Mainstream media wrong on Lafayette Park reporting

June 10, 2021

By John Ransom

newly released Inspector General report says that despite widespread media depictions otherwise, the United States Park Police (USPP) did not clear Lafayette Park on June 1, 2020 to arrange a photo-op for then-President Donald Trump.

Rather, the park was cleared by USPP to allow the contractor to safely install the anti-scale fencing in response to the destruction of property and injury to officers occurring on May 30 and 31. Further, the evidence showed that the USPP did not know about the President’s potential movement until mid-to-late afternoon on June 1—hours after it had begun developing its operational plan and the fencing contractor had arrived in the park.

The 41-page report dated June 8, 2021, was recently completed by Inspector General (IG) Mark Lee Greenblatt, who served as IG under the Obama, Trump and, Biden administrations.

The report contradicts the mainstream media reporting by several outlets at the time.

NPR, CNN and, ABC News each ran stories saying that USPP tear-gassed peaceful protestors to move them out of the way for an entourage including President Trump to make its way to St. John’s Church. A church that had been set on fire previously during the protests.

“On Monday evening,” said NPR, “the U.S. Park Police and law enforcement forcibly clear the park of protesters so that President Donald Trump could walk to St. John’s Church just north of the White House.”

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