Felgerkarb wrote: ↑Thu Jun 04, 2020 4:42 pm
Been up 48 hours straight, so sorry for the forum bombardment.
Rather than edit a comment above, I provide the following addendum and correction:
My eyewitness on the ground, a federal officer at the scene, stated no federal officer fired teargas in the park before the President came out. That of course does not account for what the local police may or may not have fired or done. He told me the local cops were humiliated over the last few nights by the inept response by the local DC government and the curfew change to 7pm. Then looking foolish in front of the federal authorities really chaffed their asses.
The Washington Post has done a very comprehensive recount of the events of that evening. They have relied on extensive video footage from multiple sources at different locations, as well as police call logs from the Arlington County police that were assisting Park Police. They have identified a number of different agencies involved, and have video and physical proof of what was used.
A reporter on the scene captured a can on video being shot, and recovered the spent canister. It is labeled as "SPEDE-HEAT CS Long Range - 150 YD 37mm Single Projectile."
Other than that, there is extensive proof of the use of gas canisters and used grenades containing rubber pellets.
There was a command center set up in the park prior to these events by the Park Police and DC National Guard (that were wearing "Military Police").
At 6:08 PM Attorney General William Barr approaches the command center (you can hear protesters yell "screw you, sir", which is kind of funny that they added the "sir"), followed a few minutes later by General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Several soldiers and police appear to take a knee, which the causes the protesters to cheer. However, they are seen kneeling just to put on gas masks.
At 6:18 PM the Secret Service makes the first push on H St, but then holds. Police audio recordings show that they are waiting for confirmation that all of the grenadiers are ready. Grenadiers is a technical term for someone that would fire canisters of gas or other projectiles.
At 6:28 the Arlington County Police line recordings show that they activated Level 1 clearing.
Members of the Bureau of Prisons Special Operations Response Team are seen arriving at the barriers, carrying weapons used to shoot pepper balls and canister launchers.
I highly advise that you watch this entire, 12 minute video:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/investig ... rc404=true
Speaking out against these specifics neither makes one un-American nor taints the dedication and honor that soldiers such as yourself spent a lifetime committed to. As it is, some of the military's greatest have had these comments to make:
Retired Gen. Jim Mattis: "Never did I dream that troops taking that same oath would be ordered under any circumstance to violate the constitutional rights of their fellow citizens — much less to provide a bizarre photo op for the elected commander-in-chief, with military leadership standing alongside.”
Former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Ret. Gen. Martin Dempsey: "The idea that the president would take charge of the situation using the military was troubling to me."
Former former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Ret. Adm. Michael Mullen said President Trump had “laid bare his disdain for the rights of peaceful protest in this country” and risked politicizing the US military by his actions.
Former Republican Secretary of State Colin Powell (and retired General and Joint Chiefs Staff Chairman) said: "We have a Constitution. And we have to follow that Constitution. And the President has drifted away from it."
To me it is clear that events got out of hand on 1 June north of the White House, and all of the above respected retired Generals and heads of the military recognize that. They are able to do this without speaking against all of those dedicated members that have served and are serving. I would hope that everyone could do this as well -- speak out against Trump, but you can do it respectfully without attacking all of the good members in the military.