Administration skips hearing on violence against protesters

The head of the US Park Police refused to appear Monday to answer lawmakers’ questions on violence against demonstrators and journalists outside the White House, saying he couldn’t as long as the federal force remains on highest alert for protests and attacks against monuments.

The White House, however, trumpeted the administration’s continuing support of law officers in the now subsiding protests. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters that President Donald Trump’s vision was “for law and order, for peace in our streets, and against anarchy.”

The Trump administration at a House Natural Resources Committee hearing Monday on official use of force at this month’s street protests did provide a written count and details on federal statues that had suffered lasting damage in the nation’s capital – two. But Democratic lawmakers charged officials again failed to provide any evidence justifying the Park Police’s subjecting protesters and news media to chemical agents, clubbing and punching while clearing Lafayette Square in front of the White House on June 1.

“If there was a shred of evidence,” the administration would have presented “fact witnesses to support this gaslighting,” Rep Jared Huffman, a California Democrat, said.

Republican Rep Rob Bishop of Utah said the committee hearing, which featured an Australian journalist and a military veteran injured in authorities’ routing of demonstrators, but no administration officials, amounted to “political theater” and “good drama.” The forceful clearing of protesters from Lafayette Square came during weeks of massive street demonstrations around the country against police killings of Black Americans. More recently, sporadic protests nationally have sought to take down statues of Confederate generals and other monuments that are seen as glossing over historic wrongs to US Blacks, Latinos and Native Americans. (AP)

(AP) In this still image from a body camera video released by the Valdosta police, Antonio Arnelo Smith speaks to an officer as Sgt Billy Wheeler approaches him from behind in Valdosta, Ga, on Feb 8, 2020. The video shows Smith handing his driver’s license to a police officer and answering questions cooperatively before Wheeler wraps him in a bear hug and slams him face-first to the ground. Smith is crying in pain when he’s told there’s a warrant for his arrest. Officers are then told the warrant was for someone else. (Inset): Antonio Arnelo Smith is slammed face-first to the ground by a Valdosta police sergeant.