Friends, I am ok, but I am, frankly shaken. I was at St. John's, Lafayette Square most of the afternoon, with fellow clergy and laypeople - and clergy from some other denominations too. We were passing out water and snacks, and helping the patio area at St. John's, Lafayette square to be a place of respite and peace. All was well - with a few little tense moments - until about 6:15 or so. By then, I had connected with the Black Lives Matter medic team, which was headed by an EMT. Those people were AMAZING. They had been on the patio all day, and thankfully had not had to use much of the eyewash they had made. Around 6:15 or 6:30, the police started really pushing protestors off of H Street (the street between the church and Lafayette Park, and ultimately, the White House. They started using tear gas and folks were running at us for eyewashes or water or wet paper towels. At this point, Julia, one of our seminarians for next year (who is a trauma nurse) and I looked at each other in disbelief. I was coughing, her eyes were watering, and we were trying to help people as the police - in full riot gear - drove people toward us. Julia and her classmates left and I stayed with the BLM folks trying to help people. Suddenly, around 6:30, there was more tear gas, more concussion grenades, and I think I saw someone hit by a rubber bullet - he was grasping his stomach and there was a mark on his shirt. The police in their riot gear were literally walking onto the St. John's, Lafayette Square patio with these metal shields, pushing people off the patio and driving them back. People were running at us as the police advanced toward us from the other side of the patio. We had to try to pick up what we could. The BLM medic folks were obviously well practiced. They picked up boxes and ran. I was so stunned I only got a few water bottles and my spray bottle of eyewash. We were literally DRIVEN OFF of the St. John's, Lafayette Square patio with tear gas and concussion grenades and police in full riot gear. We were pushed back 20 feet, and then eventually - with SO MANY concussion grenades - back to K street. By the time I got back to my car, around 7, I was getting texts from people saying that Trump was outside of St. John's, Lafayette Square. I literally COULD NOT believe it. WE WERE DRIVEN OFF OF THE PATIO AT ST. JOHN'S - a place of peace and respite and medical care throughout the day - SO THAT MAN COULD HAVE A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY IN FRONT OF THE CHURCH!!! PEOPLE WERE HURT SO THAT HE COULD POSE IN FRONT OF THE CHURCH WITH A BIBLE! HE WOULD HAVE HAD TO STEP OVER THE MEDICAL SUPPLIES WE LEFT BEHIND BECAUSE WE WERE BEING TEAR GASSED!!!! I am deeply shaken. I did not see any protestors throw anything until the tear gas and concussion grenades started, and then it was mostly water bottles. I am shaken, not so much by the taste of tear gas and the bit of a cough I still have, but by the fact that that show of force was for a PHOTO OPPORTUNITY. The patio of St. John's, Lafayette square had been HOLY GROUND today. A place of respite and laughter and water and granola bars and fruit snacks. But that man turned it into a BATTLE GROUND first, and a cheap political stunt second. I am DEEPLY OFFENDED on behalf of every protestor, every Christian, the people of St. John's, Lafayette square, every decent person there, and the BLM medics who stayed with just a single box of supplies and a backpack, even when I got too scared and had to leave. I am ok. But I am now a force to be reckoned with. - Gini Gerbasi
You wanted force and action. This is exactly how that isn't the way to handle it. As somebody who served in the military as an MP, I was sickened by what I saw today in DC. That person you guys keep making excuses for and supporting showed arguably one of the worst attempts at leadership I have ever seen. He had a real chance to bring this country together and he pulled that stunt. If what he did seems acceptable to you guys, I just don't know what to say.
I dont think he should have gone there due to security concerns. To me, seemed like a waste of time and unnecessary. No issues with the use of tear gas to clear the area.
I'm all for tear gas, concussion grenades and force.....WHEN NEEDED! Was totally uncalled for today. Those people were behind baracades. Being annoying as fuck, but under control. Security had a perimeter in place and there was NO threat!
Trump walking by made it a threat level situation. I dont agree that he should have gone, but since he did, you had to clear the area.
fuck....people need to get woke right the fuck now! stay home and lead by example..protesters who need to speak out need to march on police stations and capitals , not people's private property
Well, alternatively, you can change your social media profiles to an all black background. Always seems to make lasting change.
At least they stand for something instead of sitting on the sidelines being an instigator trying to act like they're an anarchist (while secretly being a big phony).
https://news.google.com/articles/CA...ocv1CjCSptoCMPrTpgU?hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en Bishop at DC church outraged by Trump visit: 'I just can't believe what my eyes have seen. 'I'm outraged:' Bishop overseeing church responds to Trump photo-op 03:01 (CNN)Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington said Monday evening that she is "outraged" after President Donald Trump visited her church without advance notice to share "a message antithetical to the teachings of Jesus." Her pointed comments came after the President walked from the White House to St. John's Episcopal Church, a house of worship used by American presidents for more than a century. Peaceful protesters just outside the White House gates were dispersed with tear gas, flash grenades and rubber bullets. It was all, apparently, so Trump could visit the church. "I am outraged. The President did not pray when he came to St. John's, nor as you just articulated, did he acknowledge the agony of our country right now," Budde told CNN's Anderson Cooper on "AC360." "And in particular, that of the people of color in our nation, who wonder if anyone ever -- anyone in public power will ever acknowledge their sacred words. And who are rightfully demanding an end to 400 years of systemic racism and white supremacy in our country. And I just want the world to know, that we in the diocese of Washington, following Jesus and his way of love ... we distance ourselves from the incendiary language of this President. We follow someone who lived a life of nonviolence and sacrificial love." "We align ourselves with those seeking justice for the death of George Floyd and countless others," she continued. "And I just can't believe what my eyes have seen." Trump was surrounded by aides in front of the church, including national security adviser Robert O'Brien, Attorney General Bill Barr, senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, chief of staff Mark Meadows, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and press secretary Kayleigh McEnany. He remained at the boarded-up building for a matter of minutes before returning inside the White House. The exterior of the church had been defaced during protests outside the White House Sunday, and there had been a small fire in the parish house basement but church leaders said in a statement that the structure was largely "untouched." "We have the greatest country in the world," Trump said outside the building. Beyond using the church as a backdrop, Budde criticized Trump's use of a Bible during the visit, which he held up as he posed for cameras. "Let me be clear: The President just used a Bible, the most sacred text of the Judeo-Christian tradition, and one of the churches of my diocese, without permission, as a backdrop for a message antithetical to the teachings of Jesus," she said. The episode follows nearly a week of protests across the country that at times have turned violent over the death of Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man who died at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis. While still at the White House Monday evening, Trump declared himself "your president of law and order," and vowed to return order to American streets using the military if widespread violence isn't quelled. "If a city or state refuses to take the actions necessary to defend the life and property of their residents, then I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them," he said. The address came after he had been angered by news coverage depicting him holed up in an underground bunker amid protests in Washington. He told aides on Monday he wanted to be seen outside the White House gates, according to a person familiar with the matter, which is part of what drove the decision to stage the photo-op at St. John's Church. But Budde stressed Monday that his presence in front of the church -- and his response to the nationwide protests -- were both unwelcome. "What I am here to talk about is the abuse of sacred symbols for the people of faith in this country to justify language, rhetoric, an approach to this crisis that is antithetical to everything we stand for." The Episcopal Church has repeatedly refuted Trump on a range of issues including proposed cuts to social services and the construction of a wall on the US southern border. Michael Curry, the presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, said in a statement Monday that Trump had "used a church building and the Holy Bible for partisan purposes." "This was done in a time of deep hurt and pain in our country, and his action did nothing to help us or heal us," Curry said. And Greg Brewer, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida, tweeted that he was "shaken watching protestors in Lafayette Park gassed and cleared so that the President of the United States can do a photo op in front of St. John's Episcopal Church holding a Bible." "This is blasphemy in real time," Brewer said on Twitter.
I'm just hearing about this. Sounds pretty bad. I'm curious, though, isn't the DC curfew 7 PM? Seems like the crowd should be dispersing by 6:30, anyway. Nonetheless, these are crazy times. This has become a worldwide phenomenon.
I have to say. I'm trying not hate Trump. I wont hate anyone. Or try my damnest not to. I get disgusted by actions and behaviors of some humans, but I try not to hate. Trump is pushing me closer and closer to breaking my own moral code of love. Ive tried my hardest to be impartial and balanced and take each thing on its own and assess individually, but this is the breaking point for me. @EL PRESIDENTE @magnifier661 @ABM How do you explain, justify, or condone this? Not trying to call you guys out, just trying to look for some sort of reasoning behind this, cause I cant find any, when I crawl through the cobwebs in my head.
trumo and his ineptness. Quit looking at things from a blue or red perspective and analyze the person and decide if this is the sort of person you can respect and follow. It's an easy answer in my book as trump stands for himself and his private interests and not the people of the United States.
Big daddy trump came down, told the governors to get their shit in order or he will do it for him. Many cities are now doing so. Some, like NY are continuing to not and we see what is happening. The looting and chaos continue.
