New York: The US remained a tinderbox of anger and emotion as violent protests erupted for the sixth day across the country over the custodial killing of African-American George Floyd, resulting in the death of at least five people, the arrest of thousands and placing of curfew in nearly 40 cities, while forcing President Donald Trump to take shelter in a White House bunker.
Considered to be the worst ever civil unrest in the US in decades, the violent protests have engulfed at least 140 cities across America in the days following the death of Floyd, a 46-year-old man who was pinned to the ground in Minneapolis last week by a white police officer who kneeled on his neck as he gasped for breath.
Some of the protests have turned violent, prompting the activation of the National Guard in at least 20 states. "At least five people were killed in violence that flared as demonstrations in parts of the country devolved into mayhem," The Washington Post reported. Police have arrested at least 2,564 people in two dozen US cities over the weekend. Nearly a fifth of those arrests were in Los Angeles, it said.
The unrest initially began in Minneapolis in Minnesota but has now spread across the country, with reports of violence coming in from across major cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Houston, Philadelphia and Washington DC. In Birmingham, protesters started to tear down a Confederate monument that the city had previously covered with a tarp amid a lawsuit between the state attorney general and the city.
In Boston, a police SUV was set ablaze near the State House, sending up a column of black smoke after a large group of protesters had mostly dispersed. In Philadelphia, police officers in riot gear and an armoured vehicle used pepper spray to try to repel rioters and looters.
In New York, demonstrators marched across the Brooklyn and Williamsburg Bridges, snarling traffic. The Manhattan Bridge was briefly shut down to car traffic. Chaos erupted in Union Square, with flames leaping up two stories from trash cans and piles of street debris.
"It is the first time so many local leaders have simultaneously issued such orders in the face of civic unrest since 1968, after the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr," the report said. The police fired tear gas near the White House on Sunday night to dissuade protesters who had smashed the windows of prominent buildings, overturned cars and set fires, with smoke seen rising from near the Washington Monument, it said.
For the past few days, thousands of protestors have gathered outside the White House raising slogans against President Trump. According to reports, President Trump was briefly taken to the underground bunker for some time during the protest outside the White House, while First Lady Melania Trump and their son Barron were also taken to the bunker.
President Trump made no public appearances on Sunday, but in a series of tweets he blamed the media for fomenting hatred and anarchy in the country. Earlier in the day, he announced that his administration will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization. ANTIFA is regarded as a militant, left-wing, anti-fascist political activist movement in the US. US Attorney General William Barr said that the violence instigated and carried out by the organisation and other similar groups in connection with the rioting is domestic terrorism and will be treated accordingly.
The Trump administration alleges that it appears the violence is planned, organised, and driven by anarchistic and far left extremists, using ANTIFA-like tactics, many of whom travel from out of state to promote the violence.
Thousands in UK join protests
Thousands of people have gathered across central London to protest against the killing of George Floyd by police in the US. They held up signs saying "Justice for George Floyd", who died in police custody while an officer kneeled on his neck to pin him down. Derek Chauvin has been charged with his murder in Minneapolis. The white police officer has been sacked from his job. During the protests Met Police officers arrested five people.
The protests have been held at Trafalgar Square and outside the US Embassy in Battersea. Elsewhere in the UK, hundreds marched through Manchester city centre chanting "Black Lives Matter". And a similar protest also took place in Cardiff. The protesters chanted "black lives matter" and "say my name, George Floyd"
London protesters held up placards saying "racism has no place", and "I can't breathe" - a reference to Mr Floyd's words during his arrest. The Met Police said officers were present and were engaging with those in attendance, adding an "appropriate policing plan is in place".
Police arrested five people aged between 17 and 25 outside the US Embassy. Three of the arrests were for breaching Covid-19 legislation and two were for assaulting police. Those arrested remain in police custody for questioning.
Reverend Sally Hitchiner, associate vicar at St Martin-in-the-Fields church on Trafalgar Square, said she could see hundreds gathered for the protest from her workplace. "I'm very sympathetic to the issue but also surprised to see the strength of emotion that has gathered people together," she said.
"Clearly they're not following lockdown and social distancing, but I think there's a huge amount of passion there and that's overriding their concerns. "It's an issue that requires passion but at the same time there's a huge amount of risk in what they're doing." She said police appeared to be moving the crowd on from the square by early afternoon.
Protesters made their way to the embassy by marching along roads near the River Thames. Traffic was stopped in several places and protesters were applauded by onlookers. A large portion of the crowd stopped under a railway bridge outside Battersea Park Station.
Four men climbed on top of a bus stop before getting down on one knee and with their right arms in salute in silence, leading the gathered crowd to do the same. It is a stance made famous by Tommie Smith, the US sprinter who famously raised his fist in protest against racial discrimination during his gold medal ceremony at the 1968 Olympics.
Hundreds of people marched through Peckham in south London on Saturday in protest against police brutality. It comes as the US has been rocked by protests over the past five days, many of which turned into violence with cars and buildings set alight and riot police using tear gas and rubber bullets.
