Secret Service agents continued struggling with protesters at the White House on Friday night as protests continue in several major cities in reaction to the death of George Floyd.
Shouting protesters rocked and ripped away temporary barricades from Pennsylvania Avenue as Secret Service tugged them back, according to videos from outside the White House posted on social media.
At times, agents allowed protesters to keep parts of the barricade, bringing in replacements to fill the gaps.
Sight at the White House is getting ugly, SS is getting pelted and attacked pretty heavily pic.twitter.com/PqXde8iPHY
— Luke Rudkowski (@Lukewearechange) May 30, 2020
Agents were spotted putting up helmets and carrying riot shields as they stood between the protesters and the barricades.
Protesters did not breach the newly constructed 13-foot fence protecting the White House as a wall of agents remained on guard.
When armed agents approached the crowds of protesters, they routinely threw up their hands and cried, “don’t shoot.”
Other reporters present noted that firecrackers were thrown at the agents.
Later, people in the crowd shouted that tear gas was spotted at the protests.
Finally @SecretService able to use tear gas or similar to push back violent protesters outside White House, per @LelandVittert
— Emily Miller (@emilymiller) May 30, 2020
Tear gas at the White House pic.twitter.com/4iTHBdMOvU
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) May 30, 2020
A Fox News producer reported that an agent was apparently hurt in the struggle.
Secret Service apparently injured @ WH pic.twitter.com/BUR1w08q4D
— Sean Langille (@SeanLangille) May 30, 2020
Protest in front of the White House https://t.co/DXFGrcNGHs
— Mutlu Civiroglu (@mutludc) May 30, 2020
Seems like the firecrackers prompted the officers in front of the White House to get tighter together and pass out more shields here #GeorgeFloydProtests pic.twitter.com/DkqEFgGEjw
— Joe Khalil (@JoeKhalilTV) May 30, 2020
Right now at the White House: Tensions between protestors and secret service continue @fox5dc pic.twitter.com/DcR5WohFJh
— Shirin Rajaee (@ShirinRajaee) May 30, 2020
At the White House now #GeorgeFloydProtests still happening. Many of the officers guarding the barricade in riot gear just put their helmets on pic.twitter.com/L6MX8Iw3mH
— Joe Khalil (@JoeKhalilTV) May 30, 2020
Tensions are escalating in front of the White House.
Demonstrators now face-to-face with authorities clad in riot gear after protesters jumped over a barrier that had separated them from Police/Secret Service for most of the night. @ABC pic.twitter.com/M8ZmJw0kAW
— Andrew Dymburt (@DymburtNews) May 30, 2020
Another video from the White House showed protesters shouting “Fuck Donald Trump”:
Washington DC. Riot cops are protecting the Trump White House. #dcprotest pic.twitter.com/tZJV7oIwdh
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) May 30, 2020
The White House was on lockdown earlier in the evening as protesters gathered outside and started pushing the barriers. The lockdown was lifted after about an hour as the protests subsided, allowing reporters inside the building the opportunity to leave.
But the protesters returned later in the evening.
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