The Washington, D.C., chapter of Black Lives Matter filed a lawsuit on Thursday accusing federal law enforcement officers of violating constitutional rights of peaceful demonstrators outside the White House by using excessive force to clear the way for President Trump.
The lawsuit accuses officers of deploying devices such as flash-bang grenades, tear gas, smoke canisters, pepper balls, and rubber bullets without warning.
Several high-ranking members of the federal government are named in the suit, including Attorney General William Barr and Defense Secretary Mark Esper, as well as Trump.
“This case is about the President and Attorney General of the United States ordering the use of violence against peaceful demonstrators who were speaking out against discriminatory police brutality targeted at Black people,” the complaint reads.
Federal officials have been accused of clearing out peaceful protesters by using tear gas as Trump made his way to St. John’s Episcopal Church nearby earlier this week. The White House has denied this claim.
Washington, D.C., has been one of the epicenters of protests over the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed by a white police officer last week.
The police officer, Derek Chauvin, was charged with second-degree murder for kneeling on Floyd for nearly nine minutes despite him pleading that he couldn’t breathe from the pressure. Three other officers involved with Floyd’s detainment were charged with aiding and abetting in the murder.
Floyd was memorialized in Minneapolis on Thursday.
