Police and Rioters Get Violent at Protests in Cities Nationwide
Mayors are imposing curfews and governors are deploying the National Guard in response to anti-police-abuse protests.
Yet another wave of protests has rocked America's cities tonight in response to the Monday death of George Floyd at the hands of Minnesota police. Mayors have imposed curfews, and the National Guard has been called out in at least 11 states, according to The Washington Post.
In Minneapolis, scenes of the same kind of police violence that sparked nationwide protests appeared to be on display. MSNBC reporter Ali Velshi says he was hit in the leg with a rubber bullet after police and National Guard fired non-lethal rounds on a crowd of protestors.
State Police and National Guard shot tear gas at protestors and Ali Velshi live on national television. "This was a 100% peaceful march and the police opened fire into it. There was no reason to do so, there was zero provocation." pic.twitter.com/HFufjj7zDE
— Zac Bears ???? (@zacbears) May 31, 2020
— justin glawe (@JustinGlawe) May 31, 2020
In another shocking video from the city, police fired paint canisters at several people filming them from their own front porch.
Also in today's criminal justice news, National Guard and Minneapolis PD officers illegally demand taxpayers stop filming from their porch and go inside – you'll hear "Light 'em up!" as they then shoot at these people *WHO ARE ON THEIR OWN PORCH*
— T. Greg Doucette (@greg_doucette) May 31, 2020
In Washington D.C., a building was set on fire just a few blocks from the White House, in the same area that police and protestors had clashed earlier in the evening. An SUV was set ablaze as well, and police reportedly have kettled protestors, refusing to let anyone leave the area.
Fires burning near the Hay Adams Hotel near the White House in DC, from CNN and Fox. pic.twitter.com/ZZZ44U5WDS
— Tim Shorrock (@TimothyS) May 31, 2020
An SUV has been set alight at the intersection of Connecticut Ave. and I Street, a block over from Lafayette Park. Police flushed everyone out with flashbangs.
Flames spread to a tree and a small structure on the sidewalk. DC Fire has an engine on it. pic.twitter.com/e3HL6SP3cI
— Alejandro Alvarez ???? (@aletweetsnews) May 31, 2020
In Chicago, protestors and police clashed throughout the day, and several police vehicles were vandalized.
Los Angeles saw peaceful protests from early in the day morph into evening looting of shops and businesses. The Los Angeles Times reports that the National Guard has been called out and will be deployed on city streets in the next few hours. At least 500 people have been arrested in that city, where a curfew is in place.
#GeorgeFloyd protestors looting sneakers from Flight Club on #Fairfax in LA: pic.twitter.com/oCDsymhXMh
— MK-ULTRA (@mkultranews) May 31, 2020
In Louisville, Kentucky—where a botched drug raid resulted in police shooting health care worker Breonna Taylor earlier in the month—one police officer fired pepper balls at a reporter and camera crew from the local NBC affiliate.
LIVE ON @wave3news - something I've never seen in my career.
An armed officer shooting directly at our reporter @KaitlinRustWAVE and photographer @jbtcardfan during the protests in #Louisville.
My prayers are going out to everyone tonight.
Such a scary situation for all. pic.twitter.com/Ipg0DjFIXu— Lauren Jones Redfield (@LaurenJonesNews) May 30, 2020
Al Jazeera reports Louisville's Hall of Justice was set on fire as well.
News media are reporting mass looting and property destruction in Philadelphia's Center City area. At least 13 police officers have been injured and dozens have been arrested.
It likely the violence will continue throughout the night. We won't get a full sense of the amount of destruction, and numbers of injured and arrested people until the morning.
