Trump calls himself an 'ally to all peaceful protesters' as police fire tear gas and clash with crowds in DC

Screenshot/Reuters

• President Donald Trump called himself an "ally to all peaceful protesters" during a briefing at the White House on Monday while police dressed in riot gear pushed peaceful protesters out of a park nearby with tear gas and rubber bullets. 
• Protesters gathered in front of the White House ahead of Trump's briefing, maintaining a distance from police behind a barrier.
• But soon, police began to move protesters away from the White House area using tear gas and rubber bullets. 
• Here's how the protests played out in Washington, DC, as Trump condemned the violent actions sparked from these demonstrations. 
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President Donald Trump called himself an "ally to all peaceful protesters" during a speech at the White House on Monday evening while police dressed in riot gear simultaneously clashed with peaceful protesters nearby. 

At around 6:30 p.m. local time, law enforcement pushed peacefully protesters out of Lafayette Square using tear gas, rubber bullets, shields, and horses. Trump spoke at 6:44 p.m. local time.

Trump addressed the unrest playing out across the US in response to the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed in the custody of Minneapolis police last week. The video of Floyd's death in police custody was widely shared across social media and has since sparked a week of escalating protests across several US states. 

During his White House address, Trump expressed support for "peaceful" protesters while decrying the violent actions that have branched off from some protests. 

"I am your president of law and order and an ally of all peaceful protesters, but in recent days our nation has been gripped by professional anarchists, violent mobs, arsonists, looters, criminals, rioters, Antifa, and others," Trump said at his briefing. 

"We cannot allow the righteous cries of peaceful protesters to be drowned out by an angry mob. The biggest victims of the rioting are peace-loving citizens in our poorest communities and as their president, I will fight to keep them safe. I will fight to protect you," he added. 

But nearby, authorities were already clashing with peaceful protesters that had gathered near the White House to demonstrate ahead of the president's remarks. 

Protesters were gathered behind barriers set up in Lafayette Square.

Screenshot/Reuters

Protests were peaceful as police and protesters maintained a safe distance from one another. 

Protesters held signs and chanted slogans as heavily armed military police inched closer.

Screenshot/Reuters

Police began to inch closer to the barrier separating them from the demonstrators, leading to a series of heated verbal disputes. 

Police suddenly began pushing protesters away from the area in the minutes before Trump addressed the nation.

Screenshot/Reuters


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See Also:

• A criminology professor says that police officers accused of brutality often have a history of complaints. Derek Chauvin had 18.
• LIVE UPDATES: Law enforcement shot and killed a man in Kentucky during a protest against police brutality
• PHOTOS: Protests erupted in New York City as police clashed with demonstrators over the killing of George Floyd

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