The DOJ asked a federal judge to dismiss the lawsuit against the former president, among others, for their use of police force to disperse protestors in June 2020.
The DOJ asked a federal judge to dismiss the lawsuit against the former president, among others, for their use of police force to disperse protestors in June 2020.
On June 1st, 2020, then-President Trump made his way through the plaza between Lafayette Park and St. John's Church in Washington, DC. Crowded with people protesting police brutality, Trump's security feared he may be at risk, and used force to clear a path.
Police allegedly used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd, thereby allowing Trump, along with Jared, Ivanka, Attorney General William Barr, and other administrators, to get through to the church on the other side. Once there, Trump used the opportunity to hold up a bible for a photo-op.
Lawyers for the DOJ argued that "Presidential security is paramount," adding that, "No officer has ever been denied immunity for clearing an area before an appearance by the president."
According to the New York Post, the lawsuit was brought on by the ACLU and Black Lives Matter, among others. Protestors argue that, "Trump, Barr and other officials violated their civil rights," however DOJ lawyers state that, "Federal officers do not violate First Amendment rights by moving protesters a few blocks, even if the protesters are predominantly peaceful."
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