Trump calls tear gas reports 'fake news,' but protesters' eyes burned just the same

[riversedge]

Source: abc



The White House denies it was used to clear protesters before his photo op.

June 4, 2020, 10:28 AM
12 min read
Police use tear gas, push back peaceful protesters for Trump church visit
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Police use tear gas, push back peaceful protesters for Trump church visitPresident Trump vows to send U.S. troops onto the streets of American cities if local officials cannot control the violent protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd.

To counter criticism of his Monday photo op outside St. John's Church, President Donald Trump and his allies have seized on news reports that police used 'tear gas" to clear what appeared to be peaceful protesters so he could make his dramatic walkover from the White House, branding them "fake news."

"They didn't use tear gas," President Trump told Fox News Radio on Wednesday.


"It's said that a lie can get halfway around the world before the truth can get its pants on," said Tim Murtaugh, the Trump 2020 communications director. "We now know through the U.S. Park Police that neither they, nor any of their law enforcement partners, used tear gas to quell rising violence."




"Every news organization which reported the tear gas lie should immediately correct or retract its erroneous reporting," he added.

But the U.S. Park Police, while saying in a statement Tuesday that "no tear gas was used by USPP officers or other assisting law enforcement partners to close the area at Lafayette Park," also said it had deployed "pepper balls" and "smoke canisters."

And photos and videos showed what appeared to be -- or could be mistaken for -- tear gas rising above the clash between police and protesters, and protesters complaining of burning eyes and throats.

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-calls-tear-gas-reports-fake-news-protesters/story?id=71052769

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Pics from article posted.


A woman has her eyes rinsed out, in Lafayette Square, near the White House, on June 1, 2020.Stephen Voss/Redux
MORE: Trump denies ordering protesters forcibly removed for church photo op







Jose Luis Magana/AFP via Getty Images
Police officers wearing riot gear push back demonstrators in front of St. John's Episcopal Church outside of the White House, June 1, 2020, in Washington D.C., during a protest over the death of George Floyd.Jose Luis Magana/AFP via Getty Images

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. It was teargas...GOP is attacking America, they are trying to kill us, EVERY Person who supports

rump or wont speak out is equally guilty.

[magicarpet]

2. And Fascist billy barr admitted tear gas, shock explosives, and rubber bullets were used.pOo

[riversedge]

3. I did not know Barr admitted this.. Thought he denied use of teargas.

[smb]

4. Exact Words

"We now know through the U.S. Park Police that neither they, nor any of their law enforcement partners, used tear gas to quell rising violence."

That's true. There was no "rising violence" to quell; the tear gas was used so to attack a peaceful protest.

[RKP5637]

5. Unmitigated Bullshit. The world is not as stupid as tRump's cult. n/t

[dhill926]

6. they found tear gas canisters in the park...

right?

[NotHardly]

8. Yes, yes they did, but this President & Adm. can only spout lie upon lie...

they believe that if they keep telling the same lies that we will give up and pretend to believe them... they want everything and do not care how many bodies they have to create and walkover to have it all.

[LymphocyteLover]

9. Yes, check out this tweet

Link to tweet

?s=20

this guy is a TV reporter, not some random dude.

[TimeToGo]

7. That's what they are hanging their hat on?

Seriously? It wasn't tear gas, it was pepper spray and smoke? Well, then all is ok, I guess. Thanks. All worth it so he could walk across the street for his photo.

[maxsolomon]

10. They're splitting hairs.

Pepper balls are filled with irritants, no?

It's not literally labelled "Tear Gas", so score one for Trump 2020 - I guess.

[soothsayer]

11. The press has reported on the canisters

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/dc/tear-gas-washington-dc-protests-st-johns-church/65-7e9a67c7-e40b-47a2-8060-3f7d908139dd

Totally tear gas.

[C Moon]

12. That jackass doesn't even TRY to look innocent anymore.

[George II]

13. Really donnie dollhands? Where did these come from?

Link to tweet

[rickford66]

14. I was tear gassed in boot camp training

Pretty bad stuff. Also, I didn't know that much stuff could come out of my sinuses.

[niyad]

15. Looks like lachrymator agents, acts like lachrymator agents,. . . I had pepper spray for years

as I traveled. Was assured repeatedly it was not disabling, so I quit carrying it.

I am reminded that, when ghost chilies were not easy to find, we were told that the Indian gov't used them to aerolyze into pepper spray.

[louis-t]

16. There is one thing I'm curious about.

How long did they wait after dispersing tear gas before stupid face went over to the church? All reports I read made it sound like a few minutes. Wouldn't he have been affected? Maybe they tear gassed a different area.