A. U.S. Park Police officer stands as police close the area around Lafayette Park near the White House after protesters tried to topple a statue of Andrew Jackson in the park in Washington, on Monday, June 22, 2020.
Police in Washington forcefully pushed back a group of protesters late Monday who were trying to take down a statue of former President Andrew Jackson in a park across from the White House.
The protesters had thrown ropes over the statue and were pulling from two sides as a crowd surrounding the site chanted against Jackson and in support of justice for victims of police violence.
Police carrying shields confronted the protesters and used batons, pepper spray and pepper bullets to push the crowd away from the statue in Lafayette Square.
The site is the same area where earlier this month police forcefully cleared out protesters a short time before President Donald Trump walked through the area for a photo opportunity at a nearby church.