Security officials from Federal agencies engaged by US President Donald trump to disperse protesters in Washington in June this year, took overly harsh measures in the sweep of Lafayette square at the White house from the protesters. This became known from the testimony of major of the National guard Adam DeMarco, writes the Wall Street Journal.
As stated by DeMarco, speaking at the Congress, the events, the witness of which he became, was “extremely disturbing”. According to major, the protesters in no way showed aggression, and the whole event was of a purely peaceful nature. “I, given my experience and my training, never felt a threat from the protesters and did not think that they are capable of violence,” said the officer.
In his opinion, the actions of the Federal agents was completely disproportionate to the threat, which allegedly represented the participants of the protests for public order and ran counter to the practice of the use of force by law enforcement against citizens, as established in the United States and in other countries. DeMarco said that the protesters provoked the security forces, and the use of force in this case, became “unnecessary escalation” of the conflict.
As notes the edition, Lafayette square became the center of protests in Washington in late may. The protesters gathered there, expressing dissatisfaction after the death of a black George Floyd, who died as a result of gross detention a police officer. June 1, trump decided to visit the Church of St. John, located in the area. In this regard, law enforcement officers were ordered to clear the square from protesters, and the town was placed under curfew.
In dozens of U.S. cities from late may, held mass protests accompanied by riots and clashes with police over the death of Floyd, the cause of which protesters called racism and police brutality. In some States, the protests escalated into riots, pogroms, looting, shooting and arson.
