The Overnight News Digest is a nightly series chronicling the eschaton and the fall of the Republic.
The Washington Post
Border officials spent emergency humanitarian funds on dirt bikes, dogs and enforcement programs, according to government report
U.S. Customs and Border Protection used emergency funding meant for migrant families and children to pay for dirt bikes, canine supplies, computer equipment and other enforcement related-expenditures, according to a report published Thursday by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
Congress last June approved a $4.6 billion emergency funding bill to cope with an unprecedented influx of Central American families and children at the U.S.-Mexico border that left U.S. agents overwhelmed and detention cells dangerously crowded.
The supplemental bill included a line item for about $112 million in “consumables and medical care,” but CBP used some of the money to pay for enforcement-related hardware and expenses that were not authorized, according to the GAO, the federal government’s leading oversight agency.
Democrats are avoiding ‘Defund the Police,’ while Republicans harp on it
The House Judiciary Committee convened Wednesday, a day after the funeral of George Floyd, to hear witnesses from across the political spectrum and to debate how Congress should respond to the national outcry over police brutality. It wasn’t expressly to debate the “Defund the Police” movement, but that hung over the hearing: Republicans brought up the movement repeatedly, while Democrats studiously avoided it. At one point, a [Republican] congressman even asked the panel of witnesses whether they supported it.
Defund the Police is a movement that has gained steam on the left and among activists during the protests over Floyd’s death. Its supporters think that the police are systemically encouraged to react violently to nonviolent people, and that the resources spent funding those behaviors would be better spent elsewhere.
The political implications of that movement and slogan have been a concern for Democrats, whose 2020 presumptive nominee has the support of the majority of voters, according to recent polls. Many Democrats fear that they could lose the White House if their platform is viewed as too radical. The idea is certainly not being embraced among established Democratic politicians: Former vice president Joe Biden has said he doesn’t support it, and many powerful Democrats in Congress have shown no support.
Louisville Courier Journal
Review ordered for officer in Breonna Taylor shooting accused of sexual assault
After multiple public sexual assault allegations against an officer involved in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor, Mayor Greg Fischer announced Thursday he is asking for a more in-depth review of the accusations.
The Louisville Metro Police Department’s Public Integrity Unit had already opened an investigation into the allegations, a spokeswoman for the department confirmed Tuesday. […]
The allegations posted on social media against Officer Brett Hankison, 44, are similar, saying he offered intoxicated women a ride home from bars before sexually assaulting them.
KY State Senator proposes replacing Jefferson Davis statue, ahead of possible state commission vote
State Sen. Chris McDaniel said Thursday he is prefiling a bill to move the statue of Jefferson Davis out of the Capitol Rotunda and replace it with African American military hero and master diver Carl Brashear, a Kentucky native.
Shortly after McDaniel's announcement, the state Historic Properties Advisory Commission — which manages state artwork and historic sites — called a special meeting for Friday to consider removal of the Davis statue.
Gov. Andy Beshear said last week he is committed to removing the statue of Davis, calling it a symbol of slavery that divides Kentucky.
Referring to the rotunda as a place to honor those who represent the best qualities of mankind, McDaniel, a Republican from Taylor Mill, said the leader of the Confederacy during the Civil War "falls short on every level."
Minneapolis Star Tribune
Teen who recorded George Floyd video wasn't looking to be a hero, her lawyer says
The Minneapolis teenager whose video opened the world’s eyes to the death of George Floyd wasn’t looking to be a hero when she coolly documented 10 minutes of history unfolding before her eyes, her lawyer said Thursday.
“She had no idea she would witness and document one of the most important and high-profile police murders in American history,” Darnella Frazier’s attorney Seth Cobin said. “If it wasn’t for her bravery, presence of mind, and steady hand, and her willingness to post the video on Facebook and share her trauma with the world, all four of those police officers would still be on the streets, possibly terrorizing other members of the community.” […]
Frazier is not ready to speak publicly about her role in telling the story of Floyd’s death beyond what she told the Star Tribune the next day. “The world needed to see what I was seeing,” she said. “Stuff like this happens in silence too many times.”
Minneapolis police officers issue open letter condemning colleague in George Floyd's death, pledge to work toward trust
Several Minneapolis police officers issued a public letter Thursday condemning the killing of George Floyd, embracing Chief Medaria Arradondo and seeking to work toward regaining public trust.
The letter obtained by the Star Tribune, begins, “Dear Everyone — but especially Minneapolis citizens,” and claims to represent how the “vast majority” of Minneapolis police officers feel at this moment.
“We want to work with you and for you to regain your trust,” it read, while also making clear that the letter is not representative of the Police Officers’ Federation of Minneapolis, with which Arradondo said Wednesday that he was halting contract negotiations.
AP News
Black Tulsans call Trump rally plan ‘a slap in the face’
Black community and political leaders called on … Donald Trump to at least change the Juneteenth date for an Oklahoma rally kicking off his return to public campaigning, saying Thursday that plans for a rally on the day that marks the end of slavery in America come as a “slap in the face.”
Trump campaign officials discussed in advance the possible reaction to the Juneteenth date, but despite fierce blowback there are no plans to change it.
From Sen. Kamala Harris of California to Tulsa civic officials, black leaders said it was offensive for Trump to pick that day — June 19 — and that place — Tulsa, an Oklahoma city that in 1921 was the site of a fiery and orchestrated white-on-black killing spree.
Hong Kong’s increasing divide portends a tumultuous future
Protesters in Hong Kong got its government to withdraw extradition legislation last year, but now they’re getting a more dreaded national security law. And the message from Beijing is: Protest is futile.
One year ago Friday, protesters took over streets and blocked the legislature, preventing lawmakers from starting debate on the extradition bill. The youthful crowd clashed with police, who deployed tear gas and pepper spray in a portent of the months of protest that lay ahead.
Thousand of rounds of tear gas later, the movement has been quieted — in part by the coronavirus — but the anger has only grown. In its wake, the polarization has deepened between the city’s disenchanted youth and its government.
NBC News
'I can't breathe,' Oklahoma man tells police before dying. 'I don't care,' officer responds.
Newly released body camera footage from an arrest in Oklahoma City last year shows a suspect saying “I can’t breathe” before he died at a hospital.
In the May 20, 2019 footage, released this week by the Oklahoma City Police Department, three officers are seen restraining the man, Derrick Scott, 42, who can be heard asking repeatedly for his medicine and saying that he can’t breathe.
“I don’t care,” one of the officers, Jarred Tipton, can be heard replying at one point. “You can breathe just fine,” another officer can be heard saying a couple of minutes later.
’His Brain Is Injured:’ Lawyer Updates on 75-Year-Old NY Protester Shoved by Police
The 75-year-old man hospitalized after he was pushed by a police officer during a peaceful protest last week in Buffalo, New York, suffered a brain injury as a result of the incident, his lawyer revealed Thursday.
Kelly Zarcone said her client, activist Martin Gugino, "is starting physical therapy," which Zarcone called "a step in the right direction."
"As heartbreaking as it is, his brain is injured and he is well aware of that now," Zarcone said in a statement. "He feels encouraged and uplifted by the outpouring of support which he has received from so many people all over the globe. It helps. He is looking forward to healing and determining what his “new normal” might look like."
Joint Chiefs Chairman Milley discussed resigning over role in Trump's church photo op
The Pentagon’s top general discussed resigning amid criticism over his participation in … Donald Trump’s controversial photo op at a Washington church, three defense officials familiar with the matter told NBC News.
Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, apologized over the incident Thursday, saying, "I should not have been there."
The apology came after a tumultuous 10 days for Milley that involved a flash of anger at an Oval Office meeting over the use of active duty troops to quell protests and culminated in him speaking with confidantes about whether he should resign over the staged visit at St. John’s Episcopal Church, the officials said.
The Seattle Times
Welcome to the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, where Seattle protesters gather without police
Welcome to the CHAZ, the newly named Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, where most everything was free Tuesday.
Free snacks at the No-Cop Co-op. Free gas masks from some guy’s sedan. Free speech at the speaker’s circle, where anyone could say their piece. A free documentary movie — Ava DuVernay’s “13th” — showing after dark.
A Free Capitol Hill, according to no shortage of spray paint on building facades. And perhaps most important to demonstrators, the neighborhood core was free of uniformed police.
Prosecutors say man who shot protester on Capitol Hill likely provoked the incident
King County prosecutors on Wednesday charged a 31-year-old Seattle man with first-degree assault, accusing him of shooting a protester who was apparently trying to stop him from driving into a large crowd on Capitol Hill on Sunday evening.
Nikolas Fernandez immediately surrendered to police at a barricade outside the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct, where police recovered a 9-mm Glock handgun, loaded with an extended magazine and with a second magazine taped to it, say the charges, which also include a firearms enhancement. […]
In an emailed statement Wednesday, Casey McNerthney, a spokesman for Prosecutor Dan Satterberg, indicated that prosecutors believe Fernandez provoked the injured protester’s response…
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
DeKalb officials reflect on chaotic election day, how to move forward
As issues began to emerge Tuesday morning in Georgia’s widely panned primary election, state officials quickly passed the blame, saying their new voting machines weren’t the problem.
“We have reports of poll workers not understanding setup or how to operate voting equipment,” statewide voting implementation manager Gabriel Sterling said early in the day. “While these are unfortunate, they are not issues of the equipment but a function of counties engaging in poor planning, limited training and failures of leadership.”
That comment irked DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond. Still does.
Georgia’s election problems blasted as November vote looms
Georgia’s messy election day once again put the state’s voting struggles in the national spotlight, highlighting the need for improvements before a high-turnout presidential election in November. Several voting rights groups summed up the election in one word: “unacceptable.”
After months of postponements and preparations, the election was marred by long lines, technical difficulties and voter confusion. Some voters waited more than five hours before finally casting their ballots after midnight at one precinct, a church in Union City south of Atlanta. […]
Challenges facing voters, especially those in heavily African American neighborhoods, led to accusations of voter suppression.
The Dallas Morning News
Trump lands in Dallas for talk about policing and race that excludes Dallas’ police chief, sheriff and DA, all black
Donald Trump arrived in Dallas on Thursday for a discussion on race and policing that excludes the three top law enforcement officials in the county – a police chief, sheriff and district attorney who all are black.
The White House defended the snub, insisting the president will still hear a diversity of views, including from the police chief of Glenn Heights, a town of 11,000 south of Dallas.
Dallas Police Chief U. Reneé Hall, Dallas County Sheriff Marian Brown and District Attorney John Creuzot were not invited. Without them, Creuzot said, “of course [Trump] would not be getting the full picture of advice from law enforcement. I don’t know who he’s going to get it from. I mean, we are the people on the ground.”
This immigrant woman was stripped of her U.S. citizenship, but will she be deported to Afghanistan?
A Dallas federal judge has stripped U.S. citizenship from an Afghanistan-born woman who fled the Taliban nearly two decades ago and later worked for the U.S. military as a cultural adviser.
But will the unusual prosecution of Lilla Haiddar, 57, result in her deportation? […] For now, Haiddar is in the U.S. as a legal permanent resident.
In March, a jury convicted the Arlington woman of committing lies of omission on two passport applications by not listing a previous name that had been used on a transit visa when she fled Afghanistan. Haiddar flew to the U.S. in 2001 and was supposed to leave for Canada the same day, but never did. Instead, she applied for asylum under the name of Lilla Haiddar and told a false story of how she came to New York, prosecutors said.
The Miami Herald
1,698 coronavirus cases, highest reported in a single day, brings Florida total to 69,069
Florida’s Department of Health on Thursday morning confirmed 1,698 additional cases of COVID-19, the highest reported in a single day since the pandemic began. The state now has a total of 69,069 confirmed cases.
There were also 47 new deaths announced, raising the statewide toll to 2,848. […]
Florida slowly began to reopen in May… Since June 3, Florida has reported totals surpassing 1,000 every day, but one. Monday briefly broke the trend when 966 cases were announced, before it picked back up again.
The Florida Times-Union
Jacksonville front-runner to host part of Republican National Convention
Jacksonville is in the “front-running position” among a handful of cities competing to host a portion of this year’s Republican National Convention, the convention’s chairwoman said Wednesday during a radio interview.
Jacksonville is in the “front-running position” among a handful of cities competing to host a portion of this year’s Republican National Convention, the convention’s chairwoman said Wednesday during a radio interview.
[Co]Ronna McDaniel, the convention’s chairwoman, told radio host Hugh Hewitt that media reports of the RNC tentatively selecting Jacksonville to host part of the convention were “premature” but that the city was well-positioned to be chosen.
The Charlotte Observer
Republicans vote for stripped-down convention in Charlotte and moving Trump acceptance speech
Republicans voted Wednesday night to greatly curtail Charlotte events for August’s scheduled Republican National Convention.
An event that once was projected to attract more than 50,000 people to Charlotte — including delegates, party officials, media and others — has been reduced to a bare minimum by the Republican National Committee’s executive committee. A fraction of the expected delegates will now attend the event, which begins Aug. 24.
… Donald Trump’s acceptance speech, the centerpiece event, will be moved to another state after N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper said he could not guarantee that the full attendance of 19,000 people would be allowed at the Spectrum Center due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Oregonian / ProPublica
Big money bought the forests. Small timber communities are paying the price
Wall Street investment funds took control of Oregon’s private forests. Now, wealthy timber corporations reap the benefits of tax cuts that have cost rural counties billions. […]
Logging is booming around Falls City, a town of about 1,000 residents in the Oregon Coast Range. More trees are cut in the county today than decades ago when a sawmill hummed on Main Street and timber workers and their families filled the now-closed cafes, grocery stores and shops selling home appliances, sporting goods and feed for livestock.
But the jobs and services have dried up, and the town is going broke. The library closed two years ago. And as many as half of the families in Falls City live on weekly food deliveries from the Mountain Gospel Fellowship.
“You’re left still with these companies that have reaped these benefits, but those small cities that have supported them over the years are left in the dust,” Mac Corthell, the city manager, said.
Stars and Stripes
AP: Nation's top military officer says he was wrong to accompany Trump on church walk
Army Gen. Mark Milley, the nation's top military officer, said Thursday he was wrong to have accompanied … Donald Trump on a walk to a church through Lafayette Square, where he was photographed in his combat uniform with the presidential entourage.
The statement by the Joint Chiefs chairman risked the wrath of a president sensitive to anything hinting of criticism of events he has staged. Trump's June 1 walk through the park to pose with a Bible at a church came after authorities used pepper spray and flash bangs to clear the park and streets of largely peaceful protesters.
Milley said his presence and the photographs compromised his commitment to a military divorced from politics.
“I should not have been there,” Milley said in remarks to a National Defense University commencement ceremony.
Senate bill would build commission to study striking Confederate names from Army bases
The Senate’s initial version of the 2021 Pentagon policy bill directs the establishment of a three-year commission charged with studying ways to strike honors to the Confederacy at military installations, Senate Armed Services Committee staffers said Thursday.
A draft of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act voted out of the committee Thursday morning would build an eight-person panel “to study and provide recommendations concerning the removal [of] names, symbols, displays, monuments and paraphernalia that honor or commemorate the Confederate States of America” from military posts, the committee said. That would include changing the names of 10 southern Army bases named for Confederate generals from the Civil War. … Donald Trump balked at that proposition on Wednesday as calls grew to strip those posts of their longstanding names amid nation-wide demonstrations against racial inequalities.
Bloomberg
U.S. Army Unit Was Issued Bayonets to Prep for D.C. Protest Duty
A historic Army unit located just outside Washington was issued bayonets in scabbards as well as live ammunition in case active-duty troops were deployed in the U.S. capital last week, according to a letter from Pentagon leaders.
“At no point were any weapons loaded or made ready, but in preparation for potential operations in an increased readiness posture, the Old Guard Commander directed the issue of bayonets in scabbards and limited amounts of ammunition to be maintained in pouches,” according to a June 10 letter by Defense Secretary Mark Esper and General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
As many as 800 members of the Old Guard were on alert.
Stocks Tumble Most in 12 Weeks on Economy, Virus
U.S. stocks tumbled the most in 12 weeks as the torrid surge in equities came to a screeching halt amid economic jitters. Treasuries surged with the dollar.
The S&P 500 sank almost 6%, approaching the 7% threshold that would trigger an exchange-mandated trading pause. Only one company in the index -- supermarket operator Kroger Co. -- finished higher. Losses in the Dow Jones Industrial Average were even deeper, with the blue-chip gauge plunging as much as 7.1%. Airlines, cruise and travel shares that soared in recent weeks bore the brunt of the selling. The KBW Bank Index of financial heavyweights slid 9%, and energy producers joined a rout in oil.
The Guardian
Biden predicts military will intervene if Trump refuses to accept election loss
Joe Biden has predicted the military will escort Donald Trump from the White House should the president lose November’s election but refuse to leave office.
Biden, speaking to the Daily Show’s Trevor Noah, said that his single greatest concern is that the president will “try to steal this election”.
The Democratic presidential nominee cited Trump’s baseless linking of mail-in ballots to voter fraud, even though he has used this method of voting himself, and his accusations, without evidence, that Democrats are trying to rig the election.
'More masks than jellyfish': coronavirus waste ends up in ocean
Conservationists have warned that the coronavirus pandemic could spark a surge in ocean pollution – adding to a glut of plastic waste that already threatens marine life – after finding disposable masks floating like jellyfish and waterlogged latex gloves scattered across seabeds.
The French non-profit Opération Mer Propre, whose activities include regularly picking up litter along the Côte d’Azur, began sounding the alarm late last month.
Divers had found what Joffrey Peltier of the organisation described as “Covid waste” – dozens of gloves, masks and bottles of hand sanitiser beneath the waves of the Mediterranean, mixed in with the usual litter of disposable cups and aluminium cans.
Deutsche Welle
EU calls for reopening of borders from June 15 and gradually resume tourism
The European Commission on Thursday proposed to have all EU borders within the bloc reopen from June 15, with Brussels saying that the closures member states introduced to fight the coronavirus do little to curb its spread.
The recommendation comes as many of the 27 EU member states begin to relax coronavirus restrictions, with some hoping to restart tourism in time for the Europe's peak summer season.
Tourism-dependent countries such as Greece and Portugal have been pushing for a reopening to help their economies recover from the impacts of the pandemic.
Coronavirus prompts EU to curb spread of disinformation
The European Commission has called on tech giants such as Google, Twitter and Facebook to intensify measures to counter fake news about the coronavirus online.
"The coronavirus pandemic has been accompanied by a massive infodemic," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said at a press conference in Brussels on Wednesday. "Disinformation in times of the coronavirus can kill," he added. "We have a duty to protect our citizens by making them aware of false information — and expose the actors responsible for engaging in such practices."
To prevent disinformation and raise users' awareness of propaganda, the European Commission will require social media platforms to provide monthly reports about their actions and data related to advertising. Platforms will also be called upon to cooperate more with independent fact-checkers in all of the EU's member states and in all bloc languages.
Chicago Tribune
Officials say Chicago police made coffee and popcorn in US Rep. Bobby Rush’s office while shopping plaza was being looted; Mayor Lori Lightfoot apologizes
Mayor Lori Lightfoot and U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush on Thursday condemned images they said depicted Chicago police officers making popcorn, drinking coffee and sleeping on a couch in the congressman’s campaign office while nearby businesses were being looted amid unrest nearly two weeks ago.
The revelation came at an unusual City Hall news conference where the former political enemies stood united, with Rush praising Lightfoot’s leadership and the mayor apologizing to the veteran congressman on behalf of the city.
“That’s a personal embarrassment to me,” Lightfoot said of the scene that played out inside Rush’s Fuller Park political office. “I’m sorry that you and your staff even had to deal with this incredible indignity."
Los Angeles Times
PG&E edges toward bankruptcy exit with a new board and a planned move to Oakland
As a crucial date looms in the PG&E Corp. bankruptcy process, the utility has been busy getting ready for its long anticipated exit from Chapter 11 protection with new leadership and a new home.
The company on Wednesday overhauled its board with 11 new directors. That followed an announcement Monday that the utility giant plans to sell its iconic downtown San Francisco headquarters and relocate to Oakland, a move aimed at lowering costs.
PG&E is seeking Bankruptcy Court approval of its $59-billion turnaround plan ahead of a state deadline of June 30 so that it can participate in the state’s wildfire insurance fund. The company filed for Chapter 11 more than a year ago after its equipment sparked some of the worst wildfires in California history.
LAPD’s use of batons, other weapons appears to violate rules, significantly injuring protesters, Times review finds
As smoke from a nearby car fire billowed up, the police batons came raining down. Deon Jones felt one lash across his back and shoulder as he ran. Glancing back, he saw a Los Angeles police officer aim a tactical gun right at his face.
The pain was sudden and searing. Ringing filled his ears. At the hospital, a doctor told the 28-year-old protester that he would have been blinded had the police projectile struck an inch to the right — and dead had it hit an inch higher, at his temple. Instead, he had two cracked bones in his face, a head injury and stitches across his cheek.
“We are protesting police brutality,” Jones said, “and then being brutalized by police while we’re protesting.”
BBC News
Afghan conflict: US sanctions 'kangaroo' ICC over war crimes probe
Donald Trump has imposed sanctions on court officials who are investigating whether US forces committed war crimes in Afghanistan.
The executive order allows the US to block the assets of International Criminal Court (ICC) employees and stop them from entering the country.
The ICC described the decision as an "unacceptable attempt to interfere with the rule of law". […]
The ICC investigation began after a preliminary report found reason to believe war crimes had been committed.
The US is not a signatory of the Hague-based ICC and does not recognise its authority over American citizens.
Mining firm BHP halts plan to disturb Aboriginal sites after outcry
The mining giant BHP has halted plans to expand a mine in Western Australia because of concerns it could destroy dozens of indigenous heritage sites.
It follows a public outcry over the destruction of a 46,000-year-old site by another firm, Rio Tinto, last month.
BHP had been granted approval to work on up to 40 sites in the remote Pilbara region as part of its expansion of an iron ore mine.
But on Thursday, it said it would consult further with Aboriginal groups. "We will not disturb the sites identified without further extensive consultation with the Banjima people," a statement said.
MercoPress
Brazil resumed publishing the country's total death toll from Covid-19
Brazil's government resumed publishing the country's total death toll from the coronavirus pandemic, after facing accusations of trying to hide the magnitude of its raging health crisis.
President Jair Bolsonaro's government had stopped publishing the total number of deaths from the new coronavirus on Friday… That drew accusations of foul play from a long list of high-profile critics, as well as a ruling from Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Monday that the government must return to the old format.
The health ministry did so on Tuesday, indicating the death toll had risen by 1,272, to a total of 38,406 people killed by the virus - the third-highest toll in the world, after the United States and Britain.
Politico
Senate Republicans authorize subpoenas in probe targeting Trump enemies
Senate Republicans are ramping up their investigations into … Donald Trump’s foes.
In a party-line vote Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee authorized Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) to issue a broad range of subpoenas to a slew of former Obama administration officials who opened or were involved in the counterintelligence investigation into possible ties between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. […]
Graham’s investigation is also expected to focus on alleged abuses of the Foreign Surveillance Intelligence Act, which were documented in a scathing Justice Department inspector general report that examined the surveillance warrants for former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page. That report also found that there was a proper foundation for the Russia investigation and that political bias did not play a role.
Vox
Democrats are seeing a much better chance of retaking the Senate in 2020
Control of the Senate could be within Democrats’ grasp this November.
A Senate map that once looked out of reach has become a lot more competitive in the past few months. With former Vice President Joe Biden likely at the top of the ticket as the Democratic nominee for president and a once-humming economy cratering due to the coronavirus, Republicans acknowledge the political landscape looks much different. […]
Democrats need to win back at least three seats to reclaim the majority, but they are also defending Sen. Doug Jones in deep-red Alabama — a state where … Donald Trump has a 28-point net approval rating. If Jones loses, that means Democrats need to win four seats and the White House (where their party’s vice president could vote to break ties in the Senate), or net five seats without the White House advantage.
Ars Technica
Archaeologists may have found site of the Red Lion, London’s first playhouse
Around 1567, a man named John Brayne built an Elizabethan playhouse called the Red Lion just outside the city of London to accommodate the growing number of traveling theatrical troupes. Its exact location has proven elusive to archaeologists—there were many streets and pubs named the Red Lion (or Lyon) over the ensuing centuries—but a team from University College London (UCL) believes it has found the original site at an excavation in Whitechapel.
The Red Lion is the earliest-known attempt to create a playhouse in the Tudor era, a precursor to the famed Globe Theatre. We know from historical documents—notably a pair of lawsuits involving Brayne's project—that it was a single-gallery multi-sided theater. A fixed stage was constructed, with trap doors and a 30-foot (9.1 meter) turret for aerial stunts. It was technically a receiving house for touring companies, as opposed to an actual repertory theater, and included the Red Lion Inn as part of its complex.