| Country on Fire The protests that started in Minneapolis following the death of George Floyd spread throughout the country this weekend, with major cities like Washington D.C., New York and Atlanta seeing entire buildings set ablaze and police responding violently to protestors both peaceful and non-peaceful.
In many of those cities, the protests have given way to vandalism, violence, civil unrest — including the burning of police vehicles.
Scenes from around the country show burning police cars and clashes with police and even with the Secret Service in D.C.
In New York City, a police car drove directly into protestors, for a shocking moment that was caught on camera and posted online. In another shocking moment caught on tape, a woman was violently thrown to the ground by police.
Outside the White House, the National Guard was deployed as protests grew violent and intense. Trump, according to multiple reports, was at one point rushed down to a bunker below the White House by Secret Service as the protests got out of hand.
Fox News Reporter Attacked
In D.C., Fox News reporter Leland Vittert was attacked by a mob of protestors chanting "Fuck Fox News."
Vittert was reporting from Lafayette Park, across from the White House. A Twitter user later posted video showing the aftermath of that shot, as the protesters pursued and harassed Vittert and his crew, even trying to grab their equipment.
Members of the media expressed outrage at the attack and support for Vittert. CNN's Jake Tapper called the moment "An unacceptable assault on Freedom of the Press."
Trump Tweets, Defends His Tweets, Tweets Some More
President Trump resisted calls from inside the White House that he deliver an Oval Office address on the unrest throughout the country.
He wasn't silent, however, spending much of the weekend posting incendiary and political tweets -- including one announcing that Antifa would be designated a terrorist organization, which baffled experts (Antifa is a domestic movement of activists, not an organized group that can be prosecuted.)
Speaking with reporters outside the White House Saturday, Trump was asked “With your tweets today, are you concerned that you might be stoking more racial violence or more racial discord?”
“No no, not at all,” Trump replied. “MAGA is make America great again. By the way, they love African American people, they love black people. MAGA loves the black people.”
On Monday, the president was recapping Fox & Friends and taking shots at his political opponents.
Kayleigh McEnany Signals No Oval Address
Appearing on Fox & Friends, McEnany downplayed the impact of a Trump Oval Office address, thereby suggesting there won’t be one.
“The president has addressed this repeatedly,” McEnany said. “So I looked, and going back to the first day he saw this video, he has addressed the absolutely horrific video of George Floyd."
“A national Oval Office address is not going to stop Antifa. What’s going to stop Antifa is action. And this president has committed to acting on this. He has several meetings pertaining to that today. And that’s his focus — acting and keeping our streets safe.”
Brothers of George Floyd Speak Out
George Floyd‘s brother Philonise Floyd was interviewed by Rev. Al Sharpton on MSNBC Saturday, and shared his frustration over a conversation with President Donald Trump.
“It was so fast, he didn’t give me an opportunity to even speak,” Floyd said.
“It was hard. I was trying to talk to him, but he just kept, like, pushing me off, like I don’t want to hear what you’re talking about,” Floyd continued. “And I just told him, I want justice. I said, that I can’t believe they committed a modern day lynching in broad daylight.”
The pain clear in his voice, Floyd added, “I can’t stand for that, I can’t. And it hurt me. I just don’t understand, man. Why we gotta go through this? Why we have to have all this pain, man? I love my brother. I’m never going to see him again.”
George Floyd's younger brother Terrence Floyd said on GMA Monday morning that his late brother would not have wanted some of the violent civil unrest which has taken place in his name.
ABC's Robin Roberts asked Terrence Floyd if he felt the peaceful demonstrations were being "overshadowed by those who are exploiting the protests."
"I do feel like it's overshadowing what's going on," Terence Floyd said. "Because like I said, [George] was about peace. He was about unity. But the things transpiring now, they may call it unity, but it's destructive unity. That's not what my brother was about." 6.5.0 |
