June 02, 2020

George Floyd protests: Thousands arrested; Trump criticizes state leaders

President Donald Trump participated in a videoconference on Monday with state leaders and law enforcement authorities to address unrest nationwide stemming from the police-involved death of George Floyd.

The White House conference call occurred after a sixth night of demonstrations across the United States -- many of which were peaceful and some which were violent.

Thousands of demonstrators were arrested over the weekend after clashing with police and defying curfews in numerous major U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, New York City, Miami, Chicago, Seattle and Salt Lake City.

Trump participated in the call with state governors, law enforcement officials and national security advisers at the White House, who said the meeting focused on "keeping American communities safe."

Trump told governors to "take back your streets" and criticized local leaders for their response to the violent demonstrations.

"Most of you are weak," he said. "You have to arrest people."

Sunday night, the Secret Service moved Trump to a secure bunker beneath the White House for the second time in three nights. He was also taken to the bunker, which was built to house the president in the event of a nuclear attack, on Friday night.

Trump was moved to the bunker as a precaution due to growing demonstrations late Sunday near the White House and the National Mall. The activism began peaceful earlier but turned violent after dark, with some demonstrators setting multiple fires. Washington, D.C., police fired pepper bullets and tear gas to disperse protesters.

Sunday was the sixth straight night of mass demonstrations nationwide following Floyd's death, which occurred May 25. Video footage of Floyd's arrest, which included a Minneapolis officer kneeling on his neck, has spurred widespread outrage across the United States.

A man was shot dead during gunfire in Louisville, Ky., early Monday. Authorities said at least one demonstrator began firing at police and National Guard members, who returned fire.

The Washington, D.C., headquarters of the AFL CIO labor union was targeted and set afire, officials said.

"We categorically reject those on the fringes who are engaging in violence and destroying property," AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said in a statement. "Attacks like [this] are senseless, disgraceful and only play into the hands of those who have oppressed workers of color for generations."

Two people were shot dead in Iowa and two others, including a police officer, were injured amid dozens of instances of gunfire.

New York City police said they arrested more than 200 people between late Sunday and early Monday and some residents awoke to find several high-end stores in the SoHo district looted and vandalized, including such mainstays as Bloomingdale's, Tori Burch and Gucci.

Police officials said anarchist groups from outside the city using encrypted communication channels were to blame for much of the destruction, estimating that about one in seven protesters were from out of town.

"Crossing State lines to incite violence is a FEDERAL CRIME!" Trump tweeted on Saturday. "Liberal governors and mayors must get MUCH tougher or the federal government will step in and do what has to be done, and that includes using the unlimited power of our military and many arrests."

Mayor Bill de Blasio, who declined to impose curfew, praised police for showing restraint but also voiced concern over some video footage of police clashing with protesters.

"The protesters are human beings. They need to be treated with tremendous respect," he said. "The police officers are human beings. They need to be treated with tremendous respect."

CNN reported that de Blasio's daughter Chiara was among the nearly 800 arrested in New York City. She was briefly held for unlawful assembly and released.

In Southern California, looters vandalized a number of stores and set fire to businesses in Santa Monica and Long Beach on Sunday. Both incidents came after mostly peaceful demonstrations.

Long Beach police said the crowd ultimately swelled to around 3,000 demonstrators, some of whom began looting businesses. Authorities said early Monday an unspecified number of arrests were made on charges of looting, burglary and curfew violations.

Officers in some states, including New York, Oregon and Kentucky, showed solidarity with activists by taking a knee to condemn police brutality.

The Best Hand Sanitizer Just Got Better! NOW AVAILABLE IN TRAVEL SIZE! Get Your 3-Pack Here

*-- More Conservative News, Views & Values --*

Trump cuts ties to World Health Organization
President Donald Trump on Friday announced he's cutting ties with the World Health Organization during a pandemic that's killed more than 362,000 people worldwide. "We will be terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization and redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs...

To continue reading this article please Click Here.


How We Might Respond to a Pandemic Were Society Not So Dominated by the State
"There are no libertarians in an epidemic" crowed Atlantic reporter Peter Nicholas back on March 10, as he listed the numerous economic interventions the Trump administration was undertaking in the wake of the mounting COVID-19 crisis. This intervention, Nicholas declared, just goes to show you that whatever antigovernment talk one might talk, government intervention in the economy is "nothing new and, as may well prove the case this time around, it's often necessary."

To continue reading this article please Click Here.