Trump Sets Uproar After Protesters Get Teargassed So He Can Pose At Church
Image via a katz / Shutterstock.com
Donald Trump was yet again in the spotlight for his reaction to racial inequity demonstrations in the nation, as protesters were teargassed by police officers to clear the path for him to take a photo in front of St. John’s Church.
The president made his way from the White House to the historic church to pose for photos while carrying a Bible in hand. The church was partially burned in protests the night before the photo op, Associated Press reported.
His photoshoot triggered anger from church leaders, including Bishop Mariann Budde and rector at the church Gini Gerbasi. Gerbasi wrote a lengthy post on Facebook, admitting that she was shaken after police had inundated the area and deployed tear gasses.
“That man turned it into a battleground first, and a cheap political stunt second,” Gerbasi said. She expressed her bafflement about learning that the clash started to clear the area for Trump.
Budde told HuffPost that she was angered by Trump’s appearance and was “going to do everything in [her] power to disassociate the church from what the president did.”
Budde said that Trump had used the Bible and St. John’s Church as a mere backdrop to spread a message that was “antithetical to the teachings of Jesus.” Budde added that the president did not pray when he arrived at the church, and failed to acknowledge the agony of people of color who have been under the “systemic racism and white supremacy” for 400 years.
“In no way do we support the president’s incendiary response to a wounded, grieving nation,” she added.
We have the greatest country in the world—and we will keep America safe. pic.twitter.com/lqHaUZ4wxW
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 1, 2020
.@realDonaldTrump walks to the Historic St. John’s Church was damaged during a night of unrest near the White House. pic.twitter.com/La6TuoYyBJ
— Doug Mills (@dougmillsnyt) June 1, 2020
ANOTHER harrowing account from ANOTHER priest working outside St. John’s who says they were run off by tear gas, etc before Trump’s photo op.
— Jack Jenkins (@jackmjenkins) June 2, 2020
Ends with a defiant decree: “I am now a force to be reckoned with.” pic.twitter.com/d9YXAYfS1D
[via HuffPost, opening image via a katz / Shutterstock.com]
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