The new policies come nearly two years after the Trump administration ordered racial justice protestors cleared from the square for a presidential photo-op in front of a nearby church.

Fencing remains around Lafayette Square, but pedestrians can access the park through open gates.

“This was something conceived of long before and didn’t turn on the nature of the crowd” of protesters, Attorney General William Barr says.

The officer says the use of force against demonstrators was unnecessary and violated their First Amendment rights.

Following an earlier confrontation with police, protesters attempted to bring down a statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square.

“We thought it was most important for us to come down here to make sure that 50, 100, 200 years from now, this moment is not forgotten.”

A third of the demonstration hot spot will be closed for renovations and repairs through the end of the year.

Photo of the Day: January 14, 2012- Twin Day.

Installation artists Jeff Greenspan and Hunter Fine — the pair who have been moonlighting as “urban trappers” around New York City of late — brought their internet sensation to the District on Sunday afternoon, setting up Tea Party Traps near the White House and on the National Mall. Greenspan and Fine were kind enough to allow DCist to tag along and watch the social experiment unfold.

When David Glasgow Farragut yelled, “Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!” he probably didn’t think it would propel him into history. Actually, given the circumstances, it might not even have been the smartest of orders. But sure enough, Farragut’s ballsy command helped the naval commander get a huge statue and two metro stops plus a square named after him. It was December 12, 1862, and the ship at the front of the formation, the USS…