The order to disperse peaceful protesters Monday from Lafayette Square came personally from Attorney General William Barr, an anonymous Justice Department official told The Washington Post on Tuesday.
Federal police forced the demonstrators out of the area with, among other things, smoke canisters and riot shields shortly before President Trump walked through on his way to the nearby historic St. John's Church, where he posed for photos while holding a Bible. In the afternoon before Trump left the White House, Barr — who the president reportedly directed to lead the response to the capital's unrest — went to check out the scene, spoke with law enforcement officials on the ground, and got his message across.
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The official said Barr was told there were reports of the crowd passing rocks to each other and that one person had thrown a bottle, though Post reporters at the scene did not witness anyone holding rocks. Read more at The Washington Post.
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