Media Lies About Tear Gas at Lafayette Park [OPINION]

The news media has been caught in a bald-faced lie about the use of tear gas to remove "peaceful protesters" from Lafayette Park on Monday evening so that President Trump could walk to the historic St. John's Church across the street from the White House for no other purpose than a photo op. 

St. John's, which dates back to 1816, was torched by those "peaceful protesters" on Sunday night and much damage was done in and around the park. 

Trump addressed the nation from in front of the White House before he and his cabinet set out on foot, Bible in hand, to visit the church. He has also been torched by the Antifa-lovers on the left for the way he held his Bible. I guess some days you just can't get anything right.  

Immediately after returning to the White House, Trump was obliterated by the press and the likes of none other than radicals Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, who accused the president of "attacking" those "peaceful protesters" with tear gas and having them violently removed from Lafayette Park.

United States Park Police Acting Chief Gregory T. Monahan issued a statement debunking the false narrative: "At approximately 6:33 p.m., violent protestors on H Street NW began throwing projectiles including bricks, frozen water bottles, and caustic liquids. The protestors also climbed onto a historic building at the north end of Lafayette Park that was destroyed by arson days prior. Intelligence had revealed calls for violence against the police, and officers found caches of glass bottles, baseball bats, and metal poles hidden along the street."

Monahan says the decision was made to remove the "peaceful protesters" to prevent a repeat of what happened on Sunday night.

"As many of the protestors became more combative, continued to throw projectiles, and attempted to grab officers’ weapons, officers then employed the use of smoke canisters and pepper balls. No tear gas was used," he said.

The protesters were also warned three times on park loudspeakers to vacate the park before the police began to remove them.

The media intentionally lied to create a narrative that the President of the United States employed violent tactics against peaceful citizens who were simply exercising their First Amendment right to free expression. In other words, the American media and Trump's Democrat opponents colluded to create a false impression for our friends and foes around the world that President Trump used excessive force against his own people in order to crush dissent. They lied to create instability.

And you still don't believe the media is the enemy of the people?

Barry Richard is the host of The Barry Richard Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. Contact him at barry@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @BarryJRichard58. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.