New York, San Francisco, Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Seattle, Chicago, Columbia, Los Angeles … Several high-tension American cities on Saturday May 30 imposed exceptional measures, such as a curfew or the deployment of soldiers, to try to prevent demonstrations to denounce police violence and systemic racism, symbolized by the death of George Floyd.
In at least 75 cities, according to a count made by the New york times, the demonstrators denounced the police blunders and racial disparities. And they demanded justice for George Floyd. White policeman Derek Chauvin, who, on a widely distributed video, keeps his knee for long minutes on the neck of his forties, was arrested Friday and charged with manslaughter. But for the demonstrators, it is not enough: they demand his indictment for intentional homicide, and the arrest of the three other agents implicated in the drama.
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New clashes in Minneapolis, where hundreds of protesters demanded "justice"
Donald Trump promised to "Stop collective violence" after three nights of riots in Minneapolis. In this city in Minnesota, in the north of the United States, the police charged hundreds of demonstrators who defied the curfew which came into effect at 8 p.m. Officers in riot gear fired smoke and stun grenades to keep the crowd away from a police station.
Shortly before, the demonstrators showed their determination to stay put as much as possible. "They don't give us a choice, there is so much anger", explained Deka Jama, 24, who came "To demand justice" for George Floyd with a group of friends.
Curfew decreed in thirty cities
Clashes between police and demonstrators also took place in New York, Los Angeles or Atlanta, leading officials from the latter two cities, as well as those from Philadelphia or Chicago, to announce in turn a curfew.
Thirty cities are affected by this measure: Los Angeles, Denver, Miami, Atlanta, San Francisco, Chicago, Louisville, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo, Eugene, Portland, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Charleston, Columbia, Nashville, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Milwaukee.
Many incidents have been reported. In Indianapolis, one person was shot and two others injured, local officials said. The circumstances of the tragedy remain unclear at the moment, but the police assure that no officer is involved in the shootings. In Salt Lake City, a man aimed the demonstrators with a bow, before being beaten by the crowd. In Brooklyn, New York, a police car rushed into a group of demonstrators, bringing down several people. City mayor Bill de Blasio has promised an investigation.
Politicians accuse far left groups and white supremacists
Donald Trump, who repeatedly denounced the death "Tragic" of George Floyd, considered that the rioters dishonored his memory. "We must not let a small group of criminals and vandals destroy our cities", he launched by attributing the overflows to "Radical far left groups" and especially "Antifa" (anti-fascists).
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz also denounced elements outside of his city, which he said could be members of anarchist groups, but also white supremacists or drug traffickers. Among the dozens of people arrested the previous day, 80% came from other regions of the United States, according to local authorities. "The situation in Minneapolis has absolutely nothing to do with the murder of George Floyd"said the governor. According to him, "Instill fear and destabilize our big cities. "
The National Guard of the States mobilized
To regain control of the situation, Walz announced the general mobilization of the 13,000 state national guard soldiers for the first time and requested assistance from the defense ministry. Military police units have been put on alert so that they can intervene in Minneapolis within four hours, the Pentagon said. The US military police can only legally intervene on US soil during an insurgency. Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti also asked California governor Gavin Newsom to mobilize between 500 and 700 units to assist the city's police.
In total, at least eight states (Minnesota, Georgia, Ohio, Colorado, Wisconsin, Texas, Kentucky, and Utah), as well as the District of Columbia, where Washington is located, have called on the National Guard to assist local police. . An Associated Press count reveals that at least 1,383 people have been arrested in the country since Thursday. The actual number is likely higher, as protests continued on Saturday evening.
Many journalists targeted
As on the previous day, journalists were again targeted while covering the protests.
Police now using journalists for target practice in Minneapolis: https://t.co/9URD0BGzQh
Tim Arvier, an American correspondent for 9News Australia, reporting on the ground in Minneapolis, tweeted that he had been "Detained and searched" by the police. CBS News correspondent Michael George said local police shot his team with rubber bullets. Two members of a Reuters video team present were also targeted, as was journalist Sarah Belle Lin, this time in Oakland.
This is the moment Minneapolis Police fired on our CBS News crew with rubber bullets. As you can see, no protesters… https://t.co/ZWcTjLyCeb
Earlier, a Minneapolis reporter reported being hit in the thigh by a rubber bullet; another from Columbia was injured by a stone throw. A Fox News reporter was beaten up and chased by protesters who gathered outside the White House. Protesters also vandalized the building where CNN's Atlanta offices are located.
