The Secret Service reversed an earlier claim and admitted Saturday that it did use pepper spray on protesters to clear the method before President Donald Trump held up a Bible outside a church for a photo op almost two weeks earlier.
” After more review, the U.S. Secret Service has figured out that an agency worker used pepper spray on June 1st to protect the area near Lafayette Parks,” stated the new statement. The oleoresin capsicum spray was “utilized in response to an assaultive person,” the statement added.
Trick Service Declaration: pic.twitter.com/hsocyFntAl
— U.S. Trick Service (@SecretService) June 13, 2020
Recently the firm insisted that “no company workers used tear gas or capsicum spray.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Avoidance considers pepper spray a ” riot control agent,” which it notes is ” in some cases referred to as ‘tear gas’” — together with compounds more widely related to tear gas, including chloroacetophenone (CN) and chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile (CS).
The U.S. Park Police likewise at first denied using tear gas. A spokesman later on said it was a ” error” to say “tear gas” wasn’t used, since the pepper balls officers fired burn and make it difficult for targets to breathe.
Following the Trick Service turnaround, the American Civil Liberties Union released a statement noting that “once again, yet anothe