The inspector general of the Department of the Interior put out a report on Wednesday that exonerated President Trump from untrue claims that he ordered tear gas to remove “peaceful protesters” from Lafayette Square for his famous Bible photo-op.
Last June 1, Trump gave a speech at the White House speaking about nationwide riots, then went through Lafayette Square to arrive at St. John’s Episcopal Church, which rioters attacked and had partially burned the previous night, Trump then held a Bible up in defense of Christianity.
Democrats and their media allies falsely accused Trump of using “tear gas” to remove “peaceful protesters” from the park to make way for a “photo op.” Biden even claimed Trump held the Bible “upside-down.”
But as then-A.G. William Barr said to CBS, the rioters injured dozens of police officers in the two days before the operation, and the Park Police had decided to increase fences putting the White House perimeter out by another city block, using pepper balls to remove people who resisted.
The inspector general’s new report confirms Trump’s version of the events, and debunks the liberal claim by the media and the Democrats.
“We see that the USPP possessed the authority to clear Lafayette Park and the areas surrounding it on June 1st. The evidence we received did not support the theory that the area was cleared to allow President Trump to walk to the church. Instead, the evidence shows that the USPP cleared this area to allow the installation of fencing in response to the destruction of property and harm to police. Further, the evidence shows the USPP was not informed of the President’s possible movement until around late afternoon on June 1st—hours after it had started its plan and the fence contractor arrived.”
Their report stresses that tear gas was used — but by D.C. police, working under Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), who criticized Trump but whose team is now defending their use of tear gas in court.
Author: Steven Sinclaire
