In a surprising ascertion, the inspector general of the Interior Department declared that the US Park Police did not clear the area in Lafayette Square around St. John’s Church during BLM protests on June 1, 2020 specifically to allow Donald Trump to get a photo opportunity holding a Bible in front of the church.
According to a statement from Mark Lee Greenblatt, Interior’s Inspector General, said that US Park Police had intended to clear the area prior to Trump’s entourage marching over there. The Park Police had to clear the square to facilitate the construction of an outer perimeter fence.
“The evidence we reviewed showed that the USPP cleared the park to allow a contractor to safely install antiscale fencing in response to destruction of Federal property and injury to officers that occurred on May 30 and May 31,” the statement reads. “Moreover, the evidence established that relevant USPP officials had made those decisions and had begun implementing the operational plan several hours before they knew of a potential Presidential visit to the park, which occurred later that day. As such, we determined that the evidence did not support a finding that the USPP cleared the park on June 1, 2020, so that then President Trump could enter the park.”
The IG statement comes at an odd time, a week after the Department of Justice asked a court to dismiss a civil lawsuit against Trump, former Attorney General Bill Barr and other federal officials by civil liberties groups. In a rationale started by the Trump Administration and picked up by the current Attorney General, the DOJ claimed that the government couldn’t be sued because law enforcement agents were acting in a security operation to protect the President. This report undermines that excuse.
The report also explains only the actions of the US Park Police. During the event, law enforcement forces used chemical irritants and force to clear peaceful protesters from the square. Those officers were from local police departments, the Bureau of Prisons and National Guard units, not just Park Police.
It would also be highly coincidental that the law enforcement need to clear the square happened one hour before Trump stood in the square for a photo.