Park Police officers placed on admin. duties following attack on Australian reporters in D.C.

The U.S. Park Police has taken action after its officers were seen attacking an Australian news crew reporting from protests near the White House, the agency said Wednesday.

“As is consistent with our established practices and procedures, two U.S. Park Police officers have been assigned to administrative duties, while an investigation takes place regarding the incident with the Australian Press,” U.S. Park Police acting Chief Gregory T. Monahan said in a statement.

Chief Monahan’s announcement came nearly 48 hours after a correspondent and cameraman for Australia’s Seven News were attacked while reporting live from a protest against racism and police brutality taking place near Lafayette Square Park north of the White House in downtown D.C.

Authorities abruptly cleared out the protest Monday evening in advance of President Trump making an unannounced appearance outside a nearby church that had been damaged over the weekend amid nationwide unrest sparked by the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who was killed a week earlier while in the custody of the Minneapolis Police Department.

Video recorded as police cleared the protest caught an officer shoving their riot shield into the abdomen of Seven News photographer Tim Myers and then punching his camera moments before another officer is seen swinging their baton at Seven News reporter Amelia Brace.

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne condemned the incident during an interview Tuesday and said her nation’s embassy in D.C. had been asked to conduct an investigation of it.

The U.S. Park Police did not immediately return a message seeking further details. The agency previously said police had cleared the area to curtail “violent protesters,” and Attorney General William P. Barr confirmed during a press conference Thursday that he personally ordered the secure perimeter surrounding the White House to be expanded beyond Lafayette Square, which had been heavily vandalized during the first days of ongoing, largely peaceful protests taking place in the nation’s capital following Floyd’s killing.

Floyd, 46, died on May 25 after being restrained by several Minneapolis police officers. Four officers involved were subsequently fired and have been charged in connection with his killing.