Published: Wednesday, June 9, 2021
George Floyd protests. Photo credit: Francis Chung/E&E News
A protester speaking into a megaphone in front of a police line that included U.S. Park Police officers and military police during a demonstration near Lafayette Square in Washington on June 1, 2020. Francis Chung/E&E News
The U.S. Park Police erred at times during a violent confrontation with protesters outside the White House last year, the Interior Department s watchdog agency says in a new and long-awaited report.
But the Office of Inspector General said it did not find evidence that Park Police cleared a crowd of demonstrators to allow former President Trump access to a church near the June 1, 2020, protest at Lafayette Square.
U.S. Park Police Cleared Protesters From Park to Install Fencing, Not for Trump Visit: Report
On 6/9/21 at 3:20 PM EDT
U.S. Park Police cleared protesters from a park in front of the White House last June to install new fencing, not for former President Donald Trump s visit to take photos, according to a report released Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.
The Interior Department s inspector general issued the report following an internal investigation into the event in which people protesting the death of George Floyd on June 1 at Lafayette Park were forced to vacate the vicinity with pepper spray and flash-bangs. Afterward, Trump crossed the park to give a speech and pose for a photo holding a Bible in front of St. John s Church.
After months of Democrat and media efforts to solidify their version of the "truth" about what happened in Lafayette Park ahead of President Trump's visit to a riot-damaged church near