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(CNN) –– The United States Secret Service told members of the press assigned to the White House on Monday night to immediately leave the grounds of the presidential residence, amid a rather unusual decision that was not explained immediately.
The move was taken while a demonstration was taking place in Lafayette Square, across from the White House, where protesters were trying to tear down a statue of former President Andrew Jackson, which is located in the middle of the park. Those protesters were eventually expelled from the park by the police.
Protesters spray-painted the acronym "BHAZ" on the pillars of St. John's Episcopal Church, which is across the street from Lafayette Square. The acronym stands for “Black House Autonomous Zone” in English, an apparent reference to the Capitol Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) in Seattle, where protesters have seized a six-block area of the city and they have kept the police out to establish their own space for self-government.
The Capitol Autonomous Zone had been a relatively peaceful protest until last weekend. Two men were shot in the area early Saturday morning and one of them later died. Police said a "violent crowd" prevented them from accessing the injured people.
In the United States capital, tensions between protester groups and security forces outside the White House have been a focus for the nation in recent weeks, as protests continue over the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died while in police custody in Minneapolis last month.
In May, Trump was briefly taken to the underground bunker for a time as protesters gathered outside the White House, according to a White House official and a security source. The President was there for just under an hour before being moved upstairs.
A police source and another source familiar with the matter told CNN that First Lady Melania Trump and her son Barron were also taken to the bunker.
After that episode, the White House warned officials that they must go to work to hide their passes until they reach the Secret Service entry point and also when they leave, according to an email that was seen by CNN.
A few days later, Trump declared himself "his president of law and order," as peaceful protesters outside the White House gates were dispersed with gas, sudden explosions, and rubber bullets, after which He went to a nearby church to have his picture taken.
Trump remained in the building, brandishing a Bible for the cameras, only for a few minutes before returning to the White House.
White House Press Secret Service US Secret Service