A statue of Andrew Jackson located near the White House was almost toppled when four people allegedly attempted to destroy the federal property.
More Statues Face Desicration
The District of Columbia U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Saturday that four individuals were charged with the incident, which included damaging and trying to tear down the statue on June 22.
The suspects were amongst other individuals in the alleged crime and their identities were made public: Connor Matthew Judd, 20, of Washington, D.C.; Graham Lloyd, 37, of Maine; Ryan Lane, 37, of Maryland; and 47-year-old Virginia resident Lee Michael Cantrell.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in D.C. released the following statement:
“The complaint further alleges that Cantrell was captured on video attempting to pry the statue off its base with a wooden board and trying to pull the statue down with the aid of a yellow strap. The complaint alleges that Judd is seen on video trying to pull down the statue, and that Lane is seen on video affixing a rope to one part of the statue and then pulling on another rope tied to the statue. The complaint also alleges that video of the incident shows Lloyd as he breaks off and destroys the wheels of cannons located at the base of the statue. Lloyd is also captured on video pulling on ropes in an effort to topple the statue, and handing a hammer to an unidentified individual involved in the incident. Judd was arrested on Friday and appeared in Superior Court of the District of Columbia today… The remaining defendants have not yet been apprehended.”
Rioters Continue to Destroy History
Violent protesters and rioters have disgraced and dismantled statues across the country in the name of peace and justice. Monuments of slave abolitionists and veterans are being erased from history.
President Trump signed an executive order on Friday that protects American monuments and statues – making jail time a possibility for perpetrators.
I just had the privilege of signing a very strong Executive Order protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues – and combatting recent Criminal Violence. Long prison terms for these lawless acts against our Great Country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2020
“The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia will not stand idly by and allow our national monuments to be vandalized and destroyed,” Acting U.S. Attorney Michael R. Sherwin said in a statement. “This Office remains steadfast in its commitment to protect the sacred First Amendment right of individuals to peacefully protest, but these charges should serve as a warning to those who choose to desecrate the statues and monuments that adorn our nation’s capital: your violent behavior and criminal conduct will not be tolerated.”
Law and Order is Coming
Attorney General William Barr said in a memo reported by the Washington Post that there are hundreds of investigations in progress relating to violent protest actions.
“Although these extremists profess a variety of ideologies, they are united in their opposition to the core constitutional values of a democratic society governed by law,” Barr said. “Some pretend to profess a message of freedom and progress, but they are, in fact, forces of anarchy, destruction, and coercion.”
With memorials of historical figures vandalized beyond repair, the Trump administration and the DOJ are taking matters into their own hands.