Protestors in Washington D.C’s Layfayette Square attempted to take down a statue President Andrew Jackson
As protests against racism and police brutality continue to move strong across the United States, a goal many activists has been to remove racist symbols from public spaces. From corporate rebranding to the removal Confederate statues, many outdated symbols are seemingly on their way out.
Most recently, protestors in Washington D.C’s Lafayette Square attempted to take down a statue President Andrew Jackson, who enslaved over 300 people in his lifetime and signed the Indian Removal act, orchestrating the forced displacement 60,000 Native Americans known as the trail tears. The bronze statue, which sits near the White House, was made by sculptor Clark Mills and was erected in 1852.
See a few images from the scene, as well as social clips, below.
Protestors in front the White House attempt to remove the Andrew Jackson statue – Tasos Katopodis/Getty s
Protestors in front the White House attempt to remove the Andrew Jackson statue – Drew Angerer/Getty s
The protestors attempted to pull down the statue with rope and were confronted by police in riot gear, who attacked them with tear gas and made multiple arrests, as White House staff was asked to evacuate.
Protestors clash with the police after attempting to remove the Andrew Jackson statue – Tasos Katopodis/Getty s
President Trump, who recently held a controversial rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, weighed in on the statue incident, calling it “disgraceful vandalism” He also later announced he has “authorized the Federal Government to arrest anyone who vandalizes or destroys any monument, statue or other such Federal property in the U.S. with up to 10 years in prison.”