The United States Secret Service announced that several roads in the vicinity of the White House will be closed to vehicular traffic until further notice due to the ongoing protests against police brutality in the area.
The roads that are closed as a safety precaution are as follows:
- Constitution Avenue NW, between 15th and 17th street
- 17th Street NW, between Constitution Avenue and H Street
- 15th Street NW, between Constitution Avenue and H Street
- H Street NW, between 15th Street and 17th Street
The Secret Service called on drivers to use alternate routes during the closures.
In an effort to ensure public safety, road closures are in place from 15th to 17th street between Constitution Avenue and H street between 15th to 17th street. Lafayette Park remains closed.
— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) June 2, 2020
DC residents have been taking part in demonstrations in the area of Lafayette Square Park since Friday, May 29, as part of the protests around the country that broke out in response to the killing of George Floyd, an African-American man, by a police officer who knelt on his neck for over eight minutes in Minneapolis.
The incident became public after a video showing the killing was recorded by passers-by and widely shared on the social media.
During the protests over the weekend, some individuals intentionally set ablaze several buildings, including St. John’s Episcopal Church in the 1500 blk of H Street, Northwest.
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