{"slug":"trump-gassing-protesters-lafayette-square-bible","title":"Lafayette Square: Protesters Gassed for Bible Photo Op","date":"2020-06-01","lastUpdated":"2020-09-09","description":"On June 1, 2020, federal law enforcement officers using chemical irritants and rubber bullets cleared peaceful protesters from Lafayette Square — directly north of the White House — minutes before a 7 PM DC curfew took effect. The clearing allowed Trump to walk to St. John's Church and hold up a Bible for photographers. Military commanders, the Episcopal bishop whose church was used, and Trump's own Defense Secretary publicly condemned the action. An Inspector General investigation later found the clearing was planned before Trump's decision to walk to the church.","summary":"Tear gas, pepper spray, and mounted police were deployed against peaceful protesters who were within their legal rights to be in Lafayette Square until the 7 PM curfew. The clearing operation began approximately 30 minutes before the curfew. Once the square was cleared, Trump walked out of the White House to St. John's Church, stood in front of it holding a Bible, and had photographs taken. The Episcopal bishop whose church was used said she was 'outraged' and had not been notified. Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley later apologized for participating in the walk. Defense Secretary Esper publicly opposed using active-duty troops as Trump had suggested.","category":"civil-rights","severity":"major","ongoing":false,"sources":[{"url":"https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/01/us/politics/trump-st-johns-church.html","title":"Troops in Washington, Tear Gas in Square, Curfews in Cities","publisher":"The New York Times"},{"url":"https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2021/06/09/trump-administration-inspector-general-pepper-balls-lafayette-square/","title":"Inspector General found clearing was planned before Trump photo op walk","publisher":"The Washington Post"},{"url":"https://www.npr.org/2020/06/02/868196818/bishop-of-st-john-s-church-calls-trumps-visit-outrageous","title":"Bishop of St. John's Church Calls Trump Visit 'Outrageous'","publisher":"NPR"},{"url":"https://apnews.com/article/trump-bible-church-protesters-cleared-dc","title":"Protesters dispersed for Trump church visit; military chiefs speak out","publisher":"The Associated Press"}],"draft":false,"status":"published","tags":["Lafayette-Square","protesters","church","Bible","first-term","civil-rights","Milley","Esper"],"relatedEntries":[],"timeline":[{"date":"2020-06-01","title":"Protesters cleared from Lafayette Square","summary":"Federal officers using chemical agents and physical force clear peaceful protesters from Lafayette Square approximately 30 minutes before a 7 PM curfew. Trump then walks to St. John's Church with senior officials for a photograph holding a Bible."},{"date":"2020-06-02","title":"Military and religious leaders condemn the action","summary":"Episcopal Bishop Budde calls the action 'outrageous.' Defense Secretary Esper publicly breaks with Trump over using military against protesters. Former Defense Secretary James Mattis releases a statement calling Trump 'the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people.'"},{"date":"2020-06-11","title":"Milley apologizes for participating","summary":"Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley delivers a graduation speech in which he says his presence in the Lafayette Square walk was 'a mistake' and that he 'should not have been there.' He states the military must remain apolitical."},{"date":"2021-06-09","title":"Inspector General report released","summary":"The Interior Department IG finds that the decision to clear the square was made before Trump's decision to walk to the church — it was not clearing the square for the photo op. However, the IG also finds that officers used force before giving adequate warnings to protesters. The clearing occurred regardless of the photo op decision."}],"location":{"name":"Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C.","lat":38.8971,"lng":-77.0369},"custom":{"era":"first-term","posture":"reported","warCrimeClassification":"enabling","internationalLaw":[{"statute":"International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights","article":"Article 21","provision":"The right of peaceful assembly shall be recognized — dispersing peaceful protesters with chemical agents before lawful curfew time raises Article 21 concerns"},{"statute":"International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights","article":"Article 19","provision":"Freedom of expression — the dispersal was carried out to clear space for a political photo op, not for legitimate public order purposes"}],"iccRelevance":false,"victims":"Peaceful protesters cleared with chemical agents from Lafayette Square; St. John's Church parishioners and staff who were not consulted about the use of their church for political purposes","structuredPerpetrators":[{"name":"Donald Trump","role":"President; made the decision to clear the square and walk to the church","institution":"White House"},{"name":"Bill Barr","role":"Attorney General; directed the clearing operation and was present during it","institution":"Department of Justice"}],"updateLog":[{"date":"2021-06-09","summary":"Updated with Inspector General findings."}]}}