Officer challenges account of violent clearing of protesters
https://apnews.com/789d896da58c438268d7c8047b130ce4
The U.S. Park Police began the violent clearing of protesters from Lafayette Square last month without apparent provocation or adequate warning to demonstrators, immediately after Attorney General William Barr spoke with Park Police leaders, according to an Army National Guard officer who was there.
The account of Army National Guard Maj. Adam DeMarco challenges key aspects of the Trump administrations explanation for the clearing of the protest in front of the White House, just before President Donald Trump walked through the area to stage a photo event in front of a historic church.
DeMarcos account was released in written testimony for his scheduled appearance Tuesday before the House Natural Resources Committees hearing on the Park Polices punching, clubbing and use of chemical agents against what appeared to be largely peaceful protesters on June 1. The administrations forceful clearing of the protest area in front of the White House came at the height of nationwide street demonstrations sparked by the killings of George Floyd and other Black people at the hands of police.
From what I could observe, the demonstrators were behaving peacefully, when Park Police, the Secret Service and other, unidentified forces turned on the crowd, DeMarco writes. The rout started shortly after Barr and Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, appeared in the square, where Barr appeared to confer with Park Police leaders, he says.
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