Prepared testimony by DC National Guard Commander Adam D. DeMarco, who will appear before a hearing on Tuesday, challenges Attorney General William Barr’s version of the dispersal.
“Protesters were behaving peacefully, exercising their First Amendment rights,” DeMarco is expected to say, adding that he was surprised that the clean-up operation began long before the 7 pm ET curfew established by Washington. , DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser.
DeMarco’s testimony, however, says Barr and other officials arrived at Lafayette Square at 6:05 pm, adding that the attorney general observed the protesters and “appeared to be speaking to Park Police officers.” DeMarco’s testimony suggests that he was not part of that meeting and instead reported to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley.
“At around 6:20 pm, after the Attorney General and General Milley left Lafayette Square, the Park Police issued the first of three warning notices to protesters, ordering them to disperse,” DeMarco is expected to say. .
“So my attitude was to do it, but I didn’t say, ‘Go do it,'” Barr said.
DeMarco says he was not informed that Trump would visit the church in the area that was cleaned.
“The president’s arrival was a complete surprise, since we had not been informed that he would enter our sector,” says DeMarco’s testimony.
Senior Trump administration officials have claimed that the use of force was justified against protesters they described as violent, despite eyewitness testimony contesting that characterization.
This story is breaking and will be updated.
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