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First on WTOP: U.S. Park Police is explaining its decision-making in clearing Lafayette Square, at least 20 minutes before DC's 7p curfew, on night 4 of protests....
A source says tear gas was never used -- instead smoke cannisters were deployed, which don't have an uncomfortable irritant in them. And, the source says Park Police didn't know President Trump would be walking across the park several minutes later. Park Police say...
...the reason the crowd was disbursed with smoke cannisters is that at that moment, officers were being pelted with water bottles. Another factor was that protesters had climbed on top of the structure at the north end of Lafayette Square that had been burned the day before.
Obviously, this is Park Police's side of the story. I'll be checking with @wtop reporters who were on the scene last night, to plug-in what they observed with what Park Police are telling me. Park Police will be releasing a statement later today.
Obviously folks in the White House will be asked today about the President's walk across Lafayette Square to St. John's Episcopal Church. But, my Park Police source says the agency made its decision to use smoke cannisters at that moment because of what was being thrown at...
..officers, not because President Trump planned to make an unannounced walk to the church. Park Police will be releasing a statement later today. We will keep asking questions.
In theory it's possible another agency used tear gas, in addition to Park Police using smoke cannisters, but my source was on the scene, got a dose of smoke, but didn't feel the irritants of tear gas. Clearly, the phrase "tear gas" has been used widely in the reporting...
..and I'm continuing to try to learn who used what. Will keep you in the loop.
Here's a bit of an update on what chemical was used to disburse protesters on H Street, just north of Lafayette Park, about a halfhour before 7p curfew....
As I told you this morning, the US Park Police said THEY didn't use tear gas. I've got several calls and emails into the US Secret Service, to see if they used it. DC Police Chief Peter Newsham just said the only time his agency used tear gas and pepper balls last night was...
..later in the evening, when protesters had gotten "very aggressive" near Judiciary Square.
Shortly before it happened, Newsham was made aware "there would be presidential movement." I've asked the Secret Service several times for comment on whether they used tear gas, but haven't heard back yet.
DC police chief Peter Newsham, asked to specify what was apparently released by federal police: "It would be out of turn for me to speak of how munitions were deployed -- I don't know the circumstances." Asked to comment on the release of the agent, he chose not to.
Obviously something was fired. Several people -- including WTOP reporters -- first reported they believed the substance was tear gas, but even they didn't feel the extreme irritant experienced with prior tear gas events. What I'm doing is trying to ascertain who did use it.
Just got an answer to my question to the US Secret Service about whether the agency used tear gas: "For operational security reasons, the U.S. Secret Service does not discuss our protectees or our protective means and methods." Clearly, that didn't answer my question.
So, my Park Police source has said that an attributable quote is forthcoming, on that agency's statement that it used smoke to clear Lafayette Square. Lots of protesters, and some journalists aren't convinced. Clearly, no agency has said "yes, we used tear gas to clear Laf Pk."
The Secret Service, asked directly if it used tear gas at Lafayette Park, declined to say, one way or the other. I'm continuing to try to rule in or rule out. Will keep in touch.
UPDATE: Atty General William Barr personally told law enforcement officials to clear Lafayette Park, and extend the security perimeter, shortly before President Trump walked across the park to St. John's Episcopal Church, Monday, accdng to Washington Post and ABC News.
According to two law enforcement sources in the Post and ABC reports, Barr was involved in the decision-making process. Late afternoon, Barr was seen by @aletweetsnews , walking through the park, surveying the scene, talking w law enforcement officials.
A senior administration told CBS News early Tues the President's trip to St. John's Episcopal Church was meant as a show of strength, to counteract earlier reports that the President was sitting in a bunker during the protests.
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