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300 and Counting: Push by Feds to Arrest in US Protests

Associated Press

   In a private call with federal prosecutors across the country, Attorney
   General William Barr's message was clear: Aggressively go after
   demonstrators who cause violence.

   Barr pushed his U.S. attorneys to bring federal charges whenever they
   could, keeping a grip on cases even if a defendant could be tried
   instead in state court, according to officials with knowledge of last
   week's call who were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter and
   spoke on condition of anonymity. Federal convictions often result in
   longer prison sentences.

   The Trump administration's crackdown has already led to more than 300
   arrests for federal crimes allegedly committed in protests since the
   death of George Floyd. An AP analysis of the data shows that while many
   people are accused of violent crimes such as arson for hurling Molotov
   cocktails and burning police cars and assault for injuring law
   enforcement, others are not. That's led to criticism that at least some
   arrests are a politically motivated effort to stymie demonstrations.

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