Attorney General William Barr stopped his motorcade as it drove by a pro-police rally and exited his car to offer his support for their message.
“That time you’re driving in Virginia and the Attorney General spots a group of people in front of a police precinct showing their support for the police,” DOJ spokeswoman Kerri Kupec tweeted Thursday evening. “AG to FBI Detail: “Can we make a quick U-Turn? I want to jump out and thank those people.”
That time you’re driving in Virginia and the Attorney General spots a group of people in front of a police precinct showing their support for the police.
AG to FBI Detail: “Can we make a quick U-Turn? I want to jump out and thank those people.”
Watch! #SoundOn ?????? pic.twitter.com/3atSicAgdC
— Kerri Kupec DOJ (@KerriKupecDOJ) August 7, 2020
Barr can be seen in the video posted by Kupec bumping elbows with rallygoers, taking photos, and talking about his recent testimony before Congress.
“We love you,” one woman can be heard saying to Barr as he stood in the middle of the crowd practicing social distancing. “This is awesome,” a man can be heard saying.
Anti-police sentiments and protests have been spreading across the country following the death of George Floyd on May 25, resulting in several counterprotests aimed at showing support for police departments across the country that are facing calls from Democrats to be disbanded and defunded.
Several rallies supporting the police have been interrupted by Black Lives Matter protesters, including in the city of New York and Saratoga Springs, New York.
“First, let me say what an honor it is for me to serve under a president who is such a strong supporter of law enforcement,” Barr said to President Trump during a White House roundtable discussion about policing last month. “I’ve said repeatedly that, to my mind, there is no more noble profession in our country than serving as a law enforcement officer. The police put their lives and well-being on the line every day for us, and their jobs have never been more difficult than it is today.”
Police morale has been reportedly declining as a result of the turmoil following Black Lives Matter protests and riots, most notably in New York City where police retirements have spiked by 400% in a move that many say is a direct result of the anti-police rhetoric spread by media outlets and city leadership.
