Secret Service now says it did use pepper spray to clear protesters during the Trump church photo op
WASHINGTON — The United States Secret Service said Saturday that one of their agents had used pepper spray to clear protesters from Lafayette Square ahead of President Donald Trump’s photo op, reversing an earlier statement claiming that no one from the agency had done so.
“On June 5, the U.S. Secret Service released information that the agency had concluded that no agency personnel used tear gas or capsicum spray during efforts to secure the area near Lafayette Park on Monday, June 1, based on the record and information available at that time,” the Secret Service said in a statement shared on Twitter.
“Since that time, the agency has learned that one agency employee used capsicum spray (i.e., pepper spray) during that effort,” the statement continued.
The Secret Service said that the agent used pepper spray “in response to an assaultive individual.”
While White House and law enforcement officials have yet to give a conclusive account of what happened, those on the ground say rubber bullets, pepper spray, tear gas and flash-bang grenades were used to force peaceful protesters out of the street in front of Lafayette Square so that Trump could walk across the grounds to take a picture holding a Bible in front of St. John's Episcopal Church.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/secret-service-now-says-it-did-use-pepper-spray-clear-n1231022
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