'Outside agitators taking over': US Attorney General on protests over George Floyd's death

As protests in United States took a turn for worse, US Attorney General William Barr on Saturday said that outside radicals and agitators have hijacked protests in US cities over George Floyd's death in police custody in Minneapolis.

“Groups of outside radicals and agitators are exploiting situation to pursue ir own separate and violent nda,” Barr said in a statement. "In many places, it appears violence is planned, organised, and driven by anarchistic and far-left extremists, using Antifa-like tactics, many of whom travel from out of state to promote violence," he said.

"We must have law and order on our streets and in our communities, and it is responsibility of local and state leadership, in first instance, to halt this violence.  Department of Justice (including FBI, Marshals, ATF, and DEA), and all of our 93 U.S. Attorneys across country, will support se local efforts and take all action necessary to enforce federal law," he added.

“It is a federal crime to cross state lines or use interstate facilities to incite or participate in violent rioting and we will enforce those laws,” he concluded.

READ | Trump Calls George Floyd's Death 'grave Trdy', Says Inquiry To Be Expedited

READ | Scuffles, Fire In LA Over Death Of George Floyd

'Will stand against violence, mayhem and disorder'

As protests continue to engulf United States over death of George Floyd, US President Donal Trump on Sunday said that his administration "will always stand against violence, mayhem, and disorder".

Condoling Floyd's death, Trump said, "We will stand with family of George Floyd, with peaceful protestors, and with every law-abiding citizen who wants decency, civility, safety, and security." Saying that his administration supports rights of "peaceful protestors," Trump added that "what we are w seeing on streets of our cities has thing to do with justice or peace.”

(With ncy inputs)

READ | George Floyd's Death: Minneapolis Rattled By Violent Protests, See Pictures

READ | George Floyd Protests Live Updates: 'Will Always Stand Against Violence & Disorder': Trump