Published 08:13 IST, June 2nd 2020
Donald Trump calls ongoing protests against George Floyd's death 'unacceptable'
US President Donald Trump has called the ongoing protests against the death of George Floyd as 'unacceptable', said White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany
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US President Donald Trump called the ongoing protests against the death of George Floyd as 'unacceptable', said White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany. During the briefing, she said that the President has made it clear that "violence, looting, anarchy, lawlessness will not be tolerated." She further added that the Trump administration will deploy more federal resources throughout the country to reduce violence linked to recent anti-racism protests.
Speaking at the briefing, she said, "There will be additional federal assets deployed across the nation," McEnany said. "There will be a central command centre in conjunction with the state and local governments that will include General [Mark] Milley, Secretary [Mark] Esper, and [Attorney General William] Barr." According to McEnany, the US President wants the National Guard in partnership with local law enforcement to "dominate the streets" in US communities in order to restore peace amid the protests.
Protests against George Floyd's death
George Floyd's tragic death has not only angered millions across the world but it has also fueled a fresh wave of protests in various US states. Several protestors also converged outside the White House shouting "Black Lives Matter" and "I can't breathe". The focus of the protests is the alleged institutional racism and systematic violence in American police forces. Meanwhile, several police squads have also joined the protestors in order to express their stand against police brutality and racism.
On Sunday, as many as 40 cities and Washington DC across the United States imposed curfews in response to the continuing protests. According to international media reports, around 5,000 National Guard members have been activated in 15 states, as well as in Washington DC, along with 2,000 other members who are prepared to activate if needed. Meanwhile, around 4,000 people across the US States have been arrested during the protests.
George Floyd's death
Police officer Derek Chauvin had handcuffed George Floyd and made him beg for breath after arresting him in Minnesota. In a video of the incident that went viral all over the social media, Chauvin was kneeling on Floyd's neck which resulted in his death. According to Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (MDPS) John Harrington, the police officer has been fired from his job and has been taken into custody by the criminal bureau. He added that a trial for the case will begin soon, with the officer facing third-degree murder and manslaughter charges.
08:13 IST, June 2nd 2020