This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2020/may/31/george-floyd-protests-latest-news-riots-us-cities-donald-trump-police-brutality-live

The article has changed 41 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
George Floyd: violence flares in cities across US as protests spread – live George Floyd: violence flares in cities across US as protests spread – live
(32 minutes later)
Mayors impose curfews, governors call in national guard and in Washington, unrest comes to the White HouseMayors impose curfews, governors call in national guard and in Washington, unrest comes to the White House
The Sunday shows are about to begin, and there’s sure to be plenty to discuss.
Keisha Lance Bottoms is the Democratic mayor of Atlanta, a city which has seen its share of trouble this weekend. She’s appearing on a number of shows this morning but she already has a stark message for protesters: “If you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a Covid test this week.
“There is still a pandemic in America that’s killing black and brown people at higher numbers.”
As the AP puts it this morning, “Health experts fear that silent carriers of the virus who have no symptoms could unwittingly infect others at protests where people are packed cheek to jowl, many without masks.
“Whether they’re fired up or not, that doesn’t prevent them from getting the virus,” said Bradley Pollock, chairman of the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of California, Davis.”
The US has seen nearly 1.8m infections and nearly 104,000 deaths in the pandemic, which has disproportionately affected racial minorities in a nation that does not have universal healthcare.
Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey, under intense pressure during the protests, noted: “We have two crises that are sandwiched on top of one other.”
At the White House on Friday, Donald Trump said he had spoken to the family of George Floyd, the 46-year-old African American man who was killed during an arrest by police officers in Minneapolis this week.
“I want to express our nation’s deepest condolences and most heartfelt sympathies to the family of George Floyd,” Trump said. “I spoke to members of the family – terrific people.”
“I just expressed my sorrow,” Trump said, adding “that was a horrible thing to witness” and saying it “looked like there was no excuse” for Floyd’s death.
But according to Floyd’s brother, Philonise Floyd, the conversation did not go well.
“He didn’t give me an opportunity to even speak,” Floyd told MSNBC on Saturday. “It was hard. I was trying to talk to him, but he just kept, like, pushing me off, like ‘I don’t want to hear what you’re talking about.’
“And I just told him, I want justice. I said that I couldn’t believe that they committed a modern-day lynching in broad daylight.”
The officer who kneeled on George Floyd’s neck has been charged with murder. Three other officers involved in the arrest have not yet been charged. Protests and riots have spread to major cities across the US.
Trump has been rebuked for responses which critics say have only increased tensions, including apparent threats to have looters shot and boasts about “vicious dogs” and “ominous weapons” awaiting protesters outside the White House.
Trump and the White House did not immediately comment on Philonise Floyd’s description of the call.
Joe Biden, Trump’s presumptive challenger in the presidential election in November, also spoke to the family and issued a video address in which he called for calm.
“I asked Vice-President Biden – I never had to beg a man before – but I asked him, could he please, please get justice for my brother,” Floyd said.
“I need it. I do not want to see him on a shirt just like the other guys. Nobody deserved that. Black folk don’t deserve that. We’re all dying.
“Black lives matter.”
Donald Trump had a busy Saturday, travelling to Florida for the SpaceX launch from a White House that was the scene of violent protest on Friday and Saturday nights.Donald Trump had a busy Saturday, travelling to Florida for the SpaceX launch from a White House that was the scene of violent protest on Friday and Saturday nights.
He found time to make news wherever he went, lambasting and threatening protesters and, on his way back from Florida, announcing that this summer’s scheduled Camp David G7 conference is off, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, but that he would like to invite Russia, Australia and India – all led by allies, of course – whenever the event is staged.He found time to make news wherever he went, lambasting and threatening protesters and, on his way back from Florida, announcing that this summer’s scheduled Camp David G7 conference is off, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, but that he would like to invite Russia, Australia and India – all led by allies, of course – whenever the event is staged.
Today, the president has no public events scheduled. It seems unthinkable – scratch that, it would seem unthinkable under any other president – that he will therefore take the chance to go golfing at his course in Virginia, while parts of many cities across the country burn.Today, the president has no public events scheduled. It seems unthinkable – scratch that, it would seem unthinkable under any other president – that he will therefore take the chance to go golfing at his course in Virginia, while parts of many cities across the country burn.
But this, as our columnist Robert Reich notes here, is America under Donald Trump:But this, as our columnist Robert Reich notes here, is America under Donald Trump:
Here’s Robert’s powerful column in full:Here’s Robert’s powerful column in full:
…and welcome to another day of coverage of what is now extensive civil unrest in the US, over the killing by Minneapolis police of George Ford, a 46-year-old African American man, not quite a week ago. …and welcome to another day of coverage of what is now extensive civil unrest in the US, over the killing by Minneapolis police of George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, not quite a week ago.
The officer who kneeled on Ford’s neck has been charged with murder but that has not quelled protests which have spread around the country and deteriorated into violence. The officer who kneeled on Floyd’s neck has been charged with murder but that has not quelled protests which have spread around the country and deteriorated into violence.
Five Guardian reporters across the US contributed to our lead story today:Five Guardian reporters across the US contributed to our lead story today:
There have been reports of shooting, of cars driving into protesters, of widespread injury, of journalists assaulted.There have been reports of shooting, of cars driving into protesters, of widespread injury, of journalists assaulted.
Protesters also returned to the White House in Washington DC on Saturday night, undeterred by Donald Trump’s talk of “vicious dogs” and “ominous weapons” awaiting them. David Smith, our Washington bureau chief, reports:Protesters also returned to the White House in Washington DC on Saturday night, undeterred by Donald Trump’s talk of “vicious dogs” and “ominous weapons” awaiting them. David Smith, our Washington bureau chief, reports:
So far this morning there has been no word from Trump, whose tweets and comments on Friday and Saturday were widely condemned for doing nothing to calm tensions and indeed pouring fuel on the flames. Joe Biden, his presumptive opponent in November, said protests against police brutality were “right and necessary” but urged an end to violence.So far this morning there has been no word from Trump, whose tweets and comments on Friday and Saturday were widely condemned for doing nothing to calm tensions and indeed pouring fuel on the flames. Joe Biden, his presumptive opponent in November, said protests against police brutality were “right and necessary” but urged an end to violence.
“The act of protesting should never be allowed to overshadow the reason we protest,” Biden said.“The act of protesting should never be allowed to overshadow the reason we protest,” Biden said.
Here’s Chris McGreal’s latest dispatch from Minneapolis, ground zero for a violent start to the summer of 2020:Here’s Chris McGreal’s latest dispatch from Minneapolis, ground zero for a violent start to the summer of 2020: