Law Enforcement Fire Tear Gas, Peppers Spray, Rubber Bullets at White House Protesters

Protesters stormed the White House again on Saturday, as law enforcement officials used tear gas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets to deter them.

Tear gas just fired at protestors outside The White House. Lots of people gasping for breath & unable to see. pic.twitter.com/wyDmzcw1HG

— Arjun Sethi (@arjunsethi81) May 31, 2020

Tear gas deployed pic.twitter.com/DZKokfPocO

— Nicholas Wu (@nicholaswu12) May 31, 2020

Reporters on the scene said that protesters continued to tear down temporary barricades at the White House while throwing fireworks, bottles, and rocks.

Cops are now spraying protesters with pepper spray. #dcprotests #GeorgeFloydProtests

— Ellie Hall (@ellievhall) May 31, 2020

Despite Trump floating the notion of his MAGA supporters gathering at the White House on Saturday night, there were no reports of a visible presence of Trump-affiliated supporters on the scene.

Maine One flew over the crowds as the president returned to the White House after watching a NASA/SpaceX manned rocket launch in Florida on Saturday afternoon.

Trump, in Marine One, just did a flyover of the protest area outside the White House.

Protesters flipped off the president’s helicopter.#dcprotest #MAGANIGHT #GeorgeFloydProtests pic.twitter.com/EMgCaOof1J

— Ellie Hall (@ellievhall) May 31, 2020

The latest of many scuffles outside White House #dcprotest

Pepper spray has many of us coughing pic.twitter.com/wEiemZ05zR

— Steven Nelson (@stevennelson10) May 31, 2020

Unlike Friday night, where protesters struggled with Secret Service on Pennsylvania Avenue, officials closed off Lafayette Park keeping protesters far away from the White House complex. Officials were much more aggressive in warding off protesters from the area.

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

Pictures on social media showed dumpsters near the White House set on fire.

Getting real tense here in front of the White House.

People charged the barricade and grabbed it / tore it down. Cops fired a round of rubber bullets and deployed tear gas at protesters attempting to get past the fence. #dcprotests pic.twitter.com/oh7BJEhOKS

— Ellie Hall (@ellievhall) May 31, 2020

Fires fill air with rancid smoke outside White House #dcprotest pic.twitter.com/HQPkB6NFFw

— Steven Nelson (@stevennelson10) May 31, 2020

Protesters have pulled down fencing to stand face to face with police near White House. Fireworks have been thrown at police, along with some rocks, and a couple dumpsters have been set afire. A teargas canister was fired by police then lobbed back #DCProtest #GeorgeFloydProtests

— Fredrick Kunkle WaPo (@KunkleFredrick) May 31, 2020

One reporter said on Twitter that she was shot twice by rubber bullets.

I was shot twice tonight by rubber bullets while reporting in front of the White House. Just one of the strategies police are using to keep protestors from breaking through the barricades. #GeorgeFloydProtests pic.twitter.com/JQtXF1e0Ku

— Sally Ayhan (@Sally_Ayhan) May 31, 2020

Somewhat tense moment at 16th and K. Large group of protesters walked up to police line, looked like some may’ve tried to push past them. Police used pepper spray to get most of crowd to disperse. This is 2 blocks from White House. pic.twitter.com/shvCBJCy0m

— Josh Rosenthal (@JoshRosenthalTV) May 31, 2020

The DC National Guard issued a statement noting that they had been activated to assist U.S. Park Police to maintain order near the White House. Military vehicles were spotted traveling to the area.

DC National Guard have joined the law enforcement line in front the White House.#dcprotest #GeorgeFloydProtests pic.twitter.com/QTU1FkssMC

— Ellie Hall (@ellievhall) May 31, 2020

Protesters repeatedly chanted “F-uck Donald Trump!”

Protestors chant “fuck Donald Trump” across from the White House.#BLACK_LIVES_MATTERpic.twitter.com/TjjMVQ0JK2

— Taher.zahrai (@TZahrai) May 31, 2020

Current scene outside of the White House pic.twitter.com/wiY7hCdoNW

— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) May 31, 2020

Fires in garbage bins. This is the scene outside the White House now. There have been a number of intense exchanges. Tear gas from police. Flares from protestors. Some protestors tell me the police threw them first, and they were throwing them back. pic.twitter.com/3jExBbfupt

— Katie Simpson (@CBCKatie) May 31, 2020

Burning dumpster on H Street outside Lafayette Park. First fire of the night. pic.twitter.com/1TUimQjj85

— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) May 31, 2020