The White House And Lafayette Park Went From 'Our Public Square' To 'A Veritable Fortress' [View all]

[mahatmakanejeeves]

JUN 5, 1:12 PM

The White House And Lafayette Park Went From ‘Our Public Square’ To ‘A Veritable Fortress’
Mikaela Lefrak

As recently as last week, tourists, protesters and passersby could stand in front of the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue and freely demonstrate in Lafayette Square.

After the protests over George Floyd’s killing began, federal authorities and police erected short metal barricades over the weekend to block off various entrances to the park — though demonstrators were still able to gain access to the area.

On Monday evening, the U.S. Park Police and law enforcement forcibly clear the park of protesters so that President Donald Trump could walk to St. John’s Church just north of the White House. A tall black fence was erected on the northern edge of Lafayette Square the next morning.

By Thursday afternoon, construction crews had used additional fencing and concrete barricades to block off all entrances to Lafayette Park, the Ellipse and other open spaces around the White House that have hosted First Amendment protests for more than 100 years.

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