(Fox News) FBI Director Christopher Wray on Wednesday pushed back on social media threats made against him and other law enforcement officers, following his agency’s unprecedented search of former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.
On Monday, the FBI executed a “raid” on Trump’s Florida home and by that night, droves of social media posts criticized the incident and accused the bureau of being politicized in nature. Some messages also called for violence towards Wray, a massive uprising, and even a civil war.
“I’m always concerned about threats to law enforcement,” Wray said Wednesday, condemning the posts. “Violence against law enforcement is not the answer, no matter who you’re upset with.”
He called the threats “deplorable and dangerous.”
The comments were made after a news conference at the agency’s field office in Omaha, Nebraska, where Wray provided comments about the FBI’s focus on cybersecurity.
At the presser, Wray declined to comment further or answer any questions about why FBI agents spent hours on Monday searching Trump’s Palm Beach, Florida resort. This was the first time in U.S. history that the FBI has conducted such a search at the residence of a former president.
Since Monday, scores of messages have been seen on Twitter, Gab, and TRUTH Social calling for violence across the country.
Authorities monitoring these posts spotted a significant increase in death threats aimed toward Attorney General Merrick Garland, Wray and FBI agents, sources told Fox News.
Both Garland and Wray travel with armed security.
A post on Gab said, “All it takes is one call. And millions will arm up and take back this country. It will be over in less than 2 weeks.”
Another said, “Lets get this started! This unelected, illegitimate regime crossed the line with their GESTAPO raid! It is long past time the lib socialist filth were cleansed from American society!”
Trump and several top Republicans have demanded an answer from the FBI and the Justice Department on why the search was conducted and what property was seized.
“These are dark times for our Nation, as my beautiful home, Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, was raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents,” Trump said Tuesday in an email sent by Trump’s Save America political action committee.
