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'This can't be happening': An oral history of 48 surreal, violent, biblical minutes in Washington
Yamiche Alcindor RetweetedBecause it happened one hundred years ago... an oral history history of Monday, 6:30 to 7:18 p.m:
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This cant be happening: An oral history of 48 surreal, violent, biblical minutes in Washington
By Dan Zak, Monica Hesse, Ben Terris, Maura Judkis and Travis M. Andrews
June 2, 2020 at 11:06 p.m. EDT
On Monday evening, over the course of 48 minutes, Donald Trump put on a show that may have changed America, yet again. It involved an overture to the nation, a physical attack on Americans and a Bible. It began suddenly, in the Rose Garden, with a statement about law and order and dangerous thugs. The president promised justice for the family of George Floyd, whose death in the custody of Minneapolis police last week triggered nationwide protests, looting and violence, and a roiling debate about who we are and what we hope to become.
As the president declared that he was an ally of peaceful protesters, those peaceful protesters were violently dispersed to make way for his walk to St. Johns Episcopal Church, across Lafayette Square. Our greatest days lie ahead, Trump said. What happened during those 48 minutes convinced some people that he is right, and others that he is very wrong.
Eventually there will be a detailed accounting of what actually happened, and how, and why. For now, in the midst of the confusion, here is a first draft of history in miniature, in minutes an oral history of 6:30 to 7:18 p.m. on June 1, 2020.
Protesters stand in front of riot police moving to clear demonstrators out of Lafayette Square. (Stringer/Reuters)
{snip}
Police officers clash with protesters near the White House. (Jose Luis Magana/AFP/Getty Images)
{snip}
Law enforcement uses flash bangs to disperse protesters. (Will Urquhart)
{snip}
Dan Zak
Dan Zak is a reporter for The Washington Post. He writes a wide range of news stories, narratives and profiles from local, national and foreign assignments, from the Academy Awards to Fallujah, Iraq. He joined The Post in 2005. Follow https://twitter.com/MrDanZak
Monica Hesse
Monica Hesse is a columnist for The Washington Post's Style section, who frequently writes about gender and its impact on society. She's the author of several novels, most recently, "They Went Left." Follow https://twitter.com/MonicaHesse
Maura Judkis
Maura Judkis is a features reporter for The Washington Post. She is a two-time James Beard Award winner. She joined The Post in 2011. Follow https://twitter.com/MauraJudkis
Travis Andrews
Travis M. Andrews is a features writer for The Washington Post. Previously, he was a travel and culture editor for Southern Living magazine and a contributor for Mashable. He is also the author of "Because He's Jeff Goldblum," a rumination on the enigmatic actor's career and an exploration of fame in the 21st century. He joined The Post in 2016. Follow https://twitter.com/travismandrews
This cant be happening: An oral history of 48 surreal, violent, biblical minutes in Washington
By Dan Zak, Monica Hesse, Ben Terris, Maura Judkis and Travis M. Andrews
June 2, 2020 at 11:06 p.m. EDT
On Monday evening, over the course of 48 minutes, Donald Trump put on a show that may have changed America, yet again. It involved an overture to the nation, a physical attack on Americans and a Bible. It began suddenly, in the Rose Garden, with a statement about law and order and dangerous thugs. The president promised justice for the family of George Floyd, whose death in the custody of Minneapolis police last week triggered nationwide protests, looting and violence, and a roiling debate about who we are and what we hope to become.
As the president declared that he was an ally of peaceful protesters, those peaceful protesters were violently dispersed to make way for his walk to St. Johns Episcopal Church, across Lafayette Square. Our greatest days lie ahead, Trump said. What happened during those 48 minutes convinced some people that he is right, and others that he is very wrong.
Eventually there will be a detailed accounting of what actually happened, and how, and why. For now, in the midst of the confusion, here is a first draft of history in miniature, in minutes an oral history of 6:30 to 7:18 p.m. on June 1, 2020.
Protesters stand in front of riot police moving to clear demonstrators out of Lafayette Square. (Stringer/Reuters)
{snip}
Police officers clash with protesters near the White House. (Jose Luis Magana/AFP/Getty Images)
{snip}
Law enforcement uses flash bangs to disperse protesters. (Will Urquhart)
{snip}
Dan Zak
Dan Zak is a reporter for The Washington Post. He writes a wide range of news stories, narratives and profiles from local, national and foreign assignments, from the Academy Awards to Fallujah, Iraq. He joined The Post in 2005. Follow https://twitter.com/MrDanZak
Monica Hesse
Monica Hesse is a columnist for The Washington Post's Style section, who frequently writes about gender and its impact on society. She's the author of several novels, most recently, "They Went Left." Follow https://twitter.com/MonicaHesse
Maura Judkis
Maura Judkis is a features reporter for The Washington Post. She is a two-time James Beard Award winner. She joined The Post in 2011. Follow https://twitter.com/MauraJudkis
Travis Andrews
Travis M. Andrews is a features writer for The Washington Post. Previously, he was a travel and culture editor for Southern Living magazine and a contributor for Mashable. He is also the author of "Because He's Jeff Goldblum," a rumination on the enigmatic actor's career and an exploration of fame in the 21st century. He joined The Post in 2016. Follow https://twitter.com/travismandrews
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'This can't be happening': An oral history of 48 surreal, violent, biblical minutes in Washington (Original Post)
mahatmakanejeeves
Jun 2020
OP
malthaussen
(17,066 posts)1. Frankly, I believe Mr Trump is right...
... only not quite in the way he imagines. I think this incident was a clear sign of weakness, and it will be all downhill for him and his gang of idiots from now on. He overreached himself, and he did it on camera.
-- Mal
keopeli
(3,461 posts)2. KR
KR
dalton99a
(81,081 posts)3. Kick