“It’s time for local leaders to restore law and order. It’s time to make sure our communities are safe again.”
Click here to watch Sen. Barrasso’s remarks.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) spoke on the Senate floor about the need to stop violent protests happening across America.
Excerpts of Senator Barrasso’s remarks:
“I come to the floor today to talk about another epidemic, and that’s the epidemic of violence that is sweeping our country.
“Monday’s Washington Post headline warns: ‘Protests explode across the country –
Police declare riots in Seattle, Portland.’
“Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal editorial is headlined: ‘A Weekend of Urban Anarchy.’ In Seattle on Saturday, rioters blew a hole in a police precinct. They hurled explosives and they injured 53 police officers.
“In Portland, rioters threw Molotov cocktails Friday night. Several officers were hit with heavy explosives. The rioters returned Sunday and attacked the courthouse.
“In spite of what the Democrats say when they call these ‘peaceful protests’, these are nothing peaceful, and they are not protests. This is active violence. This is organized violence, and it is meant to destroy and to intimidate. Portland has now endured 60 days of senseless destruction.
“These violent protests are a powder keg for our entire nation.
“The rioters threaten entire communities.
“They’re ruining lives, and they’re running neighborhoods. They’re wrecking public and they’re wrecking private property.
“They burn, they loot, and they kill.
“Across the country, a number of police officers have been killed. According to a New York Times reports, murder rates in our big cities are now up 16 percent compare to last year.
“In New York alone, murders are up 24 percent. Atlanta murders up 31 percent. Chicago murders up 51 percent.
“In Chicago last week, fifteen people were shot while attending the funeral of a victim of gang violence.
“Children are being hurt and killed. A 7-year-old girl, a 14-year-old boy were among those shot and killed in Chicago over the Fourth of July weekend. This is a crisis of leadership in our liberal cities.
“Where are the Democrat mayors? They have surrendered to the mob.
“Where are the Democrat governors? They have surrendered to the mob.
“Instead of leading, they are turning their backs on the safety and security of the law-abiding citizens of our communities.
“In these liberal cities, mob rule has replaced the rule of law.
“We are seeing in real time – the result of the radical ‘defund the police’ movement that is embraced by many Democrats.
“We should defend, not defund, the police and law enforcement.
“Americans do not want to defund the police.
“According to a recent Rasmussen poll, 2 out of 3 Americans oppose cutting police funding. A majority say that they want the federal government to help fight crime in these cities.
“One thing is clear: The violent rioting plaguing our cities cannot continue.
“The police are being targeted for doing their job, and their jobs come at great personal risk.
“At the same time, elected Democrat mayors and city council members and governors refuse to condemn the rioting and the cold-blooded murder.
“It’s time for local leaders to restore the law and order.
“It’s time to make sure our communities are safe again.
“The death and destruction lies at the feet of elected Democrat leaders. Each must be held accountable for their leadership failure.”
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