Government
US Attorney General: Increase in threats against public officials
US Attorney General Merrick Garland criticizes threats of violence. photo
© Mariam Zuhaib/AP/dpa
The political mood in the USA is heated. Ten months before the presidential election, the Justice Department is observing an increase in threats against state representatives. And sounds the alarm.
Just in the past few days, several bomb threats have been received against courthouses across the country. And the day before, investigators arrested a person who threatened to kill a member of Congress and his children.
“This is just a small snapshot of a larger trend,” Garland said. “These threats of violence are unacceptable.” They threatened the democratic structure in the country.
Tense situation
The political mood in the USA is generally heated. The next presidential election will take place at the beginning of November – the first since the dramatic upheavals surrounding the 2020 election, which ended in an unprecedented outbreak of violence. This Saturday marks the third anniversary of the attack on the US Capitol:
Supporters of the then Republican President Donald Trump violently stormed the parliament building in the capital on January 6, 2021. Congress met there to formally confirm Democrat Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election. Trump had previously incited his supporters during a speech with unsubstantiated claims that the election victory had been stolen from him through massive fraud. As a result of the riots, five people died. The attack continues to have an impact today.
Garland said that after the attack, the Justice Department launched the largest, most complex and resource-intensive investigation in its history to hold those involved accountable. “So far we have charged more than 12,150 people and obtained over 890 convictions in connection with the January 6 attack,” he said, emphasizing: “Our work continues.”
As things stand now, there are signs that the presidential election could be rematched between Biden and Trump. This is fueling fears that there could be renewed chaos and violence surrounding the election.