AMERICAN CARNAGE
Violence and looting rage as George Floyd protests lead to clashes with cops in several states
VIOLENCE and looting raged across the country into the early hours of Sunday morning as demonstrations held to protest George Floyd's death in police custody sparked clashes with riot cops.
Scenes of carnage were witnessed in cities for another night as multiple states mobilized the National Guard following episodes of rioting.
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Cities in , , , , and drafted in extra help as they braced for more crowds taking to the streets to demand justice for .
Public outrage was sparked after video emerged showing white cop Derek Chauvin kneeling for several minutes on the neck of Floyd, a 46-year-old black man.
Curfews are now in place in many cities, including Minneapolis, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, Denver, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Cleveland, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Rochester and Miami Dade County.
California Governor Gavin Newsom on Saturday declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles County.
He deployed the National Guard in LA for the first since the 1992 riots when the cops who beat up black man Rodney King walked free of all charges.
In New York, police vehicles were torched and ransacked while images showed cops clashing with protesters.
In Dallas, a man was left critically ill after being battered by a mob when he allegedly tried to defend his neighborhood with a large sword.
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The National Guard was also activated to defend the White House from attack as the Secret Service agents on the ground struggled to keep control of crowds closing in.
President Trump has put the Army on notice to deploy to the streets at four-hours notice - the first time this will have been done in almost 20 years.
He earlier applauded the activation of the Guard in Minnesota, but said it should have happened sooner.
"The National Guard has been released in Minneapolis to do the job that the Democrat Mayor couldn't do," Trump tweeted on Saturday night.
Saturday's protests saw:
- NYPD cars "deliberately"
- A man in aimed a
- Protesters at
- A security guard in grabbed a
- Curfews put in place in many cities across the country
"Should have been used 2 days ago & there would not have been damage & Police Headquarters would not have been taken over & ruined. Great job by the National Guard. No games!"
Although most of the protests began as peaceful marches against racism and police brutality, many descended into flames, arrests, and rioting.
Marching under the guise of protesting over Floyd's death, individuals nationwide set police cars alight, smashed business windows and looted stores, and targeted police precincts.
More than 1,300 people have been arrested in 16 cities since Thursday, including over 500 Friday in Los Angeles.
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In Minneapolis, where Floyd died after police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into his neck for more than eight minutes, shots were fired at officers and buildings set ablaze.
There were dozens of arrests, but no serious injuries as protests broke out across the city, said the Minnesota Dept of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell.
At a press conference early this morning he said there were no "substantive" injuries to authorities involved in Saturday night's violent protests.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is now drawing on 1,700 National Guard members to quell the protests.
"More than 1,000 additional Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen are activating today," the state's National Guard tweeted.
"This is in addition to the 700 that were on duty as of late last night.
"This represents the largest domestic deployment in the Minnesota’s National Guard’s 164-year history," the National Guard added.
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"Last night is a mockery of pretending this is about George Floyd's death, or inequities, or historical trauma to our communities of color," Walz said on Friday.
"Let's be very clear: The situation in Minneapolis is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd," he added.
"It is about attacking civil society, instilling fear and disrupting our great cities."
Walz added he believes "white supremacists" and "cartels" are mixing in with crowds of demonstrators to incite violence and "destabilize civil society".
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Protests across the US have grown increasingly violent in recent days as:
- A preliminary autopsy report revealed that the contributed to Mr Floyd's death
- Officer
- Derek and said her "sympathy lies" with George's grieving family
- Floyd's grieving girlfriend because violent riots "would devastate him"
- President
- Former President and said Americans "must be better"
Elsewhere in the US, a Federal Protective Service officer was shot dead in Oakland,, and another was injured in gunfire; protesters surrounded CNN headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia; a 19-year-old was shot when someone opened fire into a crowd in Detroit, ; and seven were shot at a Louisville, Kentucky, protest - the same city where nurse Breonna Taylor was shot dead in her bed by police in March.
Georgia's governor declared a state of emergency early Saturday to activate the state National Guard.
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In Denver, Colorado, until Monday morning, while Governor Jared has approved bringing in the state's National Guard.
The Wisconsin National Guard to assist local law enforcement in response to “agitators”.
"It is critical that people are able to peacefully express their anger and frustration about systemic racism and injustice, in Milwaukee, the State of Wisconsin, and our Nation," said Governor Evers issued the following statement.
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