Here at Black Lives Matter plaza, which has seen some tension today after MPD moved to clear out some tents on H St. being run by a community aid organization. Reportedly want to reopen H to traffic.

Protesters have erected barriers at the Vermont and Connecticut intersections.

Probably about 200 people here, after a call went out to defend the street in the event police come back to remove the barriers.

Now a group matching through Lafayette Square to congregate outside the White House. About 8 officers looking on, appear to be Park Police.

Just spoke to Leigh, one of the community organizers who’s been on the ground helping protesters all week. She said she was pepper sprayed earlier when MPD bike police cleared out the tents.

People gathering at Lafayette Square.

I can see what I assume are Secret Service on the White House roof. More police presence in the park—probably about 20 that I can see.

Protesters scaled the statue, chanting “hey hey ho ho Andrew Jackson’s got to go”

Big group of Park Police clashing with protesters. MPD here too.

Park Police are taking down chains on statue. Helicopter flying low. So low I can read Park Police on the tail of it.

Lot of police here. Protesters now pushes back from statue. I see one officer aiming a red canister at protesters

Park is now closed. Pushed protesters out. Police held at entrance to park for a short time and then pushed protesters back past H st

Seeing a lot of people recovering from pepper spray

Protesters calling on people to call friends, bring more people down here

Police line now behind the concrete barriers separating H st from 16th. Bit of a lull. Lot of medics treating people who’ve been pepper sprayed.

Black Lives Matter plaza:

Medic operations:

Seeing a lot more flashing lights along K. Protesters calling for people to check the barriers they put up earlier. “Check them! This is how kettles get started”

Just interviewed a history teacher who had a big egg on his head from what he said was a police baton. Also had big bruises on legs from what he thought were rubber bullets.

Said “We’re out here tonight, and we’re going to be out here every night.”

Batman has arrived on the scene. He was out a week or two ago, talking about education equity. “Save us, Batman!” Some protesters yell.

Group of 50+protesters walking away from police line, down 16th. Chanting “Black Lives Matter” and “no justice, no peace”

Police lines. I’d say at least 100 officers along H and blocking H by Vermont

Just saw a group of protesters walk up to the line with big wooden shields

Scene—would say about 100-200 people here now

On St John’s Church, “BHAZ”—Black House Autonomous Zone, I think

Crowd chanting “quit your job, quit your job!” to the police line

One woman yells at an officer “your mask doesn’t work if your nose isn’t covered”

I’ve seen both protesters and police lugging big cases of water on their respective sides of the line.

Just saw a woman taken away in handcuffs. No idea why.

Also seeing law enforcement in olive green fatigues in the background. Not sure what agency, but got a very grainy picture:

“You are Black first!” A woman says to a group of Black officers. One responds that they take care of bad officers.

Some protesters have a portable speaker. They’re at the front of the line, playing F*ck the Police and smoking, about 3 ft away from the police line.

The scene:

Down on 16th and I, a barrier put up by protesters. Fire department showed up because there was a fire in one of the dumpsters blocking the street. More barricades labeled BHAZ, too.

Okay, I’m headed out—gotta go file for the morning newscast on what I’ve seen. Looked like some demonstrators were starting to trickle off too.

Hard to walk away when the standoff is still going on, but so it goes!

Saw these on the way out tonight. Kind of a reminder of the lighter atmosphere from the last several weeks.

That got shattered tonight. Felt like a throwback to the first weekend of protests—tense and confrontational.

P.S. in the heat of the moment, I didn’t post some of the clearest video I got when police and protesters were clashing by the Jackson statue.

More from when police were clearing the park (sorry it’s sideways...)

And some photos from the statue / park clearing too:

Last one—this was when police were pushing protesters off of H St. you can see the pepper spray pretty clearly.