The Hill reports:
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said Monday that the protesters removed from Lafayette Park “deliberately stayed to trigger police action.” The Florida senator tweeted that “many in the media fell for the calculated & deliberate tactics of professional agitators.”
Law enforcement deployed tear gas into a crowd of peaceful protesters outside Lafayette Park across the street from the White House as President Trump prepared to speak in the Rose Garden Monday. Authorities began dispersing demonstrators at least 15 minutes before the city’s 7 p.m. curfew was set to take effect.
Many in the media fell for the calculated & deliberate tactics of professional agitators.
They knew the street needed to be cleared before 7pm curfew.
But they deliberately stayed to trigger police action & get the story they wanted, that “police attacked peaceful protestors.”
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) June 1, 2020
Everybody actually watched this on TV, you scurrilous goober! thanks for the laugh.
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) June 1, 2020
What time did the tear gas start Marco? How can you defend this man and still send out bible verses ?
— Roland Scahill (@rolandscahill) June 2, 2020
Tear gas at 6:35
Curfew at 7:00
Does lack of a spine also make it impossible to read a clock?
— Kurt Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) June 2, 2020
Resign in disgrace.
— Molly Knight (@molly_knight) June 2, 2020