Military police weighed using 'heat ray' to burn skin of D.C. protesters at Trump church photo op in June
Remember that Trump photo op in front of St. John's Church in Lafayette Square in DC, on June 1st, where American citizens were tear-gassed? Military police were also considering using what is described as a heat ray to burn the skin of people protesting the killing of George Floyd on that day.
Previously, the heat ray has been aimed against undocumented immigrants at the U.S. border with Mexico.
They decided on tear gas, a chemical weapon, to clear pro-Black Lives Matter demonstrators from the area for President Trump's obscene photo, holding the bible up with those evil, blank eyes.
Hours before they ultimately chose tear gas, the federal agents began to stockpile lethal ammunition, and they were also trying to obtain military devices that could blast people deaf with piercing sound, Marissa J. Lang at the Washington Post reports:
D.C. National Guard Maj. Adam D. DeMarco told lawmakers that defense officials were searching for crowd control technology deemed too unpredictable to use in war zones and had authorized the transfer of about 7,000 rounds of ammunition to the D.C. Armory as protests against police use of force and racial injustice roiled Washington.
In sworn testimony, shared this week with The Washington Post, DeMarco provided his account as part of an ongoing investigation into law enforcement and military officers' use of force against D.C. protesters.
[...] DeMarco's account contradicts the administration's claims that protesters were violent, tear gas was never used and demonstrators were given ample warning to disperse - a legal requirement before police move to clear a crowd. His testimony also offers a glimpse into the equipment and weaponry federal forces had - and others that they sought - during the early days of protests that have continued for more than 100 days in the nation's capital.
DeMarco, who provided his account as a whistleblower, was the senior-most D.C. National Guard officer on the ground that day and served as a liaison between the National Guard and U.S. Park Police.
Read more at the WaPo: Federal officials stockpiled munitions, sought 'heat ray' device before clearing Lafayette Square
Exclusive: Top military police considered using a "heat ray" that makes the skin feel like it's burning on D.C. protesters in June, according to a military whistleblower.https://t.co/kAuc1NZVHo
- NPR (@NPR) September 17, 2020
Days before the 2018 midterms, Customs and Border Protection officials suggested trying to stop migrants from crossing the border by deploying a microwave weapon - a "heat ray" designed by the military to make people's skin feel as if it is burning.https://t.co/0WdCxTNXHH
- Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) August 27, 2020