Authorities Forcibly Expelled Priest From Church Patio Prior to Trump Photo Op.

St. Johns Episcopal Church in Washington DC has been serving America’s Presidents all the way back to the term of James Madison. The Church has also been a center for Civil Rights and its leaders notably supported Martin Luther King Jr.

Donald Trump decided to use those grounds for a photo opportunity yesterday after talking about using the military to suppress demonstrations. On his way there, however, tear gas and rubber bullets were used to scatter peaceful protesters along the way. And when the White House team got to the Church, at least one priest was forcibly removed from the grounds.

The report comes from Jack Jenkins, who notes, “Authorities expelled at least one Episcopal priest and a seminarian from the church’s patio.”

Jenkins also spoke with Rev. Gini Gerbasi, who serves as a Rector at St. Johns. He tweeted, “Just spoke with Rev. Gerbasi. She told me that law enforcement with shields forced priests, others *off the church patio,* meaning they stepped on church property to expel people from it. As she put it: ‘They turned holy ground into a battle ground.'”

Just spoke with Rev. Gerbasi.

She told me that law enforcement with shields forced priests, others *off the church patio,* meaning they stepped on church property to expel people from it.

As she put it: "They turned holy ground into a battle ground."

Story coming.

— Jack Jenkins (@jackmjenkins) June 2, 2020

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Rev. Gerbasi also wrote a long Facebook post about her experience on Monday night. “The police in their riot gear with their black shields and the whole bit start pushing on to the patio of St. John’s Lafayette Square,” she wrote. “The police in their riot gear with their black shields and the whole bit start pushing on to the patio of St. John’s Lafayette Square.”

The Rector ended her post by telling the White House, “I am now a force to be reckoned with.”