Officials allegedly affiliated with the United States Park Police removed tents, tables, chairs, and other gear affiliated with the occupation of Farragut Square early Saturday morning in Washington, D.C.
The police action that protestors on the ground described as a “raid” began around 4:00 a.m. Saturday, and ended roughly an hour later, according to the Facebook Live feed published by the group Impeachment Square.
Although the video is dark, it’s possible to see that some members of a local police force are removing items, but it’s unclear if the Park Police led the charge. Officials with the Park Police DC office were unable to confirm whether the department was responsible for the raid when contacted by The Daily Caller News Foundation.
Protesting organizers claim to have applied with the Parks Service for a permit for their action. The permit has yet to be approved, according to the group.
“It speaks volumes about our country that a permit would be issued for a white supremacist rally, yet our nonviolent 24-hour vigil against our white supremacist government would be broken up by a public institution,” organizer Nelini Stamp said in a statement, referencing the infamous “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Va. in August.
“We are disappointed, frustrated, but resolved. We took as many reasonable steps as we could in the time available to us, but still had many donated goods to support the march and the vigil confiscated. Our next step is to march on the White House to bring our message to the President himself,” Stamp said.
The group is now planning a rally Saturday evening at the White House scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. The group plans to meet at the corner of Farragut Square that it previously occupied before marching one block over to the White House.
The march began in Charlottesville, Va., and continued north over a period of 10 days until protesters reached Washington, D.C. on Tuesday. The initial plan was to stay in Farragut Square until the March for Racial Equality, planned for Sept. 30.
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