VOA常速英语:美国司法部长为联邦政府辩护

Two months of protests in Portland now intensify nightly into clashes between federal law enforcement and protesters around the city's federal courthouse. The controversial use of scheduled tactical units and reported arrests by unidentified federal authorities defended by the nation's top justice official Tuesday. What unfolds nightly around the courthouse cannot reasonably be called protest. It is by any objective measure and assault on the government of the United States. Across the nation, protesters say systematic racism is a serious problem in the country's policing. Barr disputed that claim. The number of unarmed black men killed by police so far this year is eight. The number of unarmed white men killed by police over the same period of time is 11. And the overall numbers of police shootings have been decreasing.

Barr's appearance marks the first in his time as attorney general that he has appeared before the democratic controlled US House of Representatives. And democrats were ready. Your tenure has been marked by a persistent war against the department's professional corps in an apparent attempt to secure favors for the president. Democrats say the attorney generals use of federal force is politically driven ahead of the november presidential election. Americans are very suspicious of your motives here. There are those who believe you are sending federal law enforcement into these cities not to combat violent crime but to help with the presidents re-election efforts. The president has made clear that he wants that he wants conflict between protesters and police to be essential claim as a central theme of his campaign. Barr also defended Trumps June 1st clearing of protesters around the White House, saying it was necessary to protect the president who later stood in front of the defaced Saint Johns church for a photo opportunity. Catherine Gibson VOA News Washington