The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Black Lives Matter are suing the Trump administration over the decision to clear protesters from a park near the White House so that the president could walk to a nearby church.
In a press release, the ACLU announced: “Protesters who were attacked with tear gas and other weapons by federal troops in front of the White House Monday evening as they were demonstrating against police brutality sued President Donald Trump, Attorney General William Barr, and numerous other federal officials today for violating their constitutional rights and engaging in an unlawful conspiracy to violate those rights.”
The organization added, “The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Black Lives Matters D.C. and individual protesters today by the American Civil Liberties Union of the District of Columbia.”
Black Lives Matter organizer April Goggans said, “What happened to our members Monday evening, here in the nation’s capital, was an affront to all our rights.”
Goggans added, “The death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of police officers has reignited the rage, pain, and deep sadness our community has suffered for generations. We won’t be silenced by tear gas and rubber bullets. Now is our time to be heard.”
ALCU of D.C. legal director Scott Michelman said, “The President’s shameless, unconstitutional, unprovoked, and frankly criminal attack on protesters because he disagreed with their views shakes the foundation of our nation’s constitutional order.”
Videos of protesters being cleared out of Lafayette Square near the White House have circulated social media over the past few days.
Police aggressively push protesters out of Lafayette square. Using lots of tear gas, non lethal bullets: pic.twitter.com/z1yYdAPfI0
— Abdallah Fayyad (@abdallah_fayyad) June 1, 2020
The U.S. Park police have denied using tear gas on protesters. However, reporters who were at the scene have since said that they stand by their reporting that tear gas was used on the peaceful protesters.
Additionally, the Australian foreign minister announced that they have asked for an investigation after two Australian reporters were among those who were pushed back by police near the White House.
