Journalist asks Barr why he took action against DC rioters -- he says rioters had damaged buildings in Lafayette Park, used crowbars to dig up sidewalks for bricks, many injuries to LEO at WH, including 22 hospitalizations, involving serious head injuries...
Says he'd hoped to move perimeter out a bit before protesters arrived but by time perimeter was able to be moved, large number of protesters had assembled. Projectiles being thrown, group becoming increasingly unruly, asked 3X to move back, refused, so they were moved.
Says MPD does have experience with protests, but monuments, memorials, and proceedings of federal government, and federal LEO are under federal purview and responsibility to provide protection to them is on feds.
Barr says Antifa is just one of the extremist groups that they have found to be provoking violence. Many extremist groups are egging on, participating in, or providing the means of violence. Also warns of disinformation w/ people falsely claiming to be one group or another.
Barr says it's a "witch's brew of a lot of extremist organizations." Wray says longstanding terrorist investigations into a lot of anarchic extremists, including Antifa. And from city to city and even night to night, different groups are involved.
"Doesn't matter what your ideology is, if you commit violence or acts we would consider terrorism, we're going to pursue it." -- Wray.
Barr says POTUS is chief executive of nation and should of course be able to walk through Lafayette Park and visit church of presidents. Says it's entirely appropriate. Didn't know Trump was going to do it until well after plans to move perimeter.
Of foreign efforts to weaken or sow discord in US, Barr says people should know it's constant and not something that comes and goes with elections. Says lot of disinformation circulates to that end. Evidence that some foreign interference is focusing in on Flynn protests.
BOP director asked about BOP officers not being identified or identifying themselves on DC streets -- he says that they don't have experience with public interfacing, usually just inside prisons, and he probably should have done a better job of identifying/prepping them.
NYT reporter asks Barr to say policing issues are due to systemic racism. He says cops who engage in willful use of excessive force are a distinct minority and overwhelming number of police officers try conscientiously to use appropriate force.
Asked by NYT reporter about too much police force, Barr says insufficient shows of police force can be dangerous for police, protesters, and general population alike. Riots are when things get out of control. Says it's important to keep the peace.
