Tear Gas Canisters Found Outside White House, in Continued Debunking of Claims No Tear Gas Was Used
Olivier Douliery/Getty Images
WUSA9 reporter Nathan Baca shared photos of tear gas canisters found by news crews after police forcefully cleared protestors from Lafayette Square Monday night, further challenging the White House’s repeated denial that protestors were tear gassed ahead of President Donald Trump’s church photo op.
Baca took to Twitter on Thursday to break the news, reporting that WUSA9 crew members gathered canisters that proved the use of both tear gas and natural OC gas, adding that he asked Trump and the U.S. Park Police for a response.
The president and his media defenders, like Fox News host Laura Ingraham, have also claimed tear gas was not used on protestors outside the White House — though their claims were challenged by reporters on the scene. The presence of canisters containing CS tear gas is further evidence that police used tear gas on the crowd of protestors.
“Police canisters gathered by [WUSA9] crews Monday night show federal police DID use artificial CS tear gas in addition to natural OC gas on #BlackLivesMatter #WashingDCProtests:”
Breaking: police canisters gathered by @wusa9 crews Monday night show federal police DID use artificial CS tear gas in addition to natural OC gas on #BlackLivesMatter #WashingtonDCProtests Asking @usparkpolicepio & @realDonaldTrump for response on statements claiming otherwise. pic.twitter.com/ouFi8NWC2s
— Nathan Baca (@NathanBacaTV) June 4, 2020
This is what our crews picked up on 17th near H minutes after federal law enforcement cleared streets Monday night: Natural OC and artificial CS tear gas canisters. Released green choking gas that attacked our lungs and eyes. Item on right is flash bang. More at @wusa9.com pic.twitter.com/MVE80Zdj1g
— Nathan Baca (@NathanBacaTV) June 4, 2020
The U.S. Park Police and Trump both denied using tear gas on protesters and demanded corrections from media outlets that claimed they did. The Park Police eventually admitted in a statement that pepper balls were used on the crowd, which the CDC also considers a form of tear gas.
