As protests continue across New York, the city’s mayor, Bill de Blasio, has been speaking about systemic racism in American society and problems exacerbated by the coronavirus crisis.
The mayor also referenced the video of dog-walker Amy Cooper confronting a black bird-watcher in Central Park that went viral earlier this week. The mayor called her actions a “horrible insult” and “the epitome of American white racism.”
“(She was) literally criminalizing the very act of being a black man,” de Blasio said. “It brought up, for so many people, the fundamental contradiction that pervades our society.”
The mayor spoke about the death of George Floyd and the disregard for Floyd’s life.
“That raw painful anger frustration – it gets brought up so deeply in moments like this. It is an every day, every hour thing for black New Yorkers, for Latino New Yorkers, for some many people who deal with the pain of racism in their lives.”
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed an executive order Saturday night authorizing the activation of up to 3,000 National Guard troops statewide, according to a series of tweets on his verified Twitter account.
Kemp called for the activation in advance of several planned protests on Sunday.
National Guard troops will partner with local law enforcement “to preserve peace and protect Georgians in every corner of our great state,” according to Kemp.
Gov. Kemp did not specify where the Sunday protests would take place.
Separately, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said in a statement to CNN that members of the California National Guard are being deployed to the city overnight to support law enforcement authorities.
The mayor had previously said it was not likely the National Guard would be called, but Garcetti now says they are necessary “to maintain peace and safety on the streets.”
Officers with the St. Paul police department have stopped several vehicles driving without license plates, according to a tweet from the agency.
Occupants of the vehicles fled on foot after being stopped. They left behind “vehicles and tools used to wreak havoc on our city,” the tweet said.
Police have also used gas on protestors who fled when officers attempted to arrest them. Major protests are ongoing in St. Paul and neighboring Minneapolis.
The Atlanta Police Department said one of its officers had sustained “significant injuries” after seemingly being struck by “someone riding an ATV,” in a tweet.
The incident occurred near the 200 block of Ted Turner Drive and the officer has been transported to nearby Grady Hospital in a stable condition, the tweet adds.
The rider suffered minor injuries and has been taken into custody, police said.
The Minnesota National Guard has more than 4,100 citizen-soldiers and airmen responding to protests in Minnesota, the force said on Twitter.
The tweet said 10,800 National Guard members are expected to join the response. There were 700 on duty on Friday.
National Guard forces have been deployed across at least eight states and the District of Columbia to tackle increasingly violent protests across the country.
Three people were arrested during protests in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday night, police said.
Two people were arrested on gun charges, involving one handgun and one rifle. The third person arrested was charged with assaulting a government official.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney has signed an executive order implementing a citywide curfew for Sunday night into Monday morning.
Sunday’s curfew will start at 8 p.m. and extend until 6 a.m. Monday morning local time.
CNN previously reported that a mandatory, citywide curfew began at 8 p.m. Saturday and would last until 6 a.m. Sunday.
During both curfews, “people may leave their homes only to go to work at essential businesses or to seek medical attention or police assistance,” Kenney said in a tweet.
Protestors marching from Minneapolis to St. Paul were tear gassed by police as they tried to cross the Lake Street Marshall Bridge.
CNN’s Miguel Marquez, and his team, were with the protestors when police began firing tear gas at the crowd. Protestors could be seen running back in the direction they came.
Curfews are in effect in Minneapolis and St. Paul, the site of major protests for several days.
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The National Guard has been activated in Washington, D.C. to assist police handling protests around the White House, according to a statement from the DC National Guard on Facebook.
The DC National Guard (DCNG) ultimately reports to the President but was activated at the direction of the Secretary of the Army, according to the statement.
There have been protests for the past two nights near the White House following the death of George Floyd.
Earlier, President Donald Trump praised the Secret Service for handling the unrest outside his residence, saying they “were not only totally professional, but very cool.”
Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti has extended a curfew, which initially applied only to downtown, to the whole city.
The curfew requires everyone within the City of Los Angeles to stay indoors tonight, from 8 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. on Sunday morning.
At least 25 cities across 16 states have now imposed curfews.
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More than 80% of people booked into jail in Minneapolis on riot and other potentially riot-related charges over the past two days are from Minnesota, according to a CNN analysis of data from the Hennepin County Sheriff’s office.
Officials had earlier claimed that most protesters came from out of state.
Of the 51 people who were booked into jail in Hennepin County between noon Thursday and noon Saturday on riot, unlawful assembly, burglary or damage to property charges, 43 had an address listed in Minnesota.
Those charges amounted for more than half of the total jail bookings over the 48-hour period. Three of the arrestees were listed as Illinois residents, while others were from Alaska, Florida, Michigan and Missouri, and one had no address available.
It’s not possible from the data to say for sure that the charges were linked to the protests. And the data only covers people booked into jail, not necessarily all arrests. Hennepin County includes Minneapolis, but not St. Paul.
Local news channel KARE 11 had previously reported that most arrestees came from out of state.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said Saturday that protesters “are coming in largely from outside of the city, from outside of the region, to prey on everything we have built over the last several decades.”
And Gov. Tim Walz had suggested that 80% of protesters were from out of state, but didn’t provide data at a Saturday evening press conference to support that figure. He said some of the information came from “human intel” and he spoke of “other data points,” but didn’t provide details. “We’ll see tonight, whether it’s right or wrong,” he said.
St. Paul mayor Melvin Carter said Saturday morning that “every single person we arrested last night, I’m told, was from out of state,” but retracted that claim on Saturday evening, saying he “takes full responsibility” for the mistake.
Fireworks are going off and smoke is filling the air at the protest in Minneapolis. Some of the crowd rushed away as the large bangs rang out.
Police have also been firing tear gas at the protesters near the 5th Precinct, where some in the crowd have responded with projectiles of their own.
A CNN producer on the scene was struck by an object but it is unclear what the source is.
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Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has announced a curfew starting 9 p.m. local time and ending at 6 a.m. Sunday that will “be nightly until further notice.”
It is currently 8:50 p.m. in the city.
At a press conference this evening, Lightfoot said she had been “watching a tragedy unfold in our city. What started out as a peaceful protest has now devolved into criminal conduct.”
Lightfoot said 35 minutes, from the start of the announcement, would be enough time for people to “clear the streets.”
“My expectation is that most people who have been peaceful today are going to go home,” she added. “But if they don’t, then we give the police department another tool to use to enforce the curfew.”
Lightfoot later added that anyone breaking the curfew, after being given the warning to disperse, would be arrested.
According to Transit Chicago, all but two of the city’s subway lines are currently suspended due to the protests, and multiple bus routes have had to be changed.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said Saturday that the majority of protesters in the city were peaceful marchers who were expressing “our collective grief,” and that any acts of looting and violence came later in the day from a “ragtag group.”
Some 3,000 protesters gathered in downtown Philadelphia earlier, police said. The demonstration began peacefully outside the city’s Museum of Art, before violence broke out in the city center and some protesters vandalized property and clashed with police.
At least 14 arrests have been made so far, a police spokesperson said.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has activated the National Guard to help respond to protests in the state, his spokesperson John Wittman said.
Separately, Colorado Governor Jared Polis has also authorized the National Guard to respond to protests in the city and county of Denver, according to a release from his office.
As protests continue to erupt across the country over the death of George Floyd, at least eight states and the District of Columbia have now either activated or requested the National Guard to assist local law enforcement.
Those states include:
Beverly Hills will implement a curfew at 8 p.m. local time that will last until 5:30 a.m. “to ensure the safety of citizens, visitors, and law enforcement personnel”, the city government said this evening.
It’s currently 6:30 p.m. in Beverley Hills.
The curfew prohibits people from being in any public place in the city, including streets and parks.
The family of George Floyd spoke to both President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden this week following his death in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Speaking to MSNBC’s Al Sharpton, George’s brother, Philonise Floyd, said his conversation with Trump was “so fast.”
Philonise Floyd said he asked Biden to get justice for his brother.
“I asked Vice President Biden — I never had to beg a man before – but I asked him, could he please, please get justice for my brother,” he said.
“I do not want to see him on a shirt just like the other guys. Nobody deserved that. Black folk don’t deserve that. We’re all dying,” Philonise Floyd said.
CNN has reached out the family and has not heard back.
Footage shows more than 250 protesters in Nashville gathered in front of the Central Police Precinct shouting at officers standing ground around a vandalized police car, holding signs and yelling chants.
Protesters chanted “hands up don’t shoot” and “black lives matter.”
As protests continue to erupt across the country over the death of George Floyd, at least eight states and the District of Columbia have either activated or requested the National Guard to assist local law enforcement.
Those states include:
Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez has shifted the curfew to 10 p.m., effective Saturday, according to an updated statement. The curfew was initially set for 11 p.m.
A police car was seen on fire in video from a CNN affiliate reporter.
Violators of the 9 p.m. curfew in Milwaukee face arrest and a fine of $691, Mayor Tom Barrett tweeted.
Barrett announced the curfew earlier today and also said he had declared a state of emergency in the city in response to the unrest.
People leaving Union Square started attacking a New York Police Department van, spray painting it and breaking windows.
At first, police stayed away and observed. Then they went in and pepper-sprayed people and cleared the block. The crowd has since dispersed.
At least six arrests have been made in protests on Saturday, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said Saturday.
Thirteen Philadelphia officers sustained injuries during the protests – “either while attempting to control crowds, make arrests, prevent property breaches and other acts of vandalism, and also as the result of liquid and solid projectiles being hurled at them,” Outlaw said.
Outlaw also said at least four police vehicles were set on fire on Saturday, including one Pennsylvania state police vehicle. In total, there were nine fires set to vehicles or structures in the city, Outlaw said.
Civilians were also injured, but exact numbers will come in a later update, Outlaw said.
At the peak, approximately 3,000 protesters peacefully assembled on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, before others converged on the City Center area of the city and committed “unlawful” acts of violence and looting, Outlaw said.
The mayor of Rochester, New York, has declared a state of emergency and ordered a curfew starting at 9 p.m. Saturday in effect until 7 a.m. Sunday.
Mayor Lovely Warren declared the emergency as of 7 p.m.
The order from the mayor said the curfew is “due to the potential for widespread breach of the peace, disorderly conduct and rioting imperiling the public safety of individuals and real and personal property within the City.”
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer is implementing a dusk to dawn curfew in the wake of the protests that turned violent Friday night.
Fischer also announced that he is working with Gov. Andy Beshear to authorize the National Guard’s assistance in the city.
Protesters began fighting protesters in Chicago because some women got hit by rocks that were thrown at police.
People have shown up with bricks and rocks and are throwing them at police.
Police have started spraying the crowds with pepper spray.
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Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s office said a crowd of people have gathered at the governor’s mansion.
“The crowd arrived around 3 p.m. and grew in size rapidly,” said Candice Broce, director of communications. “They’re still coming, but not as many.”
Broce described the scene as “intense” with at least one moment in which a brick was thrown at law enforcement.
Kemp is not currently at the mansion, but at Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency headquarters “monitoring the situation” in southeast Atlanta.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he expects to see a spike in Covid-19 cases following protests in the Twin Cities over the last few days.
Walz told reporters the jails do have the capacity to hold everyone taken into custody during the protests.
“We have a situation of urban warfare of folks that want to see chaos spread,” Walz said, noting that responding to the protests takes priority.
Walz said that he and other leaders responding to this are working in the interest of protecting residents and businesses.
Seattle’s Mayor Jenny Durkan announced a citywide curfew starting at 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. for both Saturday and Sunday in wake of violent protests.
Several fires have been set in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City with a group of people throwing trash feeding the fire.
The group is on bicycles, moped and scooters and are going block-by-block lighting trash on fire. Then when police approach, they flee.
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Utah Gov. Gary Herbert has activated the National Guard amid protests in Salt Lake City, he said in a series of tweets Saturday.
Utah makes at least seven states and the District of Columbia to activate or request the National Guard.
Read the governor’s tweets:
Cleveland, Ohio, has enacted a curfew that will go into effect at 8 p.m. Saturday and last through 8 a.m. Sunday, according to a tweet from the Cleveland Police.
The curfew is being enacted “due to violence and unrest,” police tweeted.
The Seattle Police Department, along with the fire and transportation departments, have been monitoring demonstrations Saturday, according to a statement from police.
Protesters and officers were injured as a result of the confrontation, police said. Officers issued a dispersal order to the crowd, which was ignored.
“Protesters have blocked all southbound lanes of Interstate 5 at Seneca Street,” police said. “The crowd has set several patrol cars on fire in the downtown core near Westlake Center.”
Police have arrested several people.
“The Department urges community members to avoid the area if possible,” police said.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz asked residents “please don’t go out of your homes” Saturday during a briefing.
Walz said he signed an executive order authorizing the use of adjoining state resources, including resources from nearby cities and counties.
He fully activated the Minnesota National Guard earlier today to respond to the unrest in the Twin Cities.
The governor also issued an 8 p.m. curfew that took effect last night.
“Minnesotans you must stay in place tonight,” Walz said. “Don’t go out, don’t go walking, don’t drive.”
He urged residents to call friends and children to make sure they were not going out.
Multiple police officers and local journalists were hurt during protests in Pittsburgh, the city’s Public Safety Department wrote in a series of tweets on Saturday.
A curfew has been set for the city, starting at 8:30 p.m. ET until 6 a.m. ET Sunday.
A vehicle was on fire in the Westlake District of Seattle, according to the Seattle Fire Department. CNN affiliate KOMO reported that the car was a police cruiser.
The Washington State Patrol confirmed via Twitter that portions of Interstate 5 through the city were being closed to ensure the safety for everyone involved in the protests.
Protesters have been gathering for a couple of hours, with close to a thousand participating, according to reporters on the scene.
The New York Police Department has made more than two dozen arrests so far related to the protests.
That number is expected to grow, according to a law enforcement official.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said the decision to establish a curfew starting Saturday at 9 p.m. ET through sunrise Sunday was about restoring the city after a night of heavy protests and looting.
She added: “So, this curfew is to say, please be at home by nine o’clock tonight, so that we can restore our city. And thank you to the men and women and children who went out today, and began cleaning up our city. God bless you all. That’s Atlanta.”
Hear more:
Protesters have gathered at Miami police headquarters and can be seen weaving through cars on a highway in downtown Miami.
Hours earlier, law enforcement from multiple agencies joined protesters to kneel one knee in prayer in front of Coral Gables City Hall.
A number of roadways into Minneapolis are closing at 8 p.m. ET tonight, according to a tweet from the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Interstates 35, 394 and 94 will all be closed. Highway 55 is being shut down as well.
The US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York filed a complaint against a woman from upstate New York who was allegedly involved in throwing a Molotov cocktail Friday night in New York City, according to a law enforcement source.
Separately, two other individuals will also be charged federally for their involvement in the protests Friday night in New York City, according to the source.
A short time ago the New York Police Department tweeted:
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety tweeted that with the help of the Minnesota National Guard and State Police, authorities are ready to “address a sophisticated network of urban warfare.”
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced the city will have a curfew beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday until 5 a.m. Sunday.
“To increase safety for demonstrators, law enforcement and all citizens of Los Angeles, we are putting a curfew in place from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.,” the mayor tweeted.
Hear more:
Due to recent events, Miami-Dade County and Miami city officials have postponed a fireworks display planned in honor of hospital workers on the frontlines of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a statement from Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez.
Gimenez and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez are aware peaceful protests in downtown have become unruly.
“Mayor Gimenez is concerned that protesters have moved their demonstration onto I-95 this afternoon, creating a dangerous situation for themselves and others. This is not the place or way to protest,” the statement said.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney has instituted a mandatory curfew effective at 8 p.m. ET Saturday night through 6 a.m. ET Sunday morning, the Philadelphia Police Department tweeted.
“Only persons with essential duties will be permitted outdoors,” the police department said.
Hear more:
Three Secret Service vehicles near the White House were vandalized by protesters on Saturday. Protesters kicked the windshields of all three vehicles and spray painted them with graffiti.
Several protesters stood on top of the vehicles as they chanted “Black Lives Matter” and “No Justice, No Peace.”
CNN has reached out to the Secret Service for comment.
Protesters in Philadelphia Saturday vandalized a statue of Frank Rizzo, the city’s former mayor and police commissioner, that stands outside the city’s Municipal Services Building.
Protesters appeared to tie ropes to the statue and started a fire at the statue’s base.
Aerial images show a large protester presence in Philadelphia. CNN affiliate KYW reported multiple vehicles have been set on fire, including a state police vehicle. KYW also reported the statue has been defaced before and is set to be removed next year
Philadelphia police tweeted earlier on Saturday that people should avoid the Center City neighborhood, near where the Rizzo statue is located.
Hear more:
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms set a curfew starting Saturday at 9 p.m. ET through sunrise Sunday.
According to the city’s official Twitter account, the curfew was issued because of the “recent acts of violence demonstrated throughout the city.”
Streets in downtown Austin, Texas, remain closed as protesters make their way towards the state’s capitol building and police headquarters, according to a tweet from Austin Transportation Department.
Austin is one of four cities receiving support from Gov. Greg Abbott amid protests across the state. The governor’s office sent more than 1,500 officers to assist local police departments, Abbot said in a statement Saturday.
“Our officers are working to keep the community safe with compassion, professionalism and respect, as the demonstration continues downtown. We appreciate peaceful protest and will continue providing a safe space for the community to express emotions,” Manley tweeted.
Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock warned those who may be thinking of inciting violence during any peaceful protests today that their actions will no longer be tolerated.
At a news conference today, Hancock announced an order he signed earlier in the day establishing a citywide curfew effective tonight beginning at 8 p.m., and nightly from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. through Monday.
Hancock sent a plea to both Denver residents, and those who may be traveling to Denver to protest, to “go home.”
Hancock said that the National Guard has also been deployed to “support our efforts to maintain public safety, and protect infrastructure and property in the downtown area. We had hoped that we would not have to take these steps, but the aggressive and dangerous actions taken by some individuals and groups, under the cover of darkness has made it necessary.”
An officer contracted by the Federal Protective Service of the Department of Homeland Security was shot and killed Friday night in Oakland, California, the FBI said in a statement.
A second contract officer was also injured and is in critical condition, acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said during a news conference Saturday.
“Let me be clear when someone targets a police officer or a police station with an intention to do harm and intimidate, that is an act of domestic terrorism,” DHS Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli said during a news conference Saturday.
Police in Los Angeles are swinging batons and firing rubber bullets at protesters as they try to move demonstrators back.
Protesters appear to be throwing objects at police offers.
“Move back, stop hitting us,” a man could be heard yelling from a megaphone as police hit protesters with batons.
Columbus, Ohio, Mayor Andrew Ginther is instituting a citywide curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. “until it is rescinded,” he said in a news conference Saturday.
The curfew comes after there was major damage done to buildings in the city Friday night and continued protests Saturday, he said.
On Friday night, approximately 100 public and private properties were damaged, at least 10 were looted and five police officers were injured from bricks and rocks being thrown at them, he said.
Police have worked with protesters and listened to calls for change, Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan said, but added the violence has gone too far. He said that the protests “transformed from lawful, peaceful protest into criminal riots, felony riot, felony vandalism, and people are being hurt.”
New York police officers formed a line in Times Square and marched down the street telling the crowd that they were in an unlawful assembly and had to disperse. Officers chanted “move back” as they attempted to push protesters back.
Police then began to make arrests after bottles were thrown at the officers.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said in a statement Saturday he respects why demonstrators are protesting but urged for their actions to remain peaceful.
He added: “As Pennsylvanians protest, I urge everyone involved to be peaceful and to keep each other safe.”
“Throughout the day, my Administration has been in touch with municipalities, and we have offered whatever assistance is needed to keep our communities from suffering from additional violence and pain. Please stay safe, and remember that we all must look out for each other as we seek to make our commonwealth more just and fair for everyone,” Wolf continued.
People were filmed jumping on Chicago Police Department vehicles on Saturday.
Earlier on Saturday, aerial footage from CNN affiliate WLS also showed protesters vandalizing police cruisers as protesters and police clashed in downtown Chicago.
New York police began detaining people during protests Saturday afternoon.
Police are telling people right now they need to move, as some were arrested in Time Square. CNN has inquired about arrests but no numbers regarding protesters taken into custody.
Darnell Lowe told CNN protests Saturday were “mostly peaceful” until the end of the march.
“People were yelling various chants, sharing food, and water. Cars horns honked loudly in solidarity with us which was met with loud applause each time,” Lowe said.
Then things took a violent turn.
Lowe told CNN it was important for him to protest, “especially as a black man in America.”
“I’m tired of seeing people that look like me shot at, beat on, harassed and killed because of the color of our skin,” he said. “If I have kids I want to be able to tell them I helped fight against the system of white supremacy, which in my opinion is the worst disease plaguing this nation.”
Police vehicles were vandalized — with windows being kicked in and cars being sprayed with graffiti — in Los Angeles Saturday.
Police also shot off rubber bullets, according to CNN’s Paul Vercammen
The demonstrations started with chants of “Black Lives Matter” and “George Floyd.”
Protesters said the demonstrations began peacefully with a march, but then they said police tried to hold them off from moving forward and that’s when the confrontation started.
No arrests have been made at this point, Vercammen reported.
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President Trump admonished protesters across the country who are causing destruction, again blaming Antifa and the “radical left” without any proof.
He instead presented himself as an ally of all Americans who are seeking justice in the wake of the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota, in his most in-depth remarks since Floyd’s death and the ensuing nationwide violence.
Trump said that what is happening on the streets of America right now “has nothing to do with justice or with peace” and that the memory of Floyd “is being dishonored by rioters, looters and anarchists.”
The President added “the violence and vandalism is being led by Antifa and other radical left-wing groups who are terrorizing the innocent, destroying jobs, hurting businesses, and burning down buildings,” without providing any proof that the groups he is blaming are responsible for the destruction.
Trump added the voice of “law abiding citizens must be heard and heard very loudly.”
The President said that “we must defend the rights of every citizen to live without violence, prejudice or fear” before voicing support for “the overwhelming majority of police officers who are incredible in every way and devoted public servants.”
“No one is more upset than fellow law enforcement officers by the small handful who failed to abide by their oath to serve and protect,” Trump added.
Trump said that violence will be stopped cold. “In America justice is never achieved at the hands of an angry mob. I will not allow angry mobs to dominate,” he said.
Trump again noted that leadership from the National Guard and the Department of Justice is in communication with and coordinating response with local authorities.
He then closed his remarks about the violence with a message of hope, asking American to come together.
“We are working towards a more just society, but that means building up, not tearing down. Joining hands, not hurling fists. Standing in solidarity, not surrendering to hostility,” Trump said.
A US Secret Service police vehicle outside the White House has been vandalized by protesters with graffiti, seen in video shot by CNN.
CNN’s camera captured video of one protester spraying words disparaging the President. That vehicle’s front windshield has also been broken. A second Secret Service vehicle next to it has also been sprayed.
Several protesters are standing on top of Secret Service vehicles positioned in front of the police line on Pennsylvania Ave.
CNN has reached out to the Secret Service for comment.
Philadelphia police tweeted Saturday that while earlier protests at City Hall and the Art Museum were peaceful, a group has since convened in Center City and are “committing criminal acts, including vandalism.”
Police are encouraging everyone to refrain from entering Center City.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced during a Saturday news conference that he is activating the National Guard to help protect citizens in response to protests across the state.
DeWine is also asking State Highway Patrol to help law enforcement in Columbus at the request of Mayor Andrew Ginther and Maj. Gen. John Harris of the Ohio National Guard.
The governor said that although the vast majority of protesters just want to be heard, they are being drowned out by the violence of a smaller group of people. DeWine said he decided to activate the National Guard to “drive out hate and violence, and to instill order.”
Crowds gathered Saturday at the site in Minneapolis where George Floyd was arrested.
CNN’s Miguel Marquez captured these scenes from the arrest site:
Cleveland Browns offensive lineman J.C. Tretter, who is also the NFL Players Association president, released a statement on Twitter regarding George Floyd and the protests around the country.
Read his full statement:
Aerials from CNN affiliate WLS showed protesters in Chicago vandalizing police cruisers during demonstrations today.
Protesters were throwing water bottles at officers in riot gear. Some people were seen lifting up police barricades and other objects and throwing them at police cars.
Officers were seen restraining people as they tried to control the crowd.
The city of Chicago tweeted Saturday: “This weekend, multiple protests, marches and rallies are expected in Chicago’s downtown area.”
“Chicago Police Department will continue to work with rally organizers to provide the safest routes for marches and to ensure the protests remain peaceful,” the city tweeted.
Striking photos taken by CNN’s Bill Kirkos show Minnesota firefighters standing in front of rising smoke seemingly taking a break from battling blazes that erupted during protests in Minneapolis.
After last night’s looting and destruction, the Atlanta Police Department said in a statement Saturday it was “monitoring protest activity throughout the city today and is prepared to make arrests for any criminal acts.”
About 20 local, state and federal agencies will be helping APD in monitoring activity and protecting vulnerable business districts and retail centers, including Atlantic Station, Camp Creek Marketplace, Greenbriar Mall, Lenox Square, Phipps Plaza, Ponce City Market, The Mall West End and others.
Friday night and Saturday morning’s looting led to 71 arrests, damage to 20 APD vehicles (two of them total losses), multiple fires, vandalism and other criminal acts, the department said.
At least three Atlanta police officers suffered minor injuries. One was pushed down during a scuffle with protesters when a large crowd attempted to surround a police vehicle and two others were injured by flying debris, the department said.
Officers were also subjected for hours to objects thrown at them, including water bottles, bullets, eggs, rocks, fireworks and knives. One officer was fired upon early Saturday morning while driving through Buckhead, but was not injured. Looting, broken windows and other vandalism occurred at several businesses along Peachtree and Lenox roads in Buckhead.
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) responded to scores of incidents in the downtown area between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, often for small fires that were quickly contained, LAFD spokesperson Capt. Erik Scott told CNN.
There were a total of 46 incidents labeled “rubbish fire” between 4 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. Saturday, Scott said.
In addition to “rubbish fire” incidents, the LAFD responded to many other fires types and protest-related incidents, including one where a fire hose was stolen off the back of a fire engine and burned.
“Fortunately, we are not aware of any pre-hospital loss of life, or life-threatening injuries in the downtown area overnight,” Scott said.
Cincinnati police have arrested 11 people at protests on Saturday, Lt. Steve Saunders told CNN.
Saunders said the arrests were for a variety of offenses, including disorderly conduct, breaking and entering, and resisting arrest.
One person and an officer sustained minor injuries that occurred during an arrest, Saunders said.
A 21-year-old man was shot and killed Friday night around 11:30 p.m., according to an updated press release from the Detroit Police Department.
A previous press release from the department said that the man was shot when an unknown suspect fired shots into a crowd from a vehicle.
Further investigation has revealed that the unknown suspect fired shots into the vehicle, and the three occupants, including the victim, fled from the vehicle. The victim was shot at some point during the altercation and taken to a local hospital where he died, the release said.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio released a video statement on George Floyd, white New Yorkers’ privilege and protests.
“I see my own privilege and can only understand so much. I know enough to say that for the Black community every day is pervaded by racism. We will do better,” he tweeted.
Watch:
The New York Police Department has increased security at all police precincts and facilities across the city due to threats against police and what occurred Friday night at the 88th precinct in Brooklyn, according to a law enforcement official.
Protesters clashed with police at the 88th Precinct, with one police vehicle set on fire and others damaged. Several officers were injured and multiple people were arrested.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney released the following statement on Twitter before protests began in the city around noon on Saturday.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock implemented a citywide curfew that goes into effect at 8 p.m. MT Saturday and will remain in effect nightly from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. until Monday.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp authorized the deployment of as many as 1,500 Georgia National Guard soldiers throughout the city of Atlanta to “maintain order and address hotspots of illegal activity,” according to a tweet from the governor’s official Twitter account.
Protesters have arrived at Pennsylvania Avenue, but have been stopped at the corner of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the Eisenhower Executive Office building, just west of the White House.
Lafayette Park, where at times violent protests took place last night, has been blocked off by Secret Service all day so protesters are not able to get as close to the White House on Saturday.
Watch:
Milwaukee will institute a 9 p.m. curfew starting Saturday night, Mayor Tom Barrett announced during a press conference Saturday afternoon.
“This has obviously been a tragic and historic time in our history,” Barrett said of the recent protests following the death of George Floyd.
Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales said that a 38-year-old police officer was “fired upon and struck” Friday night during the protests. The officer will survive because he was wearing a vest, Morales said.
The officer is a native of Milwaukee, Morales said.
The Wisconsin National Guard has been called in to help protect cultural institutions, childcare centers, and businesses as well as fire and police departments, Barrett said.
Morales said 16 businesses were looted and some businesses were set on fire during last night’s protests.
Morales said the daytime protests were nonviolent and peaceful, but that later demonstrations descended into chaos overnight.
“One was positive during the daytime and one was extremely negative overnight,” Morales said.
Milwaukee County Sheriff Earnell Lucas said that law enforcement was forced to call the governor at 4 a.m. Saturday to request aid from the National Guard.
Lucas said he would be the person to give orders to the National Guard to ensure the safety of the community where he grew up.
Protesters knelt in Union Square before beginning to march westward in New York City on Saturday. It is not yet clear where the march is headed.
Hear more:
Protests in Cleveland began peacefully Saturday, according to the Cleveland Police Department, but then police announced a dispersal after some began throwing objects.
Police earlier announced on the official police Twitter account that several streets are closed around city hall.
Earlier on Saturday, Mayor Frank Jackson and Police Chief Calvin Williams said in a joint statement that as “African American men and leaders, they understand the outrage expressed across the country and locally.” The two men said they are proud that demonstrations have largely remained peaceful and they expect those who chose to demonstrate do so in a way that respects the city.
Indiana Gov. Eric J. Holcomb said Saturday the Indiana State Police will support local law enforcement “across our state to ensure our citizens and their property remain safe” after protests erupted in Indianapolis Friday.
In response to Friday night’s protests and preparing for Saturday, Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley announced a curfew beginning at 10 p.m. and ending at 6 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday in the downtown area.
Cranley said that while most protesters last night were peaceful, a small group of protesters caused “real damages” at local businesses and property after 11 p.m. The police department was “extraordinary” in its behavior last night, he continued, and only pursued people who were doing criminal behavior.
Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac said Friday’s protest began with about 200 to 250 people. Police used “multiple rounds” of pepper bombs as well as pepper spray canisters to disperse the crowd, Isaac said, and police plan to do the same again Saturday night if needed. He said that he has placed all officers on 12-hour shifts and canceled any days off this weekend to increase the amount of available personnel.
Cranley said that those who enacted criminal behavior last night seemed to not be part of the protest and were from out of town. He hopes to have the curfew for only the next two nights but will extend it if needed.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie released statements on last night’s protests and violence in downtown Des Moines.
Here are excerpts from those statements:
Gov. Reynolds
Mayor Cownie
Protesters were seen blocking Interstate Highway 35 (IH-35) in Austin, Texas, on Saturday afternoon, according to a tweet from ATX, the city’s transportation department.
IH-35 “is completely blocked in both directions between 6th & 8th” as protests continue, the tweet said.
“We need the community to avoid the area because the IH-35 is blocked,” Austin Police said in a tweet.
Read the tweets from ATX and Austin Police:
Rev. Al Sharpton, Gwen Carr – the mother of Eric Garner – and other community activists held a vigil for George Floyd at the Staten Island site of Garner’s death on Saturday afternoon.
Garner was killed after being put in a chokehold by police in New York City in 2014.
Sharpton, who is the founder and president of National Action Network, called for all four cops seen on video with Floyd to be charged and for Derek Chauvin to be charged with first-degree murder.
The group held a moment of silence for Eric Garner and George Floyd and later began marching down to the NYPD’s 121st precinct in north Staten Island.
Funeral details for George Floyd were not mentioned.
There were 533 people arrested in Los Angeles during protests Friday night, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
The LAPD said the charges range from burglary, looting, probation violation, battery on a police officer, attempt murder and failure to disperse.
All but 18 of those arrested were released on their own recognizance, according to LAPD media relations.
Six officers were injured during the protests sustaining non-life-threatening injuries ranging from lacerations to impact wounds, LAPD says.
Looking forward: The LAPD said the statement that all restrictions in the downtown area have been lifted as of this morning, and says that while more protests are expected to take place tonight, “we remain hopeful those demonstrations will be peaceful.”
The department said it will “be deploying additional resources to maintain order and ensure the safety and security of not only individuals exercising their first amendment rights, but also the residents and businesses in our community,” according to the statement.
LAPD Chief Michel Moore said in the statement, “I am asking for all of Los Angeles to come together and find the ability to peacefully express individual and collective grievances while also maintaining the safety of all of Angelenos.”
Religious and community leaders in Minnesota asked protesters to honor tonight’s curfew during a news conference Saturday.
Alfred Babington-Johnson, the president of Stairstep Foundation, a local non-profit said, “Don’t let your good be evil spoken of, don’t let it be distorted. Honor this curfew, that this may come to a conclusion.”
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz invoked a curfew from 8 p.m. through 6 a.m. CT.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has sent more than 1,500 officers to assist local police departments in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin, the governor said in a statement Saturday.
More resources will be provided as needed, the statement said.
“Texas and America mourn the senseless loss of George Floyd and the actions that led to his death are reprehensible and should be condemned in the strongest terms possible,” Abbott said.
Six Oakland Police Department officers and seven civilians were injured in protests in downtown Oakland, California, on Friday, according to a statement from the Oakland Police Department (OPD).
OPD says 18 people were arrested by their agency while four others were arrested by outside agencies.
Additionally, 60 looters were detained for further questioning and one citation was issued in Friday’s protests, the statement said.
Gov. Tony Evers has activated the Wisconsin National Guard to support law enforcement in Milwaukee in their response to “agitators that have disrupted peaceful protests following the murder of George Floyd,” a news release from his office said.
At least 125 members of the Wisconsin National Guard have been activated immediately to respond to Milwaukee, according to the release.
President Trump has called on “Liberal Governors and Mayors” to get “much tougher” in dealing with protesters “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.”
“Crossing State lines to incite violence is a FEDERAL CRIME!” Trump said on Twitter.
Some context: Earlier Saturday, the governor of Minnesota said rough estimates indicate that only about 20% of protesters are Minnesotans and about 80% are from outside the region.
Late Thursday night. Trump sent another tweet that indicated the use of force against protesters saying, “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.”
On Friday, Trump claimed he was not inciting violence against protesters, but rather simply pointing out that when there are looters, people can get shot.
WATCH PRESIDENT TRUMP:
Attorney General William Barr said Saturday “the rioting that is occurring in many of our cities around the country the voices of peaceful protest are being hijacked by violent radical elements” during a statement he delivered at the Justice Department.
Barr said, without providing evidence, that in many places “it appears the violence is planned, organized, and driven by anarchic and left extremist groups, far left extremist groups using Antifa like tactics many of whom traveled from outside the state to promote the violence.”
Antifa is short for anti-fascists. The term is used to define a broad group of people whose political beliefs lean toward the left — often the far left — but do not conform with the Democratic Party platform. The group doesn’t have an official leader or headquarters, although groups in certain states hold regular meetings.
Saying it is the “responsibility of the local and state leadership” to halt the violence, Barr said various federal officials are supporting their efforts and “will continue to support them, and take all action necessary to enforce federal law.”
“In that regard, it is a federal crime to cross state lines or to use interstate facilities to incite or participate in violent rioting. And we will enforce those laws,” Barr said.
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Four Atlanta Police Department officers were injured, one civilian was shot and authorities responded to several fires and looting across the city as protests broke out on Friday night, Sgt. John Chafee told CNN in a statement Saturday morning.
Protesters damaged property at a popular Atlanta mall north of the city, looting several stores and clashing with police, Chafee said. The College Football Hall of Fame also sustained damage and the gift shop was looted, he said.
The Atlanta Police Department received multiple calls about shots being fired by people participating in protests both in downtown Atlanta and in northern Atlanta near Lenox Mall.
At around 12 a.m. Saturday, officers got a call about a male who was shot in the area of Peachtree Street and Wall Street, Chafee said. This person was transported to Grady Hospital in stable condition and investigators are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Atlanta Fire Department spokesperson Cortez Stafford also said firefighters responded to several major incidents or fires throughout the night starting at 8 pm.
The Columbus Ohio Police Department has declared an emergency in the downtown area “to manage protests near the statehouse,” the mayor of the city tweeted.
“We are asking residents to avoid the area,” Mayor Andrew Ginther said.
Read Ginther’s tweet:
Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser said that President Trump’s comments on Twitter last night about protesters are “an attack on humanity, an attack on black America.”
Bowser also called Trump’s remarks “gross” and called out his reference to “shooting and looting” and releasing “vicious dogs,” she said in a news conference to address the protests in the capitol Friday night.
Trump’s comments over the last two days have been the “glorification of violence against American citizens,” Bowser said, and that “what used to be heard in dog whistles we now hear from a bull horn.”
When discussing the protests Friday night, Bowser said “at no time was the chief of police concerned about losing control of protest activity in Washington, DC.”
DC Police Chief Peter Newsham said that protesters in DC last night exceeded 1,000 people. He detailed the trajectory of the main protest, and acknowledged that there were likely splinter groups off the main route. The Metro Police Department (MPD) made no arrests, had no reports of injuries and no reports of use of force.
Newsham said that the MPD worked with US Secret Service and the Park Police under “unified command” last night during protests in Lafayette Park, where there were a few skirmishes with protesters. He also told reporters that MPD provided the Secret Service with some additional equipment that they did not have, including helmets.
The leaders of the three law enforcement groups involved spoke last night, Newsham said, and that they were all “absolutely comfortable” with decisions that were made.
Bowser said that the District is aware of a protest planned for today outside the Department of Justice and is prepared for any other protests in the city. The Park Police has requested assistance from the National Guard if crowd control is needed, Bowser noted.
Some context: In a bizarre four-tweet thread, Trump thanked the Secret Service for their handling of protests in Lafayette Park Friday night.
The President tweeted that the protesters “would have been greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons, I have ever seen,” had they breached the fence at the White House.
Trump also attacked Bowser, claiming she “wouldn’t let the D.C. Police get involved.”
Roughly 108 people were arrested in Chicago after protests broke out in the city Friday night, Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said at a news conference Saturday morning.
One person was arrested after allegedly breaking an officer’s wrist and is facing aggravated battery charges, Brown said.
He said demonstrations “began peaceful and ended a little bit more aggressive and intense.”
“Some in the crowd began confronting the police, so we had to take swift action so that the violence and property damage wouldn’t escalate,” Brown said, adding that property damage was minimal.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II are calling on communities to provide a designated area for people to peacefully protest, according to a statement from Whitmer’s office.
Whitmer’s administration is working with various agencies and community leaders to “designate areas for peaceful demonstrations where people can make their voices heard.”
“There will no doubt be more tough days ahead, but we must pull together and treat our fellow Michiganders with dignity, compassion, and humanity,” the statement said.
Violent protesters destroyed public libraries, public infrastructure and stopped delivery of “school meals to a hundreds of thousands of hungry children across the state at a time of Covid-19,” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said Saturday.
“We must have justice. We, in Minnesota, must do everything we can to protect and lift that voice up,” he added.
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Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said charging the former Minneapolis police officer who is seen on video putting his knee on George Floyd’s neck with murder is just the beginning of the legal process.
“It is a preliminary complaint. It’s still going on,” Ellison said during a news briefing on Saturday.
Ellison said there is probable cause to support this complaint and that the “wheels of justice are moving and now they’re moving swiftly.”
Derek Chauvin has been charged with charged with murder and manslaughter following the death of Floyd. Documents show that his bail was set at $500,000.
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan said moving forward, communities need to create a safe place to come together to “demand change and justice in policing and in every other racist system that we have that has been part of the state.”
“But in this moment, we cannot. Because there are detractors. There are white supremacists. There are anarchists,” Flanagan said at a news conference with the governor on Saturday afternoon.
Flanagan called on people to stay home “so that we can remove those folks who are detracting from the memory of George Floyd.”
She added that she wants to ensure justice is done and “ensure that the three additional officers are held accountable, but we cannot do that until community can gather safely.”
President Trump thanked the Secret Service for the job they did protecting the White House Friday night, calling the work, “so professional” and “incredible,” while offering assistance to Minnesota as protests grip the state.
Protesters gathered near the North Lawn fence of the White House on Friday, confronting officers and even pulling away fencing the officers were using as barriers.
Trump, speaking about the situation in Minneapolis, said that “they have to get tougher” and that the military is “ready, willing and able” to assist if they call on them.
Military police units from Fort Riley in Kansas, Fort Bragg in North Carolina and Fort Drum in New York have received prepare to deploy orders for military police if Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz asks for it, a defense official told CNN.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz characterized the protesters Friday night as people who “do not share our values.”
Walz, who held his third news briefing today, pleaded with people to stop destroying Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Walz reminded people that Minnesota residents “stand on the land of the people who created that, and the people who were on the streets last night burned it down.”
“They are not us. They do not share our values,” Walz said.
Between 400 to 500 people were arrested during Friday night’s protests in Los Angeles, Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson Josh Rubenstein told CNN.
Exact numbers of arrests is still being compiled as is the number of injuries suffered by civilian and police, Rubenstein said.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms called for demonstrators to show their anger through “non-violent activism” in a statement addressing the protests in the city Friday night.
“We know our citizens are angry. We are angry and we want justice. If we are to enact change in this nation, I implore everyone to channel their anger and sorrow into something more meaningful and effective through non-violent activism,” the mayor added.
Bottoms said the Department of Public Works deployed crews Saturday morning to start cleaning up the streets and the Department of Transportation is working to remove graffiti from public buildings.
Bottoms also said in the statement that the city is coordinating with neighboring jurisdictions “to provide additional public safety resources” and with the governor’s office to provide assistance from the National Guard.
“Now, more than ever, I am calling on our communities to come together to show our strength as one Atlanta through prayer and working together to restore and heal our city as an example for the nation,” Bottoms said in the statement.
The US Secret Service have said that six people were arrested in Lafayette Park last night during demonstrations, a statement from the federal law enforcement agency said.
Multiple Secret Service uniformed division officers and special agents sustained injuries after violence from some of the demonstrators, the statement said.
Some more context: The statement also said that Metro Police and US Park police were on the scene, which contradicts an earlier tweet from President Trump.
Trump criticized Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser saying, “On the bad side, the D.C. Mayor, @MurielBowser, who is always looking for money & help, wouldn’t let the D.C. Police get involved. “Not their job.” Nice!”
As protesters took to the streets across the country expressing their anger over George Floyd’s death, US Surgeon General Jerome Adams said “there is no easy prescription to heal our nation, or take away the pain people are experiencing.”
Adams tweeted that”“it’s a pain I too am experiencing…because I’m black.”
The US “must acknowledge & address the impact of racism on health,” he said.
Adams said he will continue to work with all “who share a commitment to health,” including both protesters and police officers.
Read some of Adams’ tweets:
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that the New York Attorney General will conduct an independent review of actions and procedures used during Friday night’s protests.
Cuomo said he spoke to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and agreed on an independent review.
James will take a “short period of time” to review last night and deliver a report to the public, Cuomo said.
State legislators at the protests last night expressed a significant amount of concern about what actions were taken, he added.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the coronavirus crisis, which exposed inequalities in health care, and the protests surrounding the death of George Floyd, are connected.
He said we need to stop looking at incidents of racial injustice as “individual incidents.”
“When you have one episode, two episodes maybe you can look at them as individual episodes. But when you have 10 episodes, 15 episodes, you are blind or in denial if you are still treating each one like a unique situation,” Cuomo said.
“How many times have we seen the same situation? Yes, the names change, but the color doesn’t,” he added.
There were two Molotov cocktails thrown into two cars including a police van during protest in Brooklyn Friday night, a law enforcement official told CNN.
One incident involved a person throwing a Molotov cocktail into a marked police van, the official said.
A car drove up to the NYPD van, a suspect got out and then threw a bottle in the van, igniting fire.
Police were able to arrest the suspects and recovered a gas can and two more incendiary devices in the car, according to the official.
The other incident involved a woman walking up to a van holding a bottle with a rag in it, she lit it and threw it into the van but it did not catch fire, the official said.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has called on the National Guard to help keep the peace in Louisville following days of unrest across the city, the governor said in a statement from his office.
Protests have gripped the city following the death of Breonna Taylor, 26, a black EMT killed by the police on March 13.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said rough estimates indicate that about 20% of protesters are Minnesotans and about 80% are from outside the region.
“I’m not trying to deflect in any way,” Walz said.
Walz pleaded with Minnesotans to contact authorities if they know where rioters are staying or they have information about planned riots so warrants can be executed.
“They’re trying to escalate the situation where deadly force is used and then chaos ensues,” Walz said.
The New York City Police Department made more than 200 arrests in the wake of protests over the death of George Floyd, according to a senior NYPD source.
More than 40 NYPD vehicles sustained some level of vandalism and more than a dozen cops were seriously hurt, the source said.
Of those arrested, more than 40 people were from outside the city, including Long Island.
A vast majority of the arrestees were issued desk appearance tickets or summons and released, the source said.
An earlier on the record statement from the NYPD said no civilians or officers were critically injured.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he expects more arrests tonight than any other night of protests so far.
“What the curfew does is it gives us a legal authority to make arrests of people out there,” he added.
He called for the public to help officials identify those who are starting the violence.
“What I would ask today is if you know where these people are sleeping today, let us know and we will execute warrants,” Walz said. “Call that in, tell us who they were. They’re not from Minneapolis, but they’re staying down here.”
Major General Jon A. Jensen said the deployment of more than 700 National Guard members on Friday was the “largest law enforcement operation in Minnesota history,” but “it was not enough.”
Jensen said they now have to have 2,500 personnel mobilized by 12 p.m. on Saturday – which is an increase from the 1,700 total personnel the National Guard said would be on the ground this morning in a tweet.
Jensen said the state is also in the process of requesting “national level resources.” He said he has had conversations with the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Derek Chauvin is being held at the Ramsey County Jail in St. Paul, according to Bureau of Criminal Apprehension spokesperson Jill Oliveira.
When asked why Chauvin was not being held in Hennepin County, where the death of George Floyd occurred, Oliveira told CNN, “The BCA communicated with the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, which was dealing with potential threats to their facilities at the time of the arrest, they directed us to book him into the Ramsey County jail.”
Chauvin has been charged with charged with murder and manslaughter following the death of Floyd. Documents show that his bail was set at $500,000.
Col. Matt Langer said the demonstrations in St. Paul and Minneapolis over the last few days has forced the Minnesota State Patrol to mobilize personnel in a way unlike anything seen in more than 90 years in the state.
Langer emphasized that his staff’s “job is to get out there, in the middle of the mission that we’re confronted with right now, to stop the criminal behavior that we have been seeing and to prevent the criminal behavior that we regretfully anticipate we will see tonight and into the near future.”
Mayor Jacob Frey said the people who are coming to Minneapolis to protest are not residents and are “coming in largely from outside the city.”
He said the protests earlier this week that were mostly peaceful and were largely attended by those who lived in the city, but “the dynamic has changed.”
“Gradually that shift was made and we saw more and more people coming from outside of the city. We saw more and more people looking to cause violence in our communities, and I have to say, it is not acceptable,” Frey said.
“This is no longer about verbal expression. This is about violence and we need to make sure that it stops,” he added.
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said everyone who was arrested in his city last night was from outside the state.
“What we are seeing right now is a group of people who are not from here,” he said.
There were roughly 20 arrests made in St. Paul last night, mostly for burglary, and roughly the same number of arrests in Minneapolis for curfew violations and destruction of property, said John Harrington, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
The Chicago Police Department said there were multiple arrests, reports of injured Chicago Police officers, property damage and damage to city vehicles in protests that broke out in downtown Chicago Friday night.
“We do not have specifics on numbers or the circumstances surrounding the injured officers and damage to property,” a spokesperson told CNN.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said “the situation in Minneapolis is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd” at a news briefing on Saturday morning.
He said violent protests Friday night were a “mockery of pretending this is about George Floyd’s death or inequities or historical traumas to our communities of color.”
“Because our communities of color and our indigenous communities were out front fighting hand in hand to save businesses that took decades to build. Infrastructure and nonprofits that have served a struggling community were torn down and burned by people with no regard for what went into that,” Walz continued
Law enforcement officers faced improvised explosive devices and a “highly evolved and tightly controlled group of folks bent on adapting their tactics to make it as difficult as possible to maintain that order” last night in Minneapolis as protesters blanketed the city, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said at a news conference late this morning.
Earlier Saturday morning: Walz held another news conference early this morning in response to the unrest across the city, after a number of protesters ignored an 8 p.m. curfew set by the state government.
“This is the largest civilian deployment in Minnesota history that we have out there today,” Walz said then. “This is an operation that has never been done in Minnesota.”
The Minnesota National Guard is activating more than 1,000 additional personnel today, the group announced in a tweet Saturday morning.
This is addition to the 700 citizen soldiers and airmen who were on duty last night, according to the tweet.
“This represents the largest domestic deployment in the Minnesota’s National Guard’s 164-year history,” the tweet said.
Read the tweet:
In a Saturday morning tweet, President Trump said the protests in Lafayette Park in front of the White House on Friday had “little to do with the memory of George Floyd,” again providing no evidence to back up that claim, adding that demonstrators, “were just there to cause trouble.”
Trump alleged, without evidence, that protesters were, “professionally managed.” There is no indication that they were.
“Tonight, I understand, is MAGA NIGHT AT THE WHITE HOUSE???,” he wrote, without explaining what he meant by that.
CNN has reached out to the White House for clarity.
Read Trump’s tweet:
In a bizarre four-tweet thread, President Trump thanked the Secret Service for their handling of protests in Lafayette Park Friday night.
The President tweeted that the protesters “would have been greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons, I have ever seen,” had they breached the fence at the White House.
Trump also attacked DC mayor Muriel Bowser, claiming she “wouldn’t let the D.C. Police get involved.”
DC Police were on scene last night, in addition to several other agencies.
Read Trump’s tweets:
A group of protesters gathered in front of the White House overnight following the death of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis police.
For more than five hours overnight, protesters confronted Secret Service officers at barriers in front of the White House. At times, the crowd removed the metal barriers and began pushing up against the riot shields and the Secret Service officers. The protesters pushed hard enough that some officers walked away with minor injuries.
At least one time, the agents responded to aggressive pushing and yelling by spraying pepper spray at the protesters.
Throughout the night protesters could be heard chanting their support for Floyd and their dislike of President Trump. At one point, a different camera crew was chased off by the protesters who could be seen trying to grab their equipment.
In addition to pushing and yelling, protesters could be seen throwing water bottles and other objects toward the line of officers. Those officers were continually bringing in new metal barriers throughout the night as protesters wrestled them away and tried to break through.
The protest began about 10 p.m. Friday night and the scene mostly quieted down by 3:30 a.m. Saturday.
The crowd thinned out and Secret Service Officers were able to expand their perimeter and barriers around Lafayette Park across from the White House. This was the second time that protesters gathered outside of the White House during the evening and early morning hours.
Here’s what happened before that: Protesters began gathering in Washington, DC, around 7 p.m. and the White House was initially locked down as the protesters began to move toward that location.
At 8 p.m. the Secret Service tweeted, “Secret Service personnel are currently assisting other law enforcement agencies during a demonstration in Lafayette Park. In the interest of public safety we encourage all to remain peaceful.”
The lockdown was lifted just before 8:30 p.m. as protesters marched to different parts of the city, before returning to the White House later in the evening and into the early morning.
Friday evening the Secret Service said it was “currently assisting other law enforcement agencies during a demonstration in Lafayette Park.”
A later request for comment about the overnight confrontations has not been answered. CNN also has an inquiry into the DC Police Department.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has declared a state of emergency in light of the unrest in the city and an overnight curfew has been put into place, according to the mayor’s office.
The curfew is effective until 6 a.m. PT Saturday and resumes Saturday evening until Sunday morning, according to a tweet from Wheeler.
Wheeler urged his city’s residents early Saturday to halt the unrest over George Floyd’s death.
Wheeler earlier tweeted that he was coming back to the city after being out of town because his mother was dying.
“ENOUGH. I had to leave Portland today because my mother is dying. I am with family to prepare for her final moments. This is hard, this is personal, but so is watching my city get destroyed. I’m coming back NOW. You will be hearing from me, @PortlandPolice, community leaders,” Wheeler said.
“Portland, this is NOT us. When you destroy our city, you are destroying our community. When you act in violence against each other, you are hurting all of us. How does this honor the legacy of George Floyd? Protest, speak truth, but don’t tear your city apart in the process.”
Read Wheeler’s tweet:
Following a night of fires and outrage over the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has called for calm.
Walz said the state is continuing to coordinate efforts at the state and local level to deal with protests that have broken out throughout Minnesota and in cities all across the US.
The governor ended his tweet with a plea: “I urge for peace at this time.”
Protesters who gathered in cities across the United States told CNN of their frustration over George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis.
“There needs to be change, officers need to be trained better,” one protester who was arrested in Atlanta told CNN’s Nick Valencia as he was being detained by police.
A lack of change and police reform are just some of the reasons people are enraged.
Chelsea Peterson, in Portland, Oregon, told CNN she demonstrated Friday night to “show my solidarity with my black brothers and sisters” as they face injustice.
Peterson said it was “not enough to simply share a post or use a hashtag” to insist that black lives matter.
“It was important for me as a white person to actually show up because it is our responsibility to dismantle the systems of oppression that we have created.”
In Minneapolis, Alicia Smith, a community organizer, told CNN: “There are no words in the English language that will convey the despair that I felt watching that man’s life leave his body and him scream out for his mother. I heard my son saying, ‘Mama, save me.’
Another protester, Craig Maxwell, in Charlotte, North Carolina, told CNN he turned out to demonstrate because he felt the need to step up his advocacy.
“I’ve been talking to several of my black friends the last day or two and hearing what they’re going through,” he said. “A lot of introspection and recognizing that I don’t put my money where my mouth is enough.
“Basically, I was there because they were there, if that makes sense.”
Mackenzie Slagle, in Oakland, California, said it was time for police brutality to stop.
“I don’t agree with breaking into all of the businesses, but I can understand the outrage after repeated incidents. We’ve peacefully protested all of those. It wasn’t until Minneapolis got violent they finally arrested a police officer.
Protesters took to the streets across the US on Friday night into early Saturday morning to express their concern and anger over the death of George Floyd while in police custody.
Some of the protests have been peaceful while others turned destructive. Here are the cities where people gathered:
California: Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Sacramento, San Jose, Oakland, San Francisco
Colorado: Denver
Georgia: Atlanta
Illinois: Chicago
Iowa: Des Moines
Indiana: Indianapolis, Fort Wayne
Kentucky: Louisville (Related to the death of Breonna Taylor), Bowling Green
Louisiana: New Orleans
Nebraska: Lincoln
New York: New York City
Massachusetts: Boston
Michigan: Detroit
Minnesota: Minneapolis
Missouri: Kansas City
Nevada: Las Vegas
North Carolina: Charlotte
Ohio: Columbus, Cincinnati, Canton
Oregon: Portland
Texas: Dallas, Houston
Virginia: Richmond
Washington: Seattle
Wisconsin: Milwaukee
Washington, DC
The New York City Police Department told CNN that its officers arrested “dozens” during the protests that took place across the city.
“Most of the incidents/damage/arrests took place between Manhattan and Brooklyn,” the NYPD said, adding that the protests have now subsided.
More specific details will be released by police later today.
Two Federal Protective Service officers suffered gunshot wounds amid protests Friday night in Oakland, California, police said.
One of the officers died from his injury.
At least 7,500 protesters took to the streets of the city to demonstrate over the death of George Floyd, the Oakland Police Department told CNN.
Protesters caused damage across the city. There were reports of vandalism, theft of businesses, fires set and assaults on police officers, according to the police statement.
While arrests were made, police were unable to provide specifics.
Police are investigating.
The Federal Protective Service, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, provides security and law enforcement services at US government facilities.
Protests over the death of George Floyd continued early Saturday morning in Lincoln, Nebraska, according to the police.
“The gathering at 25th and O is no longer a peaceful protest. Arrests have been made and will continue to be made for those who continue to break the law. Neighbors in the area please shelter in place,” the Lincoln Police Department tweeted.
Protesters have left behind a trail of destruction in downtown Phoenix, Arizona, police said.
Phoenix is one of more than 20 cities across the US which saw protests on Friday night in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
“An Unlawful Assembly has been declared in the area around 6th Ave & Washington where demonstrators have been gathering,” Phoenix Police Department tweeted.
“Due to criminal activity and a current danger to our community, people must leave the area including sidewalks, private property or roadways.”
Nearly 200 people have been arrested in Houston, Texas, after protests Friday night.
Most will be charged with obstructing a roadway, according to a tweet from the Houston Police Department.
The department also said four of its officers sustained minor injuries and eight police vehicles were damaged.
Houston Police Officer’s Union President Joe Gamaldi earlier said officers had been hospitalized but did not say how many.
About 50 people have been arrested as protests continue across Minneapolis.
More than 2,500 officers are helping to keep the peace, Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington told a news conference.
This is one of the largest civil police forces the state of Minnesota has ever seen, he said. But resources are still stretched thin, with thousands of protesters estimated to have turned out across the city.
Officers focused their efforts on downtown and the 5th Precinct area, he said.
A request has been made to substantially increase the number of National Guard officers available to bolster the city’s response, Harrington said.
Major General Jon Jensen, of the Minnesota National Guard, said he believed there could be more than 1,700 National Guard soldiers in the area by Sunday.
This would be the largest deployment in the state of Minnesota’s history.
“At the conclusion of tomorrow, I believe that we will have over 1,700 soldiers in support of the Department of Public Safety in the city of Minneapolis and the city of Saint Paul,” Jensen said.
Jensen noted that people may have heard that President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon to put units of the United States Army on alert for a possible operation in Minneapolis.
“While we were not consulted with as it relates to that, I do believe is a prudent move to provide other options available for the governor, if the governor elects to use those resources,” Jensen said.
In a statement on Twitter, Portland Police declared a riot is taking place in the city and ordered crowds to go home.
Portland is one of more than 20 cities across the US which saw protests on Friday night in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
Earlier Portland police said that there had been “significant vandalism” in the city related to the protests, as well as a shooting, although they didn’t provide any additional details.
According to police, Portland’s Justice Center had been attacked by protesters and set on fire.
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A 19-year-old man was killed after shots were fired into a crowd of protesters in Detroit late Friday, the city’s police department said in a statement.
Police said the shots were fired by an unknown suspect in a gray Dodge Durango, with the victim later dying in hospital.
Detroit police cannot confirm if the victim was part of the protests, but the shooting happened downtown where the protests were taking place.
Earlier, Detroit Police Chief James Craig said a person had been arrested after trying to run an officer over.
“I will not stand by and let a small minority, criminals, come in here, attack our officers and make our community unsafe. Just know, we are not going to tolerate it,” Craig said.
The situation in Minneapolis remains “incredibly dangerous” as protests continue in the city, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said in a press conference early Saturday.
Multiple law enforcement authorities are responding to the unrest across the city, after a number of protesters ignored an 8 p.m. curfew set by the state government.
The governor said officials cannot arrest people while they are trying to hold ground.
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Bricks, graffiti and shattered glass have been left behind by protesters who demonstrated outside CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia, on Friday night.
It was the site of a tense standoff between police and protesters, who threw projectiles and even a firework at law enforcement officials.
“This scene was chaotic. We saw at least two officers injured in clashes with demonstrators,” said CNN’s Nick Valencia, who was on the ground.
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Denver Mayor Michael Hancock has told of his sorrow over “needless, senseless and destructive” scenes as protests continue in the Colorado capital.
Police have deployed pepper balls in the city’s downtown area due to “civil disobedience,” authorities said.
There have been no reports on the number of arrests or damage in Denver so far.
Minneapolis law enforcement officers have arrested a number of people who ignored dispersal orders in the area around the city’s 5th precinct, according to the state’s Department of Public Safety.
“Leave the Fifth Precinct area now so the troopers and officers on the ground can clear the area and enforce the curfew. 350 troopers and officers are in the area,” the department said in a tweet.
It comes as protesters ignored an 8 p.m. curfew imposed by the city.
CNN’s Sara Sidner said tear gas and rubber bullets have been used by police to try to disperse the crowd.
Hundreds of police have been advancing street by street toward the protesters, who have been creating barricades while chanting, “I can’t breathe.”
“We have heard people here say, ‘Look, we are not going to stop fighting about this right now,’ because they don’t feel that they’ve ever been heard enough and now they’ve just unleashed all emotions,” Sidner said from Minneapolis.
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The Minnesota Department of Public Safety says shots have been fired at law enforcement officers near the 5th precinct in Minneapolis.
In a Twitter post, the department said no troopers or officers were injured.
“Leave the area or you will be arrested,” the tweet said.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson has called for demonstrations in the city to remain peaceful, saying he supported protesters’ “calls for justice” over the death of George Floyd.
In a Twitter post, Johnson added that some people with “other agendas” had destroyed property.
The Minneapolis Department of Public Safety said on its official Twitter account that 350 troopers are near the city’s 5th precinct to clear the area and enforce curfew.
It comes after a number of protesters earlier ignored calls from police and state officials to return to their homes after an 8 p.m. curfew was established for the weekend in Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called for residents to obey the curfew.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has declared an unlawful assembly in the downtown area of the city, with officials telling CNN that protesters will be arrested if they disobey the order and stay there.
The LAPD said two officers were injured in protests Friday night.
Bail for ex-Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin has been set at $500,000, according to the criminal complaint filed in the 4th Judicial District Court of Minnesota.
According to the document, there have been no conditions set for his release.
The document doesn’t indicate that Chauvin is out on bail, but it does say that if he does bond out, bail is set for $500,000.
The order of detention box is not checked because Chauvin was not ordered detained or remanded.
The entrance to the Dallas Police Department headquarters has been blocked by dozens of cruisers and officers, as protesters march to the downtown building.
A line of officers is keeping people away.
A tweet from Dallas Police says one officer received non-life threatening injuries in the response to Friday night protests over the death of George Floyd.
Chief Renee Hall told KTVT that some protesters threw bricks at officers.
“We are an organization that upholds peaceful protests, but we will not be the target,” Hall said.
As many as 500 National Guard troops have been activated to protect people and property in Atlanta, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced late Friday.
Kemp said he is also issuing a state of emergency for Fulton County due to protests in the state capital.
Bernice King, daughter of civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., said that violence is not a solution, during a news conference by Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
She added, “The end goal is we want change, and want it now. But change never comes through violence. It is not a solution.”
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In addition to the unrest in downtown Atlanta, protesters have made their way north to Lenox Square Mall, in the Buckhead community.
Lenox is regarded as one of the premier shopping destinations in the US Southeast, featuring brands like Prada, Louis Vuitton and Cartier.
Atlanta police spokesman Carlos Campos told CNN it “sounds like there is some vandalism and looting.”
Officers are also investigating possible looting at a Buckhead Target store.
Louisville Metro Police (LMPD) has apologized to CNN affiliate WAVE’s reporter Kaitlin Rust, who was directly fired upon by an officer with a pepper ball launcher while live on air on Friday night.
LMPD special advisor Jessie Halladay said she had reviewed the video and the incident was not something that should have occurred if Rust was singled out as a reporter.
According to Halladay, authorities were unable to confirm that the officer seen in the video is a LMPD officer, but said he could be a member of its special response team.
Halladay said the department would review the video again once the protests end and investigate if disciplinary action is necessary.
The LMPD has no intention of targeting media covering the incident, Halladay added.
A number of protesters have been arrested after taking over portions of the world-famous Las Vegas Strip in Nevada on Friday night.
Koren didn’t reveal how many people had been arrested.
“We are fully aware of how delicate and problematic this situation is nationally,” Koren added.
An attorney for Kellie Chauvin, the wife of ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, has filed for a dissolution of marriage, according to a statement from the Sekula Family Law office.
Derek Chauvin was arrested Friday and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd.
Protesters took to the streets across America over the death of George Floyd on Friday night.
Some of the protests have been peaceful, while others have been destructive. Here are the cities where protesters gathered:
California: Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Sacramento, San Jose, Oakland, San Francisco
Colorado: Denver
Georgia: Atlanta
Illinois: Chicago
Iowa: Des Moines
Indiana: Indianapolis, Fort Wayne
Kentucky: Louisville (Related to the death of Breonna Taylor)
Louisiana: New Orleans
New York: New York City
Massachusetts: Boston
Michigan: Detroit
Minnesota: Minneapolis
Nevada: Las Vegas
North Carolina: Charlotte
Ohio: Columbus, Cincinnati
Texas: Dallas, Houston
Virginia: Richmond
Washington, DC
In an emotional speech, rapper Killer Mike addressed George Floyd protesters directly at Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms’ news conference tonight.
Crying on camera, he continued: “I watched a white police officer assassinate a black man. And I know that tore your heart out.”
He concluded by thanking Mayor Lance Bottoms, saying he appreciated her telling the protesters to go home.
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On Monday evening, police in Minneapolis were called about someone trying to pass a counterfeit bill at Cup Foods, a neighborhood grocery store.
Officers responding to an alleged forgery in progress were initially told that a person later described as the suspect was sitting on a car and appeared to be under the influence, police said.
A pair of officers located the man, George Floyd, who was at that point inside the car and who police said “physically resisted” the officers when ordered to get out. Officers handcuffed Floyd, who “appeared to be suffering medical distress,” according to police.
The events that happened next sparked outrage and protests across the country:
A video circulated on social media shows two officers and Floyd on the ground –– one of them with his knee on Floyd’s neck. The video did not capture what led up to the arrest or what police described as the man resisting arrest.
“Please, I can’t breathe,” Floyd said, screaming for several minutes before he became silent. Bystanders urged the officer to release the man from his hold.
After several minutes of pleading with the officer, Floyd appeared motionless, his eyes shut, his head against the pavement. He died at a hospital a short time later, police said.
Mayor Jacob Frey has said the technique used to pin Floyd’s head to the ground was against department regulations.
“The technique that was used is not permitted; is not a technique that our officers get trained in on,” Frey said. “And our chief has been very clear on that piece. There is no reason to apply that kind of pressure with a knee to someone’s neck.”
New video: A second video taken on the opposite side of the street appears to show three officers kneeling on Floyd. Watch that video here.
What happened next: All four of the officers were fired on Tuesday.
On Friday, the former officer who had his knee on Floyd’s neck, Derek Chauvin, was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
None of the other officers have been charged yet, the Hennepin County Attorney’s office said.
The fired Minneapolis police officer seen in a video with his knee on George Floyd’s neck, Derek Chauvin, has been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, according to Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman.
Freeman, speaking at a news conference announcing the charges on Friday, said this “is by far the fastest we’ve ever charged a police officer.”
The Hennepin County Attorney’s office has reviewed witness accounts, video of the incident and other evidence that led to Chauvin’s arrest, Freeman said.
Chauvin was taken into custody Friday by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, according to commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety John Harrington.
They have not yet arrested or charged the other three officers involved but are continuing to investigate the evidence, Freeman said.
“We entrust our police officers to use certain amounts of force to do their job to protect us. They commit a criminal act if they use this force unreasonably,” he said.
The video of George Floyd’s death sparked protests in Minneapolis and several other US cities. Here is a timeline of how tensions escalated this week.
Tuesday, May 26:
Wednesday, May 27:
Thursday, May 28:
Friday, May 29:
A CNN crew was arrested while giving a live television report Friday morning in Minneapolis – and then released about an hour later – as the crew covered ongoing protests over the death of George Floyd.
State police detained CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez, his producer and his photojournalist just after 5 a.m. CT as he was reporting live from a street south of downtown, near where a police precinct building was earlier set ablaze.
Jimenez could be seen holding his CNN badge while reporting, identifying himself as a reporter, and telling the officers the crew would move wherever officers needed them to. An officer gripped his arm as Jimenez talked, then put him in handcuffs.
Reaction: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz apologized for the arrest and said he took “full responsibility” at a news conference on Friday.
“We have got to ensure that there is a safe spot for journalism to tell the story,” Walz said.
He added the incident was “unacceptable” and said the access and security of journalists is a priority to him.
A different experience: CNN’s Josh Campbell, who also was in the area but not standing with the on-air crew, said he, too, was approached by police, but was allowed to remain.
“I identified myself … they said, ‘OK, you’re permitted to be in the area,’” recounted Campbell, who is white. “I was treated much differently than (Jimenez) was.”
Jimenez is black and Latino.
