By now you’ve heard a number of reports claiming that tear gas was used against “peaceful protesters” to clear the area around the White House so that President Trump could “get his photo op” at the historic St. John’s Episcopal Church, which had been burned in the riots the night before. Trump had just told the country he would restore the rule of law, which the left and the media think is just a dog-whistle for fascism, and set out to turn his symbolic act of walking through Lafayette Park to the church and holding up a Bible into a Trump-is-literally-Hitler moment. In fact, a doctored photo of Hitler holding a Bible the same way Trump did had gone viral even though it was completely fabricated.
Except it didn’t happen, according to United States Park Police acting Chief Gregory T. Monahan, who said the following in a statement:
The United States Park Police (USPP) is committed to the peaceful expression of First Amendment rights. However, this past weekend’s demonstrations at Lafayette Park and across the National Mall included activities that were not part of a peaceful protest, which resulted in injuries to USPP officers in the line of duty, the destruction of public property and the defacing of memorials and monuments. During four days of demonstrations, 51 members of the USPP were injured; of those, 11 were transported to the hospital and released and three were admitted.
Multiple agencies assisted the USPP in responding to and quelling the acts of destruction and violence over the course of the weekend in order to protect citizens and property.
On Monday, June 1, the USPP worked with the United States Secret Service to have temporary fencing installed inside Lafayette Park. At approximately 6:33 pm, violent protestors on H Street NW began throwing projectiles including bricks, frozen water bottles and caustic liquids. The protestors also climbed onto a historic building at the north end of Lafayette Park that was destroyed by arson days prior. Intelligence had revealed calls for violence against the police, and officers found caches of glass bottles, baseball bats and metal poles hidden along the street.
To curtail the violence that was underway, the USPP, following established policy, issued three warnings over a loudspeaker to alert demonstrators on H Street to evacuate the area. Horse mounted patrol, Civil Disturbance Units and additional personnel were used to clear the area. As many of the protestors became more combative, continued to throw projectiles, and attempted to grab officers’ weapons, officers then employed the use of smoke canisters and pepper balls. No tear gas was used by USPP officers or other assisting law enforcement partners to close the area at Lafayette Park. Subsequently, the fence was installed.
According to the USPP, there were acts of violence by the protesters, which means they weren’t peaceful. Peaceful protests don’t result in the destruction of property, vandalism, or USPP officers being injured. – READ MORE
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