Federal law enforcement took down the White House peace vigil on Thursday, putting an apparent end to what was considered the country’s longest continuous political protest.
During a news conference in the Oval Office on Sept. 5, a reporter from the conservative network Real America’s Voice asked Trump about the tent, calling the longstanding vigil an “eyesore” and speculating whether it posed a national security issue. Trump said he was unaware of the anti-war demonstration, but quickly turned and instructed a member of his team to “take it down. Take it down today, right now. Nobody told me about this.”
The peace vigil was set up by anti-nuclear arms activist William Thomas on June 3, 1981, and has been maintained by other activists even after Trump ordered its removal. A warning letter, dated Sept. 12, handed to demonstrators by National Park Service officials and shared with The Washington Post called the protest in Lafayette Park an “ongoing unpermitted demonstration.”
The letter said the structure violated certain regulations, claiming, for example, that its blue tarp “posed a safety risk by obscuring the view of an approximately four-foot high by eight-foot (or more) area.” Federal officers removed the signs and placards Thursday — despite the absence of the tarp, which had been removed earlier by officers, and other efforts by protesters to address issues raised in the letter. “The blue tent — which was a public safety hazard to those visiting the White House and the surrounding areas — has been removed,” said White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers in a statement to MSNBC. “Individuals are welcome to continue wasting their time with deranged, far-left protests and crazy signs that have nothing to do with peace.”
Erum Salam is a breaking news reporter and producer for MS NOW. She previously was a breaking news reporter for The Guardian.
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