DC Mayor, US Attorney’s office Clash over Punishment for Rioters

Maria Leaf
WMAL.com

Following attacks on DC Police officers over the weekend at the city-designated “Black Lives Matter Plaza”, Mayor Muriel Bowser told reporters today she won’t tolerate violence during protests.

The Mayor says those who took part in the unrest came from outside the Washington, DC area. “Many of them came came on Wednesday and Thursday armed for battle, with fireworks, baseball bats, laser pointers…looking for the police to confront,” Bowser said.

“We don’t know who they are, necessarily who funds them, who organizes them…but we know they came together to create havoc. And they are not the same as our residents who proudly say Black Lives Matter”

DC Police Chief Peter Newsham says 14 people were arrested, charged with felony rioting. A handful of police officers were injured, including one who suffered vision damage when a laser was flashed in his eyes.

Mayor Bowser then called on the federal government saying when the protestors are arrested, the “violent agitators” need to be prosecuted.

“When we arrest people for felony charges, we need the US Attorney for the district, who is a federal appointee of the President…to charge them,” Bowser said.

Tonight, The US Attorney’s office for the District of Columbia responded with the following statement:

“Over the past year, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has charged more than 9,500 cases, which include more than 2,500 felony cases. Specifically, with regard to the spike in protest-related violence throughout the District this summer, the Office aggressively charged 121 criminal cases from May 28, 2020 to August 1, 2020. These cases included assault and battery on local police officers and federal agents, arson cases, and the destruction of both private and government property. Most recently, over this past weekend alone, the Office brought criminal charges against five individuals linked to protest-related violence – two of those cases involved assaults on police officers.

Mayor Muriel Bowser’s public statement today related to the United States Attorney’s Office reluctant to prosecute “68 outstanding arrest warrants” is patently false and serves no purpose other than to pass blame and foster innuendo. Since the protests began, this Office has never turned down a single case for prosecution in which there was sufficient evidence to support probable cause.

The Office remains committed to keeping the community safe, but also holds true to the rule of law and constitutional protections for all citizens.”