A US special prosecutor must be appointed to investigate the government's violent crackdown on demonstrators during a June protest outside the White House, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said in a letter to Attorney General William Barr on Tuesday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th July, 2020) A US special prosecutor must be appointed to investigate the government's violent crackdown on demonstrators during a June protest outside the White House, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said in a letter to Attorney General William Barr on Tuesday.
"Barr and other administration officials appear to have criminally conspired to violently attack lawful demonstrators and all signs indicate they have since been engaged in a concerted cover up effort," ACLU Senior Legislative Counsel Kate Ruane said in a statement accompanying a letter. "A full, independent investigation now is necessary to hold him and any other officials who may be responsible for this chilling incident accountable today."
The ACLU also demanded that Barr recuse himself from any role in the appointment of a special counsel and from any role supervising a subsequent investigation of the attacks by Federal forces on demonstrators that included the use of tear gas, flash bang grenades, and rubber bullets.
The area in front of the White House, including Lafayette Park, was emptied of protesters so President Donald Trump and a group of aids could walk to a church, where they posed for photographs.
The ACLU with a coalition of groups last month filed a class-action lawsuit against Trump, Barr and federal officials for firing tear gas and other chemicals on protesters lawfully demonstrating against police brutality outside the White House. Lafayette square and the plaza in front of the White House had been filled with protesters for days following the death of African-American suspect George Floyd's death in the custody of Minneapolis police.
Prior to Trump's visit to the church, multiple police agencies including the US Secret Service and US Park Police cleared protesters to expand the security perimeter outside the White House.
