportation to be suspended. Fifty-eight people arrested, and the majority of the arrests faced charges of violating Miami-Dade’s curfew.
“These were not demonstrators, but criminals who were taking advantage that some of the police were tied up,” Morales said, “The vast majority of the protesters are law-abiding citizens that are exercising their constitutional rights.”
The planned reopening of Miami-Dade beaches, set for today, has been placed on hold, and a citywide curfew remains in effect from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m until further notice.
