Protests turn violent across U.S. after death of George Floyd

Clashes between the police and demonstrators are intensifying as protests spread across the United States over the killing of an African-American man at the hands of a white police officer. With looting, fires and violence taking place in some cities, troops have been deployed, and the country is quickly descending into chaos.

Thousands of protesters gathered near the White House and the Capitol in Washington D.C. on Saturday. The protest has continued for five days in Minneapolis, Minnesota where Floyd died whereas crowds took to the street in other large cities including New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Boston. Demonstrators are clashing with the National Guard deployed by the state governments to stop violence and bloodshed. Protests are still ongoing even though 25 cities have ordered curfews and about 1,400 arrests have been made across 17 cities, according to MSNBC and CNN.

As demonstrations escalate, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would take a strict stance on them by deploying the military to suppress them. “The violence and vandalism is being led by Antifa and other radical leftwing groups who are terrorizing the innocent, destroying jobs, hurting businesses and burning down victims,” he said. “We have our military ready, willing and able, if they ever want to call our military. We can have troops on the ground very quickly.”

President Trump asked Defense Secretary Mark Epser for military options to help quell unrest in Minneapolis. The Associated Press reported that roughly 800 soldiers would be deployed if called.


lightee@donga.com