Justice Department Report Clears Barr of Ordering Protester Removal in 2020

A Justice Department watchdog has found that Attorney General William P. Barr did not order the removal of protesters from a park near the White House during the George Floyd demonstrations in 2020. The report, released on Wednesday, criticized Barr’s overall response during the period as “chaotic and disorganized.”

The investigation focuses on a pivotal moment from June 1, 2020, when President Donald J. Trump walked from the Rose Garden to Lafayette Park, which had been cleared of protesters by federal law enforcement officers in a controversial action. The clearing of the park was part of Trump’s photo opportunity at a nearby church.

Michael E. Horowitz, the Justice Department’s inspector general, found that Barr was not involved in the decision to clear the park. The operation was directed by the Park Police and the Secret Service, not the Justice Department. Horowitz’s report, based on over 300 interviews and spanning 168 pages, indicates that Barr was not in the command chain for the clearing operation and did not affect its timing.

Although Barr was seen conferring with officials in the park before Trump’s walk-through, Horowitz concluded that the decision to clear the area had been made prior to Barr’s arrival. The report states that the unified command at Lafayette Park had already planned and begun preparations for the clearing operation.

The inspector general also noted that Barr appeared eager to deploy the department’s uniformed personnel to address the protests, influenced by President Trump’s call for a strong response. Horowitz criticized the department’s approach during the unrest as lacking proper planning and procedural safeguards, leading to chaotic and disorganized responses.

The investigation revealed that on June 1, Barr’s chief of staff deployed Bureau of Prisons officers without clear mission guidelines or rules of engagement. This deployment, along with subsequent use of FBI personnel, was conducted without assessing their legal authorities, raising safety and security concerns.

The report also addressed inaccuracies in public statements made by Barr’s press secretary, Kerri Kupec. Kupec had suggested that Barr directly ordered the clearing operation, which Horowitz found misleading and contributed to public confusion about the Justice Department’s role.

Barr and Kupec have not responded to requests for comment on the report.