Protests led to a standoff Saturday between demonstrators and Secret Service agents outside the White House.
Video taken by WTOP News’ Alejandro Alvarez showed a series of confrontations that took place after a largely peaceful rally on the National Mall. Protesters gathered and listened to black activists discuss the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis last Monday.
The rally broke up, sending a large number of protesters marching toward the White House. (RELATED: ‘Catastrophic Judgmental Error’: Dan Bongino Warns Rioters Not To Try Breaching The White House)
The rally ended but a ton of people are marching on their own toward the White House. Yesterday in reverse, but turnout looks bigger.
The whole of Penn. Ave. is being blocked off to make way, the second time in less than a day a protest has taken this major DC thoroughfare. pic.twitter.com/9WAXJMuzxk
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) May 30, 2020
Shortly after protesters gathered near the 17th Street checkpoint on Pennsylvania Avenue, some kicked over the barricades and pushed toward the line of Secret Service agents. Some could be heard shouting, “Don’t shoot!” as they went over the barriers.
Barricades have fallen to the west of the White House and the crowd is surging forward, once again coming face-to-face with Secret Service who’ve moved into formation and raised their riot shields—a few stained yellow from eggs just thrown. pic.twitter.com/B0AMIk8aMZ
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) May 30, 2020
Inside the barricades, protesters formed a new line facing off with the Secret Service, some still yelling, “Hands up, don’t shoot!”
Penn. and 17th is split between protesters and Secret Service with what’s basically a buffer zone between them. The situation is stable at the moment but some protesters are daring to inch forward. Cries of “hands up, don’t shoot” are getting louder. pic.twitter.com/ToiwFKwoP3
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) May 30, 2020
The first real clash came as protesters pushed forward and agents deployed pepper spray.
Tensions flared near the White House. Not sure what triggered it, all I saw was a blast of pepper spray and a sudden sprint backward. There’s a lot more pressure on the police cordon and they’re pulling out gas masks. pic.twitter.com/X4uCQRzPkw
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) May 30, 2020
Protesters were warned several times to disperse before the Secret Service agents charged into the crowd with more pepper spray. Protesters responded by throwing water bottles and other objects as they were pushed back.
Insanity outside the White House. Three warnings of an unlawful assembly from the Secret Service before storming into the crowd.
A lot of people have been hit with paper spray. In all the chaos, at least one person was tossed to the ground and presumably arrested. pic.twitter.com/Ab2eSkq9CS
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) May 30, 2020
Agents herded journalists through the chaos in order to ensure their safety.
I was huddled with about a dozen other journalists on the steps to the Renwick Gallery when police pulled us off and herded us through the fight. pic.twitter.com/qLilbSaanA
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) May 30, 2020
Once they had pushed the crowd back to the 17th Street access point, the crowd dispersed from that area.
The Secret Service didn’t push into 17th. There was a second standoff here until they shouted something unintelligible which freaked the hell out of everyone and caused a stampede.
Most people took that as a sign to start moving. They’re heading to join another group. pic.twitter.com/RzIJiM80we
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) May 30, 2020
Just hours earlier, Fox News contributor and former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino had warned rioters that an attempt to breach the White House grounds would not end well.
