In the News

D.C. protest's dispersal draws reactions from state

06/08/2020
Arkansas Democrat Gazette

WASHINGTON -- Last week's forced removal of demonstrators from Lafayette Square was a shameful chapter in the presidency of Donald Trump and an affront to the U.S. Constitution, according to Arkansas' three Democratic congressional candidates.

Two Arkansas Libertarian candidates and an independent candidate for the U.S. Senate portrayed the police tactics as un-American and indefensible.

In interviews, three members of the state's all-Republican congressional delegation said an official review of the incident might be helpful, noting that some facts are in dispute.

If riot-control measures were used against truly peaceful protesters, "then we've got a problem on our hands," said U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford of Jonesboro. "But it's entirely possible that there were violent protesters among that crowd that were not listening to a dispersement order and they were the ones that brought that on."

A two-hour-long video of the protests posted by Reuters shows a large, loud, tense but predominantly peaceful crowd dispersed by swift-moving, shield-wielding law enforcement personnel.

Shortly after the 28-minute mark, someone screams as pepper spray projectiles are fired, smoke canisters are deployed and protesters are knocked to the ground.

Other video shows law enforcement officials swinging batons at bystanders or using their shields as offensive weapons.

During the rush, Australian television journalists were struck by law enforcement officials in the midst of their live news reports.

As the streets were clearing and the injured were tending to their wounds, Trump gave a speech in the Rose Garden declaring himself "an ally of all peaceful protesters."

Once the demonstrators had been evicted, the president and his associates walked, without interference, from the White House to St. John's Episcopal Church, the target of an arson attack the previous day.

Outside the historic building, Trump posed for pictures, holding a Bible in front of him as the cameras clicked.

In a written statement posted online, United States Park Police acting chief Gregory T. Monahan accused "violent protesters" of "throwing projectiles including bricks, frozen water bottles and caustic liquids."

Officials cleared the area, after issuing three warnings, in order "to curtail the violence that was underway," he said.

Ultimately, Park Police made no arrests, he added.

William Hanson, the Hot Springs Democrat challenging U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, said people protesting the death of George Floyd at the hands of police have "a righteous and very legitimate cause" and should not have been targets.

"I found it extremely disturbing to see law enforcement treat peaceful protesters that way," he said. "Our country was born out of protest, and it's been that type of civil, peaceful protest, under the First Amendment, that's really moved us toward this 'more perfect union' that we're trying to achieve. So there's no justification for it."

State Sen. Joyce Elliott, the Little Rock Democrat challenging U.S. Rep. French Hill, accused officials of using Soviet-style methods to stifle dissent. She described them as the types of strategies used by "the secret police in places like Russia and places where there are dictators. Never did I think I would see this in America."

"We always understood that these were tactics that were used somewhere else and not on our own people," she said.

Members of Arkansas' congressional delegation must not keep silent, she added.

"There needs to be full-throated condemnation of what this president did. We should expect that from our people who represent us in the first branch of government," she added.

In an interview, Hill also expressed concerns about the way the protest was handled.

"I wasn't there, so I'm not certain of all the facts," he said. If the press accounts are accurate, "I think local law enforcement could have handled things better. It did not appear to be proportionate."

Since the police action was captured on video, there's a record of the encounter, the lawmaker from Little Rock noted.

"I would invite the Secret Service and the Park Police to review that and determine if appropriate measures were taken by law enforcement or if they were not proportionate with the behavior and activities of the protesters and, if necessary, reprimand people who didn't handle it in the right way," he added.

Westerman also said he would favor a closer look.

"I don't know all the underlying details," the lawmaker from Hot Springs said. "If there's differing reports on what happened and why it happened and if people felt like it was an unnecessary use of force or something, yeah, there should be some kind of investigation because you want the truth to come out of what actually happened there."

Crawford, who is running unopposed for reelection, said he's skeptical of the news accounts.

"I'm not saying that there wasn't pepper spray or tear gas used. If there was, it was not without cause. I don't think they're going to walk into a crowd of peaceful protesters and just start spraying pepper spray or [tear] gas for no reason," he said.

"Let's get to the bottom of it and figure out who had command and control and who gave the OK to use riot-control measures on quote-unquote 'peaceful protesters,'" Crawford said.

U.S. Sen. John Boozman was not available to speak with a reporter about last week's confrontation, according to his spokesman.

But the lawmaker from Rogers issued a written statement emphasizing the importance of free speech and peaceful assembly.

"I have been very clear that Americans who want to peacefully make their voices heard should not be obstructed in any manner. That is a fundamental right which must be upheld. Similarly, law enforcement personnel have the right to protect themselves should things turn violent," he said.

"A review of what transpired in front of the White House could help determine whether the actions that took place were an appropriate response to what was happening on the ground," he said. "Everyone should be focusing on deescalating the tension and that includes Secret Service and Park Police officials."

U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton could not be reached for comment.

Asked whether the lawmaker from Dardanelle viewed last Monday's treatment of protesters as appropriate, spokesman James Arnold replied: "Senator Cotton wasn't involved in or aware of the tactical law enforcement decisions. He supports the rights of peaceful protesters who are following the law."

U.S. Rep. Steve Womack declined to say whether the law enforcement officials had responded appropriately.

Regarding the use of force, "Any response should be measured and rooted in prioritizing the safety and security of our communities," the lawmaker from Rogers said in a written statement.

Noting the divisions in society, he said, "Our nation will heal when its people resolve to renounce violence and engage in healthy dialogue."

Womack's Democratic opponent, Celeste Williams of Bella Vista, called last Monday's events "deeply disturbing."

"I worry that that is really fanning the flames of division," she said.

"When I talk to just regular citizens, they're tired, they're absolutely exhausted, by the constant chaos coming from Washington," she said. "It isn't reflective of who we are as a nation. It doesn't align with our values, and any time we let go of our values in this country, it has not gone well for us."

Frank Gilbert, a Libertarian running against Westerman, accused officials of using "minimal force" on looters and excessive force on law-abiding Americans.

"Those were nonviolent protesters. They were treated as the enemy," the Tull resident said. "Whether you agree with them or not, they weren't doing any harm. The only thing they were doing was causing grief for the president who wanted to go over to the burnt-out church and have a photo op. That's not a good reason to injure fellow Americans."

Dan Whitfield, an independent attempting to unseat Cotton, said the administration's actions were indefensible.

"It was reckless to endanger people's lives just to get a picture for a campaign advertisement. [Trump] didn't even go in the church. He didn't open the Bible. He didn't pray. He didn't take a moment of silence. They literally cleared a square of peaceful people in a violent manner. ... It was disrespectful to both the church and to the people that were there that were forcibly removed. I mean, something like this should never, never happen. It's just a clear abuse of power," the candidate from Bella Vista said.

Ricky Dale Harrington, the Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate, said officials should be working to deescalate tensions, not stoke them.

"We want a peaceful resolution to this situation," the Pine Bluff resident said. "Bringing in the fighting force to crush the protest, it doesn't bring out any type of peaceful resolution. It gets more violence."

Michael Kalagias, Womack's Libertarian opponent, said he's not sure what happened in Lafayette Park before the president's visit.

But the demonstrators were right to protest the death of Floyd and others at the hands of law enforcement officers, the Rogers resident said.

"Police brutality happens to people of all colors, of all races, of all creeds. ... But it happens disproportionately to African Americans," he said. "We need to end police brutality."