Washington — Police officers from Arlington County, Virginia, located across the Potomac from the nation’s capital, were ordered to withdraw from the District of Columbia after law enforcement fired tear gas to clear demonstrators from a park near the White House, allowing President Trump to walk to a damaged historic church.
The county said Monday evening that Arlington County Police Department officers who were assisting with the response to the protests left the District of Columbia around 8:30 p.m. “at the direction” of the county manager, county board and police chief.
“The county is re-evaluating the agreements that allowed our officers to be put in a compromising position that endangered their health and safety, and that of the people around them, for a purpose not worthy of our mutual aid obligations,” the county said.
Libby Garvey, a member of the Arlington County county board, said on Twitter she was “appalled” that the “mutual aid agreement [was] abused to endanger their and others safety for a photo op.”
Protesters and members of the media gathered outside the White House gates Monday afternoon and into the early evening, ahead of the district’s 7 p.m. curfew, to protest the death of George Floyd for a seventh day. Floyd died after a Minneapolis police officer held his knee to Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes while he was prone on the pavement. For the final minutes the officer’s knee was pressed to Floyd’s neck, the 46-year-old was unresponsive.
Floyd’s death has sparked nationwide protests against police brutality and the deaths of unarmed African Americans at the hands of law enforcement.
In the District of Columbia, mostly peaceful daytime demonstrations have given way to some looting and vandalism after sunset. On Sunday night, stone barriers and statues outside the White House in Lafayette Park were spray painted, and part of St. John’s Church, known as the “Church of the Presidents” and located across from the White House, was set on fire.
But on Monday, the peaceful protest turned chaotic when police outside the White House used tear gas and flash bangs to disperse protesters. After the area was cleared, Mr. Trump, flocked by a contingent of Cabinet members, aides and Secret Service, left the White House to walk across Lafayette Park to St. John’s Church.
Once there, Mr. Trump stood for photos and held up a Bible, but did not pray or read from it.
Judd Deere, a White House spokesman, said in a statement the “perimeter was expanded to help enforce the 7 p.m. curfew in the same area where rioters attempted to burn down one of our nation’s most historic churches the night before.”
Deere said the U.S. Park Police warned protesters to leave three times, though reporters at the scene said they did not hear any orders.
