Pelosi blasts Trump’s military use in the nation’s capital

Pelosi blasts Trump’s military use in the nation’s capital

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Monday said it was "alarming" that military and other federal officers would confront protesters, and wanted a full list of actors involved detailing the chain of command.

Three days after law enforcement including the national guard were seen violently clearing protesters from a park in front of the White House ahead of President Donald Trump's photo op with a bible in front of a church, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi demanded accountability on Thursday and said the increased presence of U.S. military and federal law enforcement, including unidentified officers, in the nation's capital is "alarming." PELOSI: "Who's in charge?

What is the chain of command, and by what authority?" Pelosi urged Trump to provide a detailed list of the agencies operating in Washington DC amid protests over racial injustice after the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in Minneapolis last week.

PELOSI: "It's alarming that in our nation's capital, peaceful protesters are confronted with a deployment of various security officers, from multiple jurisdictions, including unidentified federal law enforcement." Pelosi said some of the officers were deployed without any visible insignia or badges during the protests centered directly around policing tactics.

PELOSI: "The practice of officers operating with full anonymity undermines accountability and ignites government mistrust and suspicion, and is counter to the principle of procedural justice and legitimacy during this precarious moment in our history." Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer earlier this week accused Trump of giving the order to clear the protesters.

The White House has said the officers were clearing the streets ahead of a curfew imposed by the District of Columbia.