The bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington has condemned US President Donald Trump for taking media to a church near the White House after police officers cleared peaceful protesters from the area with tear gas.
Mr Trump made the visit to St. John’s Episcopal Church shortly after threatening to deploy the US military onto the streets of Washington to quell days of unrest following the death in custody of George Floyd.
Along with tear gas, authorities had used rubber bullets and shields to clear protesters from the area before Mr Trump arrived.
Mr Trump stood outside the church and in front of cameras clutching a bible and said: “We have a great country. That’s my thoughts. Greatest country in the world.”
Reverend Mariann Budde said she was not made aware of the visit beforehand and disapproved of the way protesters were cleared so the president could visit.
"Let me be clear: The president just used a Bible, the most sacred text of the Judeo-Christian tradition, and one of the churches of my diocese without permission as a backdrop for a message antithetical to the teachings of Jesus and everything that our churches stand for," she told CNN.
"And to do so... he sanctioned the use of tear gas by police officers in riot gear to clear the church yard. I am outraged."
Reverend Budde said members of the clergy had joined in protests outside the White House the day before, demanding justice for Mr Floyd’s death.
Joe Biden, Mr Trump's likely Democratic opponent in November's presidential election, accused him of “using the American military against the American people”.
“He tear-gassed peaceful protesters and fired rubber bullets. For a photo,” he tweeted.
“For our children, for the very soul of our country, we must defeat him. But I mean it when I say this: we can only do it together.”
Greg Brewer, the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida, said he was "shaken” by what happened.
“I am shaken watching protestors in Lafayette Park gassed and cleared so that the President of the United States can do a photo op in front of St. John's Episcopal Church holding a Bible," he tweeted.
"This is blasphemy in real time.”
Earlier on Monday, Mr Trump referred to the protests as acts of “domestic terror” and vowed to mobilise “thousands” of heavily-armed soldiers to control the situation.
He also referred to himself as "your president of law and order".
"As we speak, I am dispatching thousands and thousands of heavily-armed soldiers, military personnel, and law enforcement officers to stop the rioting, looting, vandalism, assaults, and the wanton destruction of property," he said.
"I want the organisers of this terror to be on notice that you will face severe criminal penalties and lengthy sentences in jail."
