White House scurries to avoid blame for St. John’s attack—while again escalating federal presence
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Much of the news today was dominated by the frantic efforts of administration officials to distance themselves from the administration-ordered violent attack on American citizens to clear a park so Donald Trump could walk through it for a photo-op at the adjacent St. John’s Church. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper claimed he had no knowledge of the operation to clear the park going on only a few hundred feet away, and even insisted that he only understood Trump wanted to show him a vandalized toilet.
The White House continues to insist Attorney General William Barr gave that order—an order he has no apparent authority to give—but an evasive White House press secretary confirmed today that Trump himself gave “an order” that he would be visiting the church, and that Barr was carrying out that order.
A roundup of today’s protest news around the country:
• Former President Barack Obama addressed the nation today, emphasizing the need for true law enforcement reform.
• An amalgam of often-unidentifiable law enforcement personnel again extended the perimeter around the White House today. Apparently Trump’s cowardice hasn’t been placated yet.
• Growing numbers of armed men outfitted with riot gear but bearing no official badge or identification—and refusing to identify themselves when asked—have been taking up guard duties in Washington D.C. today. At least some appear to be guards from the Bureau of Prisons, one of the few groups Attorney General William Barr can give legal orders to; identifying others has remained impossible.
• William Barr has reportedly authorized the Drug Enforcement Agency to conduct broad surveillance of Black Lives Matter protesters. The explanation, again, appears to simply be “because Barr technically can.”
• Charges against the Minneapolis police officer accused of killing George Floyd have now been elevated to second-degree murder. The three other officers nearby have now been charged with aiding and abetting murder.
• Former top military officials are condemning Trump’s attack on St. John’s Church protesters and Defense Secretary Mark Esper’s reference to American protests as a military “battlespace.”
• The use of a helicopter with Red Cross insignia to hover above and intimidate protesters is now being investigated by the National Guard; using equipment with Red Cross insignia for offensive operations is prohibited by the First Geneva Convention.
• Support for Black Lives Matter is surging, with a majority of white voters now supporting that movement.
• Mounting evidence indicates Trump’s attack on St. John’s Church protesters was at least partially motivated by the (correct) perception that people were laughing at him for being briefly moved to an underground bunker during the prior weekend’s protests.
• Indeed, Trump spent significant time complaining to Fox News today, offering a new claim that he was only there to “inspect” the bunker. That particular lie was debunked by the early evening.
• Republican lawmakers continue to flee from reporters who ask them to comment on Trump’s actions.
• A Republican group is calling on Defense Secretary Esper and Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Mark Milley to resign for their participation in the Trump attack on protesters.
• Despite relentless propaganda claims from the White House and attorney general on the subject, the FBI has found no evidence of “antifa” involvement in violence during the protests.
• Far-right and white supremacist groups, however, do appear to be attempting to instigate violence at those protests, often dressing in clothing meant to represent “antifa” groups or by posing as “antifa” supporters online.
• Perhaps indicative of the corruption in Minneapolis policing, the president of the city’s police union says he has been “involved in three shootings himself, and not a one of them has bothered me.”
• Philadelphia police will investigate why a mob of armed white vigilantes were allowed to roam the Fishtown neighborhood while police focused on black protesters in the city. Video footage reportedly shows officers high-fiving the vigilantes near the department’s 26th District headquarters.
• A Denver officer is under investigation after posting an image showing police in riot gear, captioned “let’s start a riot.”
• A conservative “journalist” was caught pretending to board up a store window to prevent looting. No, we don’t know why.
• A Virginia Republican is the latest officeholder to record a rather unhinged suggestion for “Second Amendment” violence against “antifa” or … somebody?
• An ACLU-backed lawsuit has now been filed by a reporter shot in the face with a rubber bullet by Minneapolis state and local police officers.
• “I miss him”: George Floyd’s 6-year-old daughter spoke to reporters about her father’s death.
• The owner of the Minneapolis store that called 911 over a purported $20 bill presented by Floyd says he regrets his clerk making the call: “Most of the times when patrons give us a counterfeit bill they don’t even know it’s a fake.”
• White privilege is rampant even during the protests, with numerous videos of Black Americans attempting to stop white aggressors from damaging property and many other videos of white looters and vandals.
• For immigrants, the threat of deportation is a source of justified reluctance in demonstrating against the police violence they face.
• Across America, volunteers are cleaning up damaged businesses. “We put our community back together.”
• When you have access to a guillotine, you bring a guillotine.
• How to support Black Lives Matter if you can’t go to a protest.