Published 13:51 IST, June 8th 2020
Peaceful demonstration in Washington DC after Trump withdraws National Guard from city
A peaceful demonstration was held on Sunday by the protestors post the withdrawal of the National Guard military forces from the city by the US President Trump
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A peaceful demonstration was held on Sunday by the protestors post the withdrawal of the National Guard from the city by the US President Donald Trump. The National Guard was deployed across the country to control the violent protest that broke out against the death of African-American George Floyd.
Washington D.C witnessed the largest protest on Saturday where thousands of people took the streets of the capital staging rallies near the Lincoln Memorial and the White House. The protestors marched past the Capitol and the State Department demanding justice.
US President Trump on Sunday ordered the National Guard to withdraw from the capital after stopping the protests from intensifying further and said "Everything is under perfect control now'.
I have just given an order for our National Guard to start the process of withdrawing from Washington, D.C., now that everything is under perfect control. They will be going home, but can quickly return, if needed. Far fewer protesters showed up last night than anticipated!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 7, 2020
According to the reports, demonstrations on Sunday, June 7, were held in a more relaxed manner. The fence on the 16th street leading to the White House remained, however, it was no longer guarded by the armed soldiers. Further, the cars armored by the National Guard on the city streets were replaced with portable stands selling ice cream and fast food, the report stated.
A large number of demonstrators gathered in their neighborhoods and then peacefully marched towards the White House. They chanted anti-racist slogans and names of African-American people who lost their lives in the hands of the police.
Protest over George Floyd's death
The United States is currently rattled by protests that erupted across the country over the killing of George Floyd by a Caucasian police officer Derek Chauvin on May 25 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Derek choked Floyd to death by pinning him on the ground with a knee on the back of his neck. An 8-minute-long horrific video of the incident went viral on social media in which Floyd was heard pleading to the officer to let him go as he can't breathe. Floyd's last words 'I can't breathe' became the slogan of the protests that initially started in the United States and later spread to the other countries as well.
Protests in some parts of the United States grew violent which forced several states to impose a curfew and call in the National Guard to take control of the situation after looting and destruction of properties started. Demonstrations outside the White House went out of control too, following which Secret Service had to step in to bring the situation under control.
(With inputs from ANI)
13:50 IST, June 8th 2020