U.S. Park Police walked back its claim on Friday that no “tear gas” was used to clear protesters in front of the White House before President Donald Trump crossed the street for his ill-fated photo-op on Monday.
The president and his allies had used the claim that there hadn’t been any tear gas used to hit back against critics in the media and elsewhere, who argued it was inappropriate and abusive to clear the street of peaceful protesters. (Trump supporters also argued, with little supportive evidence and extensive reporting to the contrary, that the protest had become violent.)
But Sgt. Eduardo Delgado of the Park Police told Vox on Friday that it was a “mistake” for the department to have previously claimed that tear gas wasn’t used, in addition to the smoke bombs, brute force, and rubber projectiles that struck protesters. Continue reading.