WASHINGTON—A National Guard officer testified that federal law-enforcement officers used tear gas to clear a largely peaceful crowd from Lafayette Square in June, contradicting accounts from law-enforcement officials about the nature of the protest in the park. In late May and early June, Lafayette Square emerged as the center of protests in Washington, D.C., prompted by the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, at the hands of Minneapolis police. Park Police officials initially denied employing tear gas, but now say they used “chemical irritants” in the park. At the time, a curfew was in effect for D.C., requiring people to be in their homes by 7 p.m. “This is one of the most violent protests that I’ve been a part of in my 23 years with the United States Park Police,” he said.

Source: Wall Street Journal July 28, 2020 19:18 UTC