WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) released the following statement on the death of George Floyd and the unrest across the country: 

“As a nation, we recently honored the men and women who serve on the front lines keeping our communities safe during National Police Week.

We owe a great deal to the law enforcement officers who put themselves in harm’s way to protect their families, friends and neighbors at a moment’s notice.

Law enforcement officers are also public officials, and as such, must always work to earn and keep the public’s trust. The death of George Floyd is shocking, disturbing and has resulted in a massive failure of that sacred trust. 

The anger and frustration this tragedy, and others like it, have brought to light is justifiable and needs to lead to reforms. Violence, however, is never the answer.

Over the last few days, a clear trend of peaceful protests occurring throughout the daytime turning violent, destructive and dangerous when the sun goes down and a criminal element takes over is unacceptable and counterproductive. 

When outside agitators are allowed to control the streets, the calls for justice are drowned out by an apparent, coordinated effort to create conflict and divide us further. 

Leaders on all fronts, at every level of government, need to be working toward deescalating the situation. The violence has to end so the dialogue can move forward. We cannot begin to build a better society while chaos reigns in our streets.”