United States Park Police denied using tear gas on protesters near the White House on Monday.
News reports and protesters said law enforcement used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators in Lafayette Park ahead of the city’s 7 p.m. curfew, after which President Trump walked from the White House to St. John’s Episcopal Church to pose for photos with a Bible.
Nearly 24 hours after protesters were moved using force, Park Police acting Chief Gregory Monahan issued a statement saying no law enforcement agencies used tear gas.
“As many of the protesters 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,” he said.
Monahan said the measures were used because protesters were throwing bricks and water bottles, and Park Police had issued three warnings over loudspeakers telling demonstrators to leave the area.
“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,” he said.
Reporters on the scene had a different recollection, saying Monday that protesters had been peaceful before police took action.
At least 51 members of Park Police were injured during the last four days of protests, according to Monahan.
“The USPP will always support peaceful assembly but cannot tolerate violence to citizens or officers or damage to our nation’s resources that we are entrusted to protect,” he said.
Largely peaceful protests have escalated into the vandalism of businesses and other property across the country as demonstrators demand justice over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in Minneapolis after a white officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes as Floyd pleaded for his life. The officer, Derek Chauvin, has been fired and charged with killing Floyd.
