{"slug":"trump-first-term-george-floyd-protests-response","title":"George Floyd Protests: Lafayette Square Clearing, Militarized Response, Threat to Invoke Insurrection Act","date":"2020-06-01","lastUpdated":"2020-06-10","description":"Following the May 25, 2020 killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, protests erupted across the United States. On June 1, 2020, the Trump administration used federal law enforcement and National Guard personnel to violently clear peaceful protesters from Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C. — using chemical agents, rubber bullets, and batons — so Trump could walk across the square for a photo opportunity at St. John's Church holding a Bible. Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act and 'deploy the United States military' against American cities. Defense Secretary Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Milley both publicly distanced themselves from the action.","summary":"The clearing of Lafayette Square occurred approximately 30 minutes before the 7:00 PM curfew was to take effect. Independent investigators and journalists documented that the protesters were peaceful at the time of the clearing. The chemical agent used was later identified as a pepper chemical agent (technically not 'tear gas') deployed without warning. Trump had convened a call with governors the same day, calling them 'weak' and urging them to 'dominate' protesters. Attorney General Barr appeared in person to supervise the clearing. The Bible photo-op that followed was condemned by Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde, whose church was used as a prop without her knowledge or consent.","category":"civil-rights","severity":"critical","ongoing":false,"sources":[{"url":"https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/01/us/politics/trump-lafayette-square-george-floyd-protest.html","title":"Before Walk to Church, Trump Had Police Clear Square","publisher":"The New York Times"},{"url":"https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-protesters-white-house/2020/06/01/story.html","title":"Federal forces cleared Lafayette Square as Barr watched","publisher":"The Washington Post"},{"url":"https://apnews.com/article/trump-lafayette-square-protesters-cleared-bible","title":"Barr was present when protesters cleared from White House park","publisher":"The Associated Press"},{"url":"https://www.ignet.gov/sites/default/files/files/OIG-OIG-20-0029.pdf","title":"Review of the Events Surrounding the June 1, 2020 Clearing of Lafayette Square","publisher":"Department of Interior Office of Inspector General"}],"draft":false,"status":"published","tags":["George-Floyd","Lafayette-Square","protests","first-term","civil-rights","Insurrection-Act","pepper-spray","Bible-photo"],"relatedEntries":[],"timeline":[{"date":"2020-05-25","title":"George Floyd killed by Minneapolis police","summary":"George Floyd dies in Minneapolis after Officer Derek Chauvin kneels on his neck for more than nine minutes. Video of the killing is widely shared. Protests begin in Minneapolis and spread nationally."},{"date":"2020-06-01","title":"Trump governors call — 'dominate' or 'look like jerks'","summary":"Trump holds a call with U.S. governors calling them 'weak' and telling them to 'dominate' protesters. The call is listened to by journalists. That evening, Lafayette Square is cleared for the Bible photo."},{"date":"2020-06-01","title":"Lafayette Square cleared — 30 minutes before curfew","summary":"Federal law enforcement uses chemical agents, pepper balls, and batons to clear peaceful protesters from Lafayette Square at approximately 6:30 PM, 30 minutes before the 7:00 PM curfew. Attorney General Barr is present. Trump then walks through the square to St. John's Church."},{"date":"2020-06-01","title":"Trump holds Bible at St. John's Church","summary":"Trump poses for photographs holding a Bible outside St. John's Church. Episcopal Bishop Budde states she is outraged and was not consulted. The presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church disassociates the church from the photo. Trump does not enter the church."},{"date":"2020-06-03","title":"Milley apologizes — Esper distances from Insurrection Act","summary":"General Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, issues an apology for appearing in military uniform during the Lafayette Square walk, acknowledging it created a perception of military involvement in domestic politics. Esper publicly states he does not support invoking the Insurrection Act."},{"date":"2020-06-10","title":"DOI Inspector General report — clearing for photo, no dispersal order","summary":"The Department of Interior Inspector General's review confirms that the Lafayette Square clearing was conducted to enable Trump's walk to the church, that no dispersal order was given before force was used, and that chemical agents were deployed on peaceful protesters."}],"location":{"name":"Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C.","lat":38.8977,"lng":-77.0365},"custom":{"era":"first-term","posture":"judicial-finding","warCrimeClassification":"enabling","internationalLaw":[{"statute":"International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights","article":"Article 19 / Article 21","provision":"Right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly; clearing peaceful protesters with chemical agents and physical force before a curfew deadline to enable a political photo opportunity violates both rights"}],"iccRelevance":false,"victims":"Peaceful protesters subjected to chemical agents, rubber projectiles, and batons without warning; journalists covering the clearing; American citizens whose First Amendment rights to assemble and protest were suppressed by federal force","structuredPerpetrators":[{"name":"Donald Trump","role":"President; ordered the protest clearing; threatened governors with military deployment; walked through cleared square for photo opportunity; told governors to 'dominate' protesters","institution":"White House"},{"name":"William Barr","role":"Attorney General; appeared in person at Lafayette Square to supervise the clearing operation; authorized use of federal law enforcement","institution":"U.S. Department of Justice"}],"updateLog":[{"date":"2020-06-10","summary":"Updated with DOI OIG report findings."}]}}