Unrest in the U.S. continues over killing of George Floyd
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Protests over the death of African American George Floyd in police custody are continuing for an eighth consecutive night. Floyd’s death in Minneapolis on 25 May sparked civil unrest that has since spread across the United States.
Demonstrators are defying curfews in major cities, including in New York and Washington DC. At least 40 cities have imposed strict curfew measures.
The state of Minnesota has filed a civil rights charge against their police department over Floyd’s death. Governor Tim Walz told reporters that the probe will be designed to root out “systemic racism that is generations deep”.
Elsewhere, crowds have gathered in Floyd’s hometown of Houston, Texas, for a peaceful march alongside his family. Up to 20,000 people are expected to attend, local media report.
Police react to a smoking object thrown by protesters during a demonstration over the arrest in Minnesota of George Floyd, who later died in police custody, in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 02 June 2020. EPA-EFE/ERIK S. LESSER
And in Washington DC, some 1,600 active soldiers have been flown in to bases around the city. A Pentagon spokesman said the troops were on “heightened alert status”.
The move is a “prudent planning measure in response to ongoing support to civil authorities operations”, a spokesman said.
These soldiers – who were moved from Fort Bragg in North Carolina and Fort Drum in New York – are not currently in DC but are “postured on military bases in the National Capitol Region”.
The move was authorised by Defence Secretary Mark Esper.
The president said he would deploy the army if cities and states failed to control the protests.
But on Tuesday at least one mayor rejected the use of National Guard and military forces.
Presidential candidate Joe Biden criticised Mr Trump for using the crisis to appeal to his supporters, saying he was “serving the passions of his base”.
