Protests are unfolding across the US for the 11th consecutive night after the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man killed in police custody.
Joe Biden sharply criticized Donald Trump for invoking Floyd’s name as the President took a victory lap over lower unemployment numbers.
57 police officers in Buffalo, New York, have resigned from the force’s emergency response team following the suspension of two officers who allegedly pushed a 75-year-old protester to the ground, a source close to the situation said.
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Our live coverage of the nationwide George Floyd protests has moved here.
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A pilot used his plane to draw a tribute to George Floyd
From CNN's Lauren M. Johnson
Dimitri Neonakis from ForeFlight
A pilot drew a unique tribute to George Floyd over Canada by following a flight path in the shape of a raised fist.
Dimitri Neonakis took to the Nova Scotia sky on Thursday with his personal message to Floyd. He said he chose the fist because it’s a symbol of the movement against racism.
“We all have to speak out and we have to end it,” Neonakis said. “There are no borders when it comes to racism.”
Neonakis mapped out the image on an app and then followed the line for the fist in his plane. He said it took him about two and a half hours at 150 miles per hour to finish the image.
Black Lives Matter protesters gather across Australia
From CNN's Carly Walsh
Protesters gather to show solidarity with Black Lives Matter protests in the United States on June 6 in Adelaide, Australia.
Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images
Protesters supporting the Black Lives Matter movement have started gathering for rallies in the Australian cities of Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide today.
A rally is also expected to go ahead in Sydney despite a Supreme Court injunction ruling it illegal because of social distancing rules.
Organizers have lodged an appeal, which is still pending.
The rallies have been been organized by indigenous rights groups – among others – under the banner “Stop Black Deaths in Custody.”
The indigenous community left behind:
Australia’s indigenous population – composed of mainland Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders – makes up 2.4% of the country’s 25 million people, yet accounts for more than a quarter of its total prisoner population.
Analysis from Change the Record, an Aboriginal-led justice coalition, found that there have been 449 indigenous deaths in custody between 1980 and 2011, which represents 24% of all deaths in custody over that period.
Zuckerberg posts "Black lives matter" and pledges to review Facebook's policies
From CNN's Rishi Iyengar
Mark Zuckerberg speaks at Georgetown University in Washington, DC on October 17, 2019.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images
Mark Zuckerberg says Facebook will review its policies concerning the state use of force, voter suppression and content moderation, as the company faces a backlash from many of its own workers over its inaction on controversial posts by US President Donald Trump.
In a note to employees that he later shared on his Facebook page Friday, Zuckerberg acknowledged that the decision about Trump’s posts “left many of you angry, disappointed and hurt.”
The Facebook co-founder and CEO also addressed the protests that have erupted across the United States following the death of George Floyd in police custody.
“To members of our Black community: I stand with you. Your lives matter. Black lives matter,” he wrote.
Zuckerberg’s remarks come days after he hosted a contentious town hall with Facebook employees, a number of whom expressed outrage at the social media giant’s decision not to take action against posts by Trump that rival platform Twitter flagged as having violated its own rules.
No police presence as protesters sing birthday tribute to Breonna Taylor near White House
From CNN's Alex Marquardt
Protesters march in Washington on Friday night.
CNN
A large crowd of peaceful protesters in Washington, DC, is heading for Lafayette Park near the White House.
CNN correspondent Alex Marquardt said the protesters are “finishing this week how they started it, by protesting peacefully.”
Sitting on some 250 yoga mats donated by a social worker’s advocacy group, they sang “Happy Birthday” to Breonna Taylor, who was killed by police in March and who would have turned 27 today.
A new street sign has also been erected at the intersection of 16th and 8th streets reading “Black Lives Matter Plaza.”
“This is where that fierce crackdown happened against those protesters on Monday night who were protesting peacefully right before the President gave that speech in the Rose Garden, when he declared himself the ‘law and order’ President,” Marquardt said.
Noticeably absent is the presence of law enforcement. However city officials are expecting a bigger demonstration on Saturday.
“These protesters have been out here all week by the hundreds, by the thousands, gathering right here at Lafayette Park by the White House, and behind that fence, which has been reinforced throughout the course of the week, is almost no law enforcement that we can see,” Marquardt said.
“It is the least amount of law enforcement that I have seen all week and that speaks to how peaceful these protests have been. There is no curfew in this city of Washington tonight. But now city officials are saying that they are expecting a huge demonstration tomorrow. The biggest they think that they anticipate since they began in the city of Washington.”
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Cyclist arrested after being filmed accosting people who posted signs supporting Black Lives Matter
From CNN's Rebekah Riess
Provided to CNN
Detectives from the Maryland-National Capital Park Police have arrested and charged the cyclist caught on video Monday accosting three people as they posted flyers in support of Black Lives Matter.
The cyclist, identified as 60-year-old Anthony Brennan III, of Kensington, Maryland, was charged with three counts of second-degree assault, a release from Park Police said.
A man and two women were walking the trail, posting flyers in support of Black Lives Matter, when the suspect started to argue with them and grabbed the flyers, police said.
According to police, the suspect then pushed his bicycle and started to charge one of the victims, causing them to fall to the ground.
Police said community members sent in hundreds of tips, and detectives utilized various sources to further corroborate the information provided before developing Brennan as a primary suspect.
An arrest warrant was subsequently obtained and served on Brennan on Friday evening, after he had voluntarily turned himself into detectives, the release said.
CNN has reached out to Brennan’s legal counsel for comment.
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Police department needs more resources -- not less, Atlanta mayor says
From CNN’s Andy Rose
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms speaks with CNN's Anderson Cooper on Friday night.
CNN
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said police reform is critical, but she doesn’t agree with the “Defund the Police” movement calling for some police financing to be redirected to other community programs.
Bottoms said she has already started the process of reconsidering the Atlanta Police Department’s policies over use of force. Two Atlanta officers were fired for using excessive force during a protest Saturday night.
Still, she believes the police department needs more resources – not less.
“When my 18-year-old nephew was murdered, we called the Atlanta Police Department,” Bottoms said. “They solved the murder.”
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Two NYPD officers suspended, supervisor transferred after multiple protest incidents
From CNN's Rob Frehse
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Two officers were suspended without pay and one supervisor transferred after three incidents during recent New York City protests, Police Commissioner Dermot Shea announced.
The officer seen pushing a woman to the ground in a May 29 incident in Brooklyn is suspended without pay after an Internal Affairs Bureau (IAB) investigation, and a supervisor who was on the scene will also be transferred, Shea said. Each of those cases has been referred to the Department Advocate for disciplinary action.
The officer seen pulling down an individual’s face mask and pepper spraying him is suspended without pay after an IAB investigation. That case has also been referred to the Department Advocate for disciplinary action.
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Officers who cover badges or turn off body cams will be stripped of powers, Chicago mayor says
From CNN's Raja Razek
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a news conference Friday that the city would not tolerate officers who tape over their badge or turn off their body-worn cameras.
She continued, “If you are one of those officers, we will find you. We will identify you, and we will strip you of your police powers.”
The city would take decisive action on offenders, Lightfoot added.
“It is not only stripping you as appropriate. You will be fired from the Chicago Police Department,” she said.
“You are demeaning all of your colleagues who are working their tails off on 12-hour shifts to keep our city safe. Shame on you, shame on you.”
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Chicago Police officers relieved of "police powers" pending investigation into May 31 incident
From CNN's Raja Razek
The Chicago Police Department said in a statement on Friday that two officers have been relieved of their “police powers,” pending an external investigation into officer misconduct following an incident on May 31.
Some context: A video of the May 31 incident shows police swarming a car, smashing the rear windows, opening both front doors and pulling the occupants out.
Officers can be seen pulling Mia Wright, 25, who was in the passenger seat, out of the car by her hair, throwing her to the ground and then restraining her by placing a knee on her neck.
“Chicago Police Superintendent David O. Brown has reviewed the Civilian Office of Police Accountability’s recommendation regarding the reported May 31, 2020 incident of officer misconduct at 2600 N. Narragansett Ave., and has relieved two of the involved officers of their police powers, pending the external investigation. The Department is also aware of the independent investigation being conducted by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office,” the statement said.
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Atlanta Police officer seen on video body slamming woman placed on administrative assignment
From CNN's Hollie Silverman
An Atlanta police officer who was seen on video body slamming a woman at a protest near Lenox Square mall in the Buckhead area of Atlanta on May 29 has been placed on administrative assignment, according to a statement emailed to CNN by Atlanta Police Department public information officer Carlos Campos.
An investigation into the actions of the officer has been opened by the Department’s Office of Professional Standards to determine if he violated any department policies or procedures, Campos said in the statement.
Some context: Amber Jackson had her clavicle broken during the arrest for which she received a disorderly conduct citation, her attorney Mawuli Davis said during a news conference Friday afternoon.
Jackson was arrested after the car she was a passenger in was stopped because she tried remove a barricade blocking the road, according to the police statement.
Jackson’s fiancee, Andre Williams, is the grandson of civil rights leader Hosea Williams, he said at a news conference Friday afternoon. Williams was driving the car at the time of the incident.
“The woman refused the officer’s orders to exit the vehicle. He attempted to get her out of the car and the two struggled. During her effort to resist the arrest, the officer had to force her to the ground to get her in handcuffs,” the statement said.
An incident report has not yet been completed for this case, according to the statement.
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Here are the latest developments on the George Floyd protests
It’s almost 7:45 p.m. in New York. In case you’re just tuning into our live coverage, here are the important headlines today on protests and unrest following George Floyd’s death.
Defense secretary refuses to testify: Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley have refused to testify next week before the House Armed Services Committee regarding the military’s role responding to protests triggered by the death of George Floyd, a Democratic congressional aide confirmed to CNN Friday. An informal briefing for lawmakers by Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy was also canceled for Friday, the aide said.
Biden says Trump putting words in George Floyd’s mouth is “despicable”: “George Floyd’s last words — ‘I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe’ — have echoed all across this nation, quite frankly, all around the world. For the President to try to put any other words in the mouth of George Floyd, I frankly think it’s despicable,” Biden said, speaking from Delaware State University, a public historically black university in Dover.
NFL commissioner says league was wrong for not listening to players earlier about racism: Roger Goodell said it has been a difficult time for the country, in particular black Americans, and offered his condolences to the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and “all the families who have endured police brutality.”
DC paints a giant “Black Lives Matter” message on the road to the White House: The painters were contacted by DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and began work early Friday morning, the mayor’s office told CNN. Bowser has officially deemed the section of 16th Street bearing the mural “Black Lives Matter Plaza,” complete with a new street sign.
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Victim in Buffalo "alert and oriented," remains in serious but stable condition, lawyer says
From CNN's Paul Murphy
A lawyer representing the victim in Buffalo, Martin Gugino, released a statement Friday night saying that he is in “serious but stable condition” and is “alert and oriented.”
Some context: An investigation is underway after police officers were seen pushing Gugino, an incident Gov. Andrew Cuomo called “wholly unjustified and utterly disgraceful.”
Video of a demonstration Thursday shows a row of officers walking toward the man and two pushing him. His head bleeds onto the sidewalk as officers walk past him, some looking down at him.
Two officers were suspended without pay.
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: "Without the support of all Americans, nothing's going to happen"
From CNN's Jason Kurtz
CNN
Longtime social justice activist and NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said that in order to see change in America, all members of society must participate.
Abdul-Jabbar, a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and a six-time NBA champion, also reflected upon the killing of George Floyd and the subsequent state of unrest in America.
“The police probably feel like they are under fire. Maybe they are responding emotionally to what other people have had to deal with for a long time,” said Abdul-Jabbar, referencing a slew of recent ugly incidents — from Atlanta to Buffalo — involving law enforcement. “The fact that some police don’t respect everybody’s rights is what the problem is.”
Some background: More than 30 years removed from his final NBA season, Abdul-Jabbar remains the league’s all-time leader in points scored.
Since his retirement, he’s remained active socially and in 2016, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama. Abdul-Jabbar says people of color have long had to deal with racial bias and injustice at the hands of police, often times with deadly consequences.
“Anytime a cop has a bad day, they might take it out on us. And that is hard to deal with. And you have to live your life trying not to cross any lines with people who can be very, very touchy,” he told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer during his visit to “The Situation Room.”
“All of a sudden your race is an issue. It’s a bewildering thing to deal with, it’s hard to negotiate,” Abdul-Jabbar said.
On Friday, President Trump condemned the kneeling of sports figures during the playing of the national anthem. Abdul-Jabbar suspects Trump missed the meaning of the message.
“The president has his agenda and it has nothing to do with reality. He is referring to Colin Kaepernick taking a knee because he was dealing with the very issue that ended up taking George Floyd’s life,” he said, adding “that’s what Colin Kaepernick was about, that’s why he took a knee.”
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Manuel Ellis can be heard screaming "I can't breathe" on dispatcher audio
From CNN’s Konstantin Toropin
Manuel Ellis can be heard yelling “I can’t breathe” on Tacoma Police dispatcher audio from the night of his encounter with police and death on March 3 in Washington state, his family’s attorney said.
The recording, captured by the website Broadcastify, provides additional details on the deadly incident.
Officers can be heard asking for hobbles — a kind of leg restraint — at around 11:26 p.m. local. About 50 seconds later, as an officer relayed a message to the dispatcher, a male voice can be heard in the background exclaiming “I can’t breathe.”
A few minutes later, an officer can be heard requesting an ambulance.
CNN has reached out to the spokesman for the Pierce County Sheriff’s office, the agency investigating this matter, but did not immediately get a reply.
However, sheriff’s investigators confirmed to CNN affiliate KIRO the recording and said there is also a video of the incident logged into evidence.
“When he said he couldn’t breathe they rolled him on the side and he was breathing and he was talking,” Ed Troyer, spokesperson for the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, told KIRO.
The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office has determined Ellis died of respiratory arrest due to hypoxia due to physical restraint. Hypoxia is a condition in which the body is deprived of adequate oxygen supply.
The death certificate also lists contributing factors of methamphetamine intoxication and dilated cardiomyopathy, commonly known as an enlarged heart, the office told CNN.
The four officers involved in the incident have been placed on administrative leave.
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Buffalo mayor says investigation against the officers involved in pushing incident is proceeding
From CNN's Elizabeth Hartfield
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said the investigation into the police officers who pushed a protestor is proceeding, but said he was not calling for the officers to be fired at this time.
When asked by reporters if he was calling for the officers to be fired, Brown said no.
“I am not calling for them to be fired, I want the investigation to be conducted,” Brown said. “I don’t want to jump ahead of the investigation. It is very important that officers know that they are getting due process.”
In response to questions about 57 members of the police’s emergency response team resigning from the unit, Brown said that the city has a “contingency plan.”
“Buffalo will be safe this weekend,” he said. “We have a contingency plan, we always have a contingency plan.”
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Queens man arrested after allegedly threatening to kill protesters
From CNN's Alec Snyder
A man was arrested in Queens Thursday after allegedly chasing after protesters while wearing a four-bladed glove and driving on the sidewalk to run down protesters, according to a news release from the Queens County District Attorney.
Frank Cavalluzzi, 54, was charged with attempted murder, attempted assault, reckless endangerment, menacing, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal possession of a weapon, the release announced. He surrendered to police Thursday, two days after the alleged incident took place.
Queens County District Attorney Melinda Katz provided more information on the allegations in the release.
Cavalluzzi’s attorney, Stephen J. Murphy, told CNN Thursday that he found the prosecution of his client to be “patently absurd.” He added that the police originally did not charge Cavalluzzi with attempted murder.
CNN reviewed the charges with the NYPD which confirmed that attempted murder was not included in the arrest report, according to Det. Arlene Muniz.
It is not uncommon for charges to be revised or upgraded over time.
Murphy said he spoke with Cavalluzzi before he surrendered but has not spoken to him since his arrest. He also didn’t know where Cavalluzzi was being held.
Cavalluzzi was held on $100,000 bond, which he did not post, according to Renea Henry, a public information officer with the Queens County District Attorney. He is scheduled to make his next court appearance on July 2, online court records show.
Cavalluzzi faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted, the district attorney’s release said.
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Denver's curfew expired on Friday
From CNN's Melissa Alonso
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock allowed the city’s curfew to expire Friday at 5 a.m., he said in a tweet.
The curfew was put in place last week when protests began across the country following the killing of George Floyd.
“Please stay safe out there,” Hancock said in the tweet.
Read Hancock’s message:
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Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand to donate $100 million to racial equality
From CNN's Jabari Jackson
Jordan Brand via Getty Images
In a joint statement, Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand revealed a plan to donate $100 million over the next 10 years to organizations “dedicated” to racial equality, social justice and education.
Some context: This announcement comes a day after Jordan Brand’s parent company, Nike, committed to $40 million over the next four years to support the black community in the United States, as protests condemning institutional racism sweep across the nation.
Read the tweet with the full statement:
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57 Buffalo Police Emergency Response Team members resign after 2 officers suspended
From CNN's Elizabeth Hartfield
At least 57 members of the Police Emergency Response Team in Buffalo have resigned from their posts in response to the suspension of the two officers involved in the shoving of a 75-year-old man, a source close to the situation confirmed to CNN.
The two officers were suspended without pay.
The man’s identity, Martin Gugino, was confirmed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office Friday. Gugino is hospitalized in serious but stable condition, authorities said Friday.
CNN has reached out to the Buffalo PBA and the Buffalo PD for further comment.
Watch the incident:
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"Black Lives Matter" is now painted on a DC road that leads to the White House
From CNN's AJ Willingham
Khalid Naji-Allah/Executive Office of the Mayor via AP
Washington, DC, painted a message in giant, yellow letters down a busy DC street ahead of a planned protest this weekend: BLACK LIVES MATTER.
The massive banner-like project spans two blocks of 16th Street, a central axis that leads southward straight to the White House.
Each of the 16 bold, yellow letters spans the width of the two-lane street, creating an unmistakable visual easily spotted by aerial cameras and virtually anyone within a few blocks.
The painters were contacted by DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and began work early Friday morning, the mayor’s office told CNN.
The mayor tweeted a video showing the painted message from above:
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Share your experiences with unconscious bias
From CNN's Melissa Mahtani
CNN’s Fredricka Whitfield will host an hour-long special, “Unconscious Bias: Facing the Realities of Racism,” at 10 p.m. ET on Sunday, and we want to hear from you.
Have you ever felt that you were treated differently or treated someone differently because of unconscious bias in your community, school or workplace? What happened and how did you feel? Please share your experiences in the form below with your name and contact information, and we may use some of the responses on Sunday.
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Minneapolis council member stands against rebuilding police station burned in protest
From CNN's Melissa Alonso
Minneapolis council member Alondra Cano does not want to rebuild Minneapolis Police’s third precinct after it was burned down last week, said Cano, who represents the city’s 9th Ward.
Cano did not specify what the space could be used for, but said she wants the commissioners to “use that process as an opportunity to engage our community members in the same way we’ve been doing for the past week.”
Cano said her office is also looking into renaming Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis. There is a charge.org petition to rename the street in honor of George Floyd.
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Erie County executive wishes 75-year-old man pushed during protest a "speedy recovery"
From CNN's Sheena Jones
@MikeDesmondWBFO/Twitter
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz wished a “speedy recovery” to 75-year-old Martin Gugino, who was allegedly pushed to the ground by Buffalo police Thursday evening.
Poloncarz made the comments during a press conference Friday afternoon.
Poloncarz went on to say he believes the district attorney is going to do the right thing and move forward to prosecute.
Some context: An investigation is underway after police officers were seen pushing Gugino, an incident Gov. Andrew Cuomo called “wholly unjustified and utterly disgraceful.”
Video of a demonstration Thursday shows a row of officers walking toward the man and two pushing him. His head bleeds onto the sidewalk as officers walk past him, some looking down at him.
Two officers were suspended without pay.
Gugino is hospitalized in serious but stable condition, authorities said Friday.
Watch the incident:
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Minnesota attorney general: "We're going to put everything we have into" George Floyd case
CNN
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said the case against the four former Minneapolis police officers charged in the killing of George Floyd will “be a difficult job in court.”
In an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, he’s confident a possible jury would find the officers guilty.
He added that Floyd— whose death set off 10 days of protests across the country — is not on trial.
“I think it is not good when the image of the victim gets tarnished in situations like this. You know, Mr. Floyd’s not on trial. Those four people who were charged in the complaint are,” he said.
On Wednesday, Ellison announced that the Minneapolis Police officer who pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck was charged with a new, more serious count of second-degree murder, and the three other officers on scene during his killing were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.
Watch a portion of the interview:
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Trump calls the mayor of Washington, DC, "incompetent"
From CNN's Jason Hoffman
President Trump called Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser, “incompetent” and said if she does not treat the National Guard well, “then we’ll bring in a different group of men and women!” the President wrote on Twitter.
Earlier on Friday, Bowser wrote a letter to Trump requesting federal law enforcement be withdrawn from the district.
Bowser responded to Trump’s criticism saying “You know the thing about the pot and the kettle?”
Bowser has also spoken out about how peaceful protesters were pushed back from the area around the White House on Monday night.
“When they pushed out onto a DC street, that is too far and that is what we push back on,” Bowser said Thursday, confirming that the city was successful in moving the federal forces back toward Lafayette Park.
Washington, DC, streets are under the jurisdiction of the Washington, DC Metropolitan Police Department, but the area around the White House complex falls under federal jurisdiction.
Read Trump’s tweet:
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Minneapolis City Council approves restraining order against police
From CNN's Melissa Alonso
The Minneapolis City Council passed a restraining order against the city’s police department at an afternoon meeting.
The restraining order is temporary and will still need a judge’s approval before being enacted.
The order bans the use of chokeholds by police and also requires police to report and intervene if the banned practice is used.
Additionally, the Minneapolis police chief must authorize the use of crowd control weapons, such as rubber bullets and tear gas, according to the order.
The order also requires timely discipline decisions and allows for civilian audits of bodycam footage.
“This is a moment in time where we can totally change the way our police department operates,” Mayor Jacob Frey said.
Frey said there were difficulties in the past to make change like this and “now we can finally get this right.”
In the order, which was obtained by CNN, the city council said it hopes to build “toward systematic change.”
Velma Korbel, director of civil rights for Minneapolis, said she hopes “state legislature will be compelled to act, to change the laws that impede the city for making the deep systemic change required, and the community has the demanding for decades.”
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National Guard member removed from mission after expressing white supremacist ideology online
From CNN’s Rebekah Riess
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced that a member of the Ohio National Guard has been removed from the mission in Washington, DC, after the FBI uncovered information that the guardsman expressed white supremacist ideology on the internet, prior to this assignment.
According to the governor, the Ohio National Guard and the Ohio Department of Public Safety are cooperating with the FBI in its investigation of the incident, and the guardsman has been suspended from all missions, effective immediately.
“Following due process, it is highly likely, when these facts are confirmed, that he will be permanently removed from the Ohio National Guard,” DeWine added.
The governor said he has directed Major General John Harris, the adjutant general of Ohio, to work with Public Safety Director Tom Stickrath to set up a procedure so occurrences like this don’t happen in the future.
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Defense secretary orders remaining active duty troops in Washington, DC, region to return to base
From CNN's Mike Callahan
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on May 15
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has ordered the remaining active duty troops who were brought to the Washington, DC, area to return to their home base of Fort Drum in New York, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said Friday.
On Thursday, roughly 700 of the 1,600 active duty troops who were brought to the Washington, DC, area were returning to Fort Bragg.
A small active duty of the “old guard” based in Arlington remain on stand by for assistance, McCarthy said.
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Watch the moment New Jersey police officers kneeled alongside protesters
From CNN's Christina Zdanowicz
Courtesy Magdalena Fisher
A black officer and a white officer from the Ocean City Police Department in New Jersey took a knee alongside protesters on Tuesday.
CNN affiliate WPVI identified the black Ocean City police officer as Tyrone Rolls. He gave a passionate speech about being able to feel both sides, saying he’s not recognized as an officer when he’s not in uniform.
The Ocean City Police Department thanked those who participated in the Tuesday protest against police brutality.
“You set the standard for the country to follow,” police said on Facebook. “You were courageous and inspiring. You have our respect and support. Your voices were heard. We join you in demanding an end to police brutality. Today, we, the OCPD, thank you and commit to work tirelessly with you to ensure real change.”
Watch the moment Rolls and his fellow officer took a knee:
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New Jersey officials expect more than 100 protests across the state this weekend
From CNN's Elizabeth Hartfield
Gov. Murphy's Office
New Jersey police are monitoring about 30 demonstrations today, and they are expecting upwards of 100 demonstrations across the state across both Saturday and Sunday, New Jersey State Police Superintendent Colonel Pat Callahan said Friday.
Overall protests have largely been peaceful in the state.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy repeatedly urged protestors to wear face coverings, try to maintain social distancing and to get tested for Covid-19 if they can.
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41,500 National Guard members are responding to civil unrest across the country
From CNN's Ryan Browne
Members of the D.C. National Guard patrol the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, on June 3.
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call/Getty Images
The number of National Guard members responding to protests and civil unrest across the country has grown to 41,500 in 33 states and the District of Columbia.
On Thursday, there were 32,400 Guard members in 32 states and District of Columbia
In Washington, DC there are currently 5,100 total National Guard — 1,200 from DC plus 3,900 from out-of-state.
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New York governor says city officials should pursue firing the police officers who pushed an elderly man
From CNN's Laura Dolan
State of New York
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the Buffalo police officers who pushed a 75-year-old man at a protest Thursday should be fired.
Cuomo also said the district attorney should look into the situation for possible criminal charges and that he should move “fairly but quickly.”
“I would encourage the district attorney not to do what happened in Minneapolis, which the delay itself caused issues,” said the governor, adding, “People don’t want vaguery. They are upset and want answers.”
Some background: Two police officers in Buffalo, New York, were suspended without pay Thursday after video showed them pushing a 75-year-old man, causing him to fall back and hit his head on the sidewalk, Buffalo Police Department spokesperson Mike DeGeorge told CNN.
Earlier today, Mark Poloncarz, Erie County Executive, said the man in the video is “alert and oriented.”
Cuomo said in the news conference today that he has spoken to the man.
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DC mayor unveils "Black Lives Matter Plz NW" near White House
From CNN's Nicky Robertson
A man mounts the new "Black Lives Matter Plz NW" street sign to a pole in Washington, on June 5.
CNN
Washington DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser unveiled “Black Lives Matter Plz NW,” on the corner of H and 16th Streets, separated from the White House only by Lafayette Park. A new street sign was put up today.
This is in the same area that she also commissioned the words “Black Lives Matter” to be painted in bright yellow onto the street.
Bowser told reporters outside of St John’s Church next to Lafayette Park, that she and DC Council members were there “as Washingtonians — we simply all want to be here together in peace to demonstrate that in America — you can peacefully assemble, you can bring grievances to your government, and you can demand change.”
President Trump held a photo-op outside St John’s Church on Monday night, after federal law enforcement forcibly cleared out protesters from Lafayette Park. On Tuesday morning Bowser told CNN “we were very shocked and quite frankly outraged” by the clearing out.
This morning, Bowser formally requested President Trump remove all federal law enforcement and military presence from DC.
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Gov. Cuomo urges New York to pass "Say Their Name" police reform bill next week
State of New York
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a new police reform bill called “Say Their Name” that he says he wants the New York state government to pass next week.
Cuomo explained in a news conference today that the reform agenda comes from the “long list of names of people we have seen who have been abused by police officers, by the justice system.” Cuomo noted that George Floyd is the latest name “in a very long list.”
Cuomo listed four cornerstones of the bill:
Transparency of prior disciplinary records of police officers
No chokeholds
False race-based 911 report should be classified as a hate crime
Attorney general should act as an independent prosecutor for police murders.
Cuomo emphasized that most police officers do the right thing, saying, “stopping police abuse vindicates the overwhelming majority, 99.9% of police, who are there to do the right thing and do do the right thing every day.”
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New York governor on Buffalo police shoving: "Where was the threat?"
Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks at a news conference in Albany, New York on June 5.
State of New York
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he’s spoken to the 75-year-old man who was seen being pushed by police officers during a Buffalo protest.
Some background: Two police officers in Buffalo, New York, were suspended without pay Thursday after video showed them pushing a 75-year-old man, causing him to fall back and hit his head on the sidewalk, Buffalo Police Department spokesperson Mike DeGeorge told CNN.
Earlier today, Mark Poloncarz, Erie County Executive, said the man in the video is “alert and oriented.”
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Trump invokes George Floyd's name during speech
From CNN's Maegan Vazquez
President Trump speaks at a news conference at the White House in Washington, on June 5.
Pool
President Trump invoked George Floyd’s name during his press appearance at the White House celebrating Friday’s new jobs numbers.
In one of the few sections of his speech that appeared to come from prepared remarks, Trump said, “Equal justice under the law must mean that every American receives equal treatment in every encounter with law enforcement regardless of race, color, gender or creed. They have to receive fair treatment from law enforcement. They have to receive it.”
“It’s what our Constitution requires and it’s what our country is all about,” he concluded.
Prior to his comments about Floyd and equal justice under the law, Trump’s remarks about ongoing demonstrations in the wake of Floyd’s death had been mostly focused on praising the job law enforcement was doing to quell demonstrators and urging some states to allow the National Guard in.
“Call me, we’ll be ready for them so fast their heads will spin,” he said, noting success in Minneapolis, criticizing the city’s mayor.
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75-year-old pushed by police officers in Buffalo during protest "alert and oriented," official says
From CNN’s Taylor Romine, Elizabeth Joseph and Jay Croft
@MikeDesmondWBFO/Twitter
The 75-year-old man who was pushed by two police officers in Buffalo, New York, causing him to fall back and hit his head on a sidewalk Thursday evening, is “alert and oriented,” Mark Poloncarz, Erie County Executive tweeted Friday morning, citing information relayed to him by a hospital official.
The Erie County District Attorney’s Office continues to investigate the incident caught on camera.
“He was unable to provide a statement to investigators last night,” the DA’s office said on Twitter.
Some background: Based on initial video, police issued a statement that said the man tripped and fell. As more videos became available and police amended the statement and Commissioner Byron Lockwood suspended the officers and opened an investigation.
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New York City mayor: "You will see change in this city, and you will see change in the NYPD"
From CNN's Sheena Jones
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks at Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn, New York, during a memorial service for George Floyd on June 4.
Lev Radin/Sipa/AP
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he could feel the anger from the crowd as he attended the memorial for George Floyd in Brooklyn Thursday.
Words matter but “actions matter more,” de Blasio said.
Protest during the day and at night were “overwhelming peaceful,” de Blasio said.
The city’s mayor has faced criticism for the New York Police Department’s actions in handling protests over George Floyd’s death.
Several incidents caught on video showing NYPD officers during recent demonstrations — including one showing an officer who apparently drew his gun amid protesters, a police vehicle moving into a crowd and an officer pushing a woman — are under investigation, according to the mayor.
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Atlanta's curfew will go into effect at 8 p.m. tonight
From CNN's Tina Burnside
Police officers are seen during a demonstration in Atlanta on May 31.
Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images
The city of Atlanta announced on Friday that the city’s curfew has been moved up from 9 p.m. ET to 8 p.m. ET tonight, according to a tweet from the city.
The curfew, which starts at 8 p.m. ET and goes through 6 a.m. ET, is effective starting on Friday and will remain into effect through Sunday.
Exceptions apply to people seeking medical help, working, first responders and the homeless, the city tweeted.
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Spanish prime minister "concerned" about US "authoritarian ways" against protesters
From CNN's Max Ramsay in London and Laura Pérez Maestro in Madrid
Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain, addresses a parliamentary plenary session in Madrid on June 3.
Alberto Di Lolli/Pool/AFP/Getty Images
Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, has expressed his concerns about the latest events in the US following protests over George Floyd’s death.
Sanchez joins other European leaders who have expressed their thoughts regarding the recent events happening in the US.
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesperson said earlier this week that Germany’s government is “shocked by the death of George Floyd” and added that “we hope that this violence ends and we hope that the many wise and humane voices that exist in America too, those who are peacefully working for improvements (…) who are striving to end racism, are being heard.”
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DC mayor officially requests Trump remove all federal law enforcement and military presence from the city
From CNN's Nicky Robertson and Dan Berman
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser speaks during a news conference in Washington on June 1.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has written an extensive letter to President Trump requesting federal law enforcement be withdrawn from the district, arguing that the units are “inflaming” and “adding to the grievances” of people protesting over the death of George Floyd.
The letter echoes Bowser’s comments during a news conference yesterday where she said she wants out-of-state military troops out of the nation’s capital after they were called in to handle the protests over the death of Floyd.
The letter, dated June 4, is not currently on the dc.gov website but was just posted to her twitter page.
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Richmond mayor on removal of Confederate statue: "Now it's the time for change"
From CNN's Adrienne Vogt
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney on CNN's "New Day" on June 5.
“Now it’s the time for change,” Stoney said in an interview with CNN’s John Berman. “It’s a new day in Richmond. And these are symbols of racism. They’ve been symbols of racism for a very, very long time. They’re symbols of racism that were put there to intimidate black and brown people and put them in their place. And this is just a symbol of institutional racism that I think needs to go. And we have been working towards this for a very, very long time. And now is the time,”
Protests over the death of George Floyd have recently congregated around the six-story statue, with his image projected onto the monument.
“To see now that image of George Floyd projected on there shows we have come a long way, but we have more to do,” Stoney said.
Some lawmakers oppose the removal of the statue. State Sen. Amanda Chase, who is running for governor, said in a video that “there is an overt effort here to erase all white history.”
Stoney said that view is ignorant and dismissive of black people.
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What protests were like around the country last night
From CNN's Madeline Holcombe
Demonstrators march up Main Street in Kansas City, Missouri, on June 4.
Charlie Riedel/AP
Protesters rallied across the country for a 10th straight night yesterday to protest the killing of George Floyd.
If you’re just reading in, here’s what you need to know about the protests last night:
Mostly peaceful: Protests that were chaotic and confrontational last week were largely peaceful on Thursday. Demonstrators continue to call for justice for Floyd, who died after three officers kneeled on him.
In New York City: Assistant Chief Jeffrey Maddrey, NYPD’s Commanding Officer of Patrol at Brooklyn North, told CNN he was able to deescalate interactions between police and protesters. “I understand people are frustrated … people want to see justice for what happened in Minneapolis, but I just asked people to be cool, a lot of the people out here are very respectful, they just want to go protest,” Maddrey said.
In Atlanta: Police and protesters were also seen negotiating outside the CNN Center in Atlanta as the city reached its 9 p.m. curfew. While they debated the protests continuing in the night, both agreed they did not want to see it turn to conflict.
Still some instances of violence: Two police officers in Buffalo, New York, were suspended without pay Thursday after video showed them pushing a 75-year-old man, causing him to fall back and hit his head on the sidewalk, Buffalo Police Department spokesman Mike DeGeorge told CNN. The man is hospitalized in serious but stable condition, DeGeorge said Friday.
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Ahmaud Arbery's mother says her son was killed "because of the color of his skin"
From CNN's Adrienne Vogt
S. Lee Merritt, Ahmaud Arbery family attorney, and Wanda Cooper, Arbery's mother, on CNN's "New Day" on June 5.
CNN
The mother of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old from Georgia who was fatally shot while jogging, says new details in the case confirm “that Ahmaud was killed because of the color of his skin.”
The details of Arbery’s last moments emerged during a week of nationwide protests over George Floyd’s death — and demonstrators have also called for justice in Arbery’s case.
“It was very heartbreaking, it was very saddening and, most of all, very shocking … Knowing what really happened in the final minutes of my son’s life was very shocking. Unbelievable,” Cooper said.
She added that she wants justice for her son’s death and for people around the US to remember him as they protest other killings.
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Australian Black Lives Matter activists plan to march in defiance of a Supreme Court injunction
From CNN's Angus Watson in Sydney
People protest during a Black Lives Matter rally in Sydney on June 2.
Izhar Khan/NurPhoto/Getty Images
Supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement in Sydney, Australia, plan to go ahead with a rally set for Saturday despite a Supreme Court injunction ruling that it is illegal.
Police in the state of New South Wales (NSW) took the matter to the New South Wales Supreme Court in Sydney on Friday night in a last-ditch attempt to have the protest banned due to coronavirus safety concerns.
Supreme Court Justice Desmond Fagan ruled that an NSW Public Health Order banning large gatherings “applies to everyone” and that in this case the right to protest is being “deferred.”
Fagan added that social distancing has been crucial to Australia’s suppression of the disease. As of Friday, NSW had not had a local contraction of coronavirus for nine days. Four new positive cases announced on Friday involved people returning from overseas.
Earlier on Friday, NSW Police Commissioner David Elliot referred to anyone who planned to protest on Friday as “nuts.”
Protest organizers, however, said they would continue with the march. “We are not going to stop. We are going to march. We don’t care what any acts of law tells us what to do because those acts and laws are killing us,” said Letona Dungay, the mother of David Dungay, an Aboriginal man who died in a Sydney prison in 2015.
In a statement on Friday night, NSW Green Party MP David Shoebridge wrote: “First Nations people are organizing this protest and asking for solidarity. Let’s be clear with this late decision people will still attend. We will now work to make any gathering as safe as possible.”
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Minneapolis City Council to discuss a temporary restraining order at emergency meeting
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey speaks during a news conference in the city on May 27.
Evan Frost/Minnesota Public Radio/AP
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is calling an emergency meeting of the City Council to consider a temporary restraining order, the city clerk tweeted out Thursday.
The draft of the temporary restraining order from the Minnesota Department of Human Rights will be presented in the emergency session Friday, tweeted Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender.
The temporary restraining order will address “use of force with more consequences and other very very short term things,” Bender said in a separate Twitter post.
The emergency meeting is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. local time.
George Floyd died on May 25 after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into his neck for nearly nine minutes while Floyd was lying on the street.
All four officers on scene during Floyd’s killing were fired and are now facing charges in his death.
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London Mayor urges Black Lives Matter protesters to follow social distancing measures
From CNN's Sharon Braithwaite in London
Protesters take part in a Black Lives Matter demonstration in central London on June 3.
Ilyas Tayfun Salci/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has urged Black Lives Matter protesters to keep 2 meters (6 feet) apart and wear a face covering ahead of a planned demonstration in the city’s central Trafalgar Square on Friday.
“We understand why people want to protest and make clear that Black Lives Matter, it’s really important that people who feel strongly about this are able to protest, but we are in the midst of a global pandemic,” Khan told Sky News on Friday.
He urged protesters to wash their hands thoroughly and regularly, and that if they can’t do so, they should use hand sanitizer. “These rules are there to keep you safe and your loved ones as well,” he added.
Khan said during the last London protest on Wednesday “the vast, vast majority of those protesting did so peacefully, lawfully and safely” but a “very small minority acted in a way that is unacceptable, were abusive and violent towards our police officers. There can’t be an excuse for doing so.”
He added: “What they’ve done is not only injure our police officers and be abusive towards them, but they detracted from what is an important issue, Black Lives Matter. George Floyd’s awful, brutal death is what we should be talking about and addressing the racism, the discrimination and the inequalities black people face in my city, in our country and around the world.”
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Dutch PM says his views on blackface character Black Pete have undergone "major changes"
From CNN's Mick Krever in London
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte speaks at a press conference in The Hague, Netherlands, on March 31.
Bart Maat/ANP/AFP/Getty Images
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has said his views on the national tradition of dressing in blackface to portray the character Zwarte Piet (Black Pete) have undergone “major changes.”
His comments came as anti-racism protesters across the Netherlands have taken to the streets in solidarity with George Floyd. The blackface character Black Pete, traditionally portrayed by Dutch people to mark Saint Nicholas day in December, has come under increasing criticism in recent years. The protests have been organized in part by a group called “Black Pete is Racism.”
He said that his views had been influenced by speaking with people with “a darker skin color” and young children who told him, “‘I feel incredibly discriminated against because Pete is black.’”
Still, Rutte said, the government should not dictate that Black Pete be banned. And he expressed sympathy for those who do not want to let go of “that symbol.”
He said that he believed that the practice “is changing over time under pressure from the societal debate” and his expectation was that in a number of years “you will hardly see any more Black Petes.”
“There are also people who say, ‘I do not want – while I am totally not discriminatory or racist – to be forced to let go of that symbol, which I have never seen as a discriminatory symbol.’ That makes this discussion so nuanced, and so complicated.”
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Police searching for cyclist who was filmed accosting people posting Black Lives Matter flyers
From CNN's Rebekah Riess and Connor Spielmaker
Park Police have released images of the suspect, asking for help in finding the man.
Photo provided to CNN
Police in Maryland are looking for a cyclist who was caught on video assaulting three people posting flyers in support of Black Lives Matter on Monday.
A man and two women were walking on the Capital Crescent Trail in Montgomery County, posting flyers in support of Black Lives Matter, when the suspect started to argue with them about the flyers and grabbed the flyers from one of the victims, the release said.
Police say the suspect then pushed his bicycle and started to charge one of the victims, causing them to fall to the ground.
The man who shot the video of the cyclist confronting him and his friends while posting the signs told CNN they were out trying to influence change.
Park Police have released images of the suspect, asking for help in finding the man, who is described as a 50 to 60-year-old white male, medium build, 6 feet in height, with short brown hair.
But despite the sudden shift, the truth is coronavirus isn’t over.
So far this week, 4,430 people have been reported dead, an average of 886 a day. Of the total number of deaths this week, 1,036 were reported in the past 24 hours.
And officials fear those numbers will rise significantly with the nationwide George Floyd protests.
All week, protesters have chanted slogans and shouted Floyd’s name, some without masks. During arrests, police have loaded them into vehicles and holding cells – without social distancing.
What 10 days of protest and grief look like across America
Demonstrators protest near the White House on June 4 in Washington.
Evan Vucci/AP
It has now been more than 10 days since George Floyd died in Minneapolis, Minnesota, under the weight of a police officer’s knee on his neck.
Since then, protests have taken place across the nation, from major cities to small rural towns.
Last weekend and the first few days of this week were marked by growing unrest, with many protests ending in violent clashes. In some cities, protesters threw projectiles and shone lasers, while police fired tear gas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets.
Police officers stand in formation after curfew on Thursday night in New York.
John Minchillo/AP
The violence, and widespread looting in cities like New York, prompted authorities to enact curfews in many cities, including Washington, DC, and Los Angeles.
Still, for many nights, protesters ignored the curfew and stayed on the streets. In some places, police allowed them to keep demonstrating past curfew if things stayed peaceful. In other places, officers enforced the curfew by arresting protesters, sometimes with force.
Protesters march in the streets of San Diego, California, on June 4.
Gregory Bull/AP
As the week comes to an end, the raw anger appears to be ebbing, with fewer violent confrontations, reports of looting, and arrests. Protests on Wednesday and Thursday were largely peaceful, save for a few outlying incidents.
There was also a sense of grief and mourning that set in on Thursday, when the first of several memorial services took place in Minneapolis.
Floyd’s family was joined by dozens of guests, including civil rights leaders Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton, Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, Martin Luther King III and comedian Kevin Hart.
Philonise Floyd speaks at the memorial service for his brother George on June 4. He said George had "touched many hearts" and that the audience in Minneapolis was a testament of that. "Everybody wants justice, we want justice for George," Philonise said. "He's going to get it."
Julio Cortez/AP
It’s not just the US either – thousands of people are protesting in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement around the world, from Sydney to London to Paris. And in some cases, it’s shining a spotlight on issues of racial equality in other countries.
George Floyd remembered at memorial for changing the world
From CNN's Madeline Holcombe
George Floyd’s brother joyfully shared memories of their childhood together in Houston – from eating banana and mayonnaise sandwiches to playing football together – during the first of several memorials planned in Floyd’s honor.
But Philonise Floyd also said it was painful to be so close to his brother for the first time since his death.
Floyd’s death has reignited conversations over racial bias and police brutality in the US.
Recalling video of Floyd’s daughter, Gianna, on a friend’s shoulders saying “Daddy changed the world,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said in a news conference Thursday that he is seeing “a reawakening of our national conscious, one that was long overdue.”
And Flint, Michigan, Sheriff Chris Swanson said that the message from Floyd’s death has been a tipping point that will change policing in America forever.
“Get your rest, George,” Rev. Al Sharpton said at the memorial. “You changed the world, George.”
Stacey Abrams: We need to vote to cure a nation "diseased by racism"
From CNN’s Annie Grayer
Stacey Abrams, the former top Democrat in the Georgia House of Representatives, condemned US President Donald Trump’s handling of the protests and urged people to take their anger and frustrations to the polls later this year.
Speaking to CNN on Thursday night, Abrams pointed to the clashes between police and protesters on Monday outside the White House, shortly before Trump walked to St. John’s Church to take a photo with a Bible.
She added that she hadn’t joined the protests in Atlanta because she didn’t want to distract from the efforts of young activists taking the lead. Instead, she has tried to support the movement by helping provide lawyers and bail funds.
On voting: Abrams urged people to turn anger into action come November when the presidential election arrives.
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What we know about the four ex-police officers charged in George Floyd's death
From CNN's Harmeet Kaur and Nicole Chavez
Derek Chauvin, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao face charges in the death of George Floyd.
Hennepin County Sheriff's Office/AP
Four Minneapolis police officers were responding to a call about a $20 counterfeit bill on May 25 when they detained George Floyd, who died while in custody.
The four officers were fired and are now facing charges in Floyd’s death.
Here’s an abridged summary of what we know about them.
Derek Chauvin:
He pressed his knee into George Floyd’s neck while Floyd was lying on the street.
He was charged with a new, more serious count of second-degree murder. He had previously been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
He was with the Minneapolis Police Department for nearly 19 years, and was the subject of at least 18 prior complaints, only two of which were “closed with discipline.”
J. Alexander Kueng:
He was charged Wednesday with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
He was hired as a police officer with the Minneapolis Police Department in December. He had no prior complaints. When Floyd’s death took place, it was Kueng’s third shift as a police officer, said his attorney.
Thomas Lane:
He was charged Wednesday with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
He joined the police department as a cadet in February 2019. He didn’t have a history of complaints. Lane had been on the police force for four days when Floyd died, according to his attorney.
Tou Thao:
Hestood near the other officers as they restrained Floyd.
He was charged Wednesday with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
Thao had been an officer with the Minneapolis Police Department since 2012.
Military personnel were injured by a lightning strike in Washington, DC
Two military personnel were injured by a lightning strike shortly after midnight in the area around Washington’s Lafayette Park, where protesters have been gathering nightly.
Both sustained non-life threatening injuries, DC Fire and EMS said in a tweet.
The curfew was lifted tonight in DC, with protests staying peaceful all day. Demonstrators stayed in the streets late into the night, many near the Lafayette Park perimeter.
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If you're just joining us, here are the latest developments on the George Floyd protests
Protesters take a knee in front of police officers on June 4 in the Brooklyn borough of New York.
Frank Franklin II/AP
Nationwide protests against police brutality and racial injustice were largely peaceful on Thursday, with many cities lifting their curfews to reflect the calmer demonstrations. It’s now just past 11:30 p.m. in Los Angeles, but in many major cities, small crowds remain on the streets.
Here’s what you need to know:
In New York, police arrested several protesters in Manhattan’s Midtown for marching past the 8 p.m. curfew. Further upstate in Buffalo, two police officers were suspended without pay after pushing a 75-year-old man to the ground during a protest. The man was hospitalized in a stable but serious condition, Buffalo’s mayor said.
In LA and Washington, DC, curfews were lifted on Thursday after peaceful protests over the past few nights. Protesters still gathered to demonstrate, but there were no clashes.
A memorial service to honor George Floyd took place in Minneapolis. Floyd’s family was joined by dozens of guests, including civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, Martin Luther King III and comedian Kevin Hart.
More memorials to come: People in Raeford, North Carolina, and Houston, Texas, will be able to pay their respects to Floyd in the next five days, with public and private memorials planned.
Military leaders speak out: Gen. John Allen, the former commander of American forces in Afghanistan, joined former Defense Secretary James Mattis and a chorus of other former military leaders in condemning US President Donald Trump’s handling of the protests.
Bail set at $1 million: A judge set bail for three former Minneapolis police officers charged in Floyd’s death at $1 million each, or $750,000 under certain conditions. Bail for a fourth former officer was raised to $1 million Wednesday, court documents show.
Ahmaud Arbery: In a preliminary hearing, the investigator testified that Arbery – a black man who was shot dead in Georgia in February – was hit with a truck before he died, and his killer allegedly used a racial slur. The judge ruled all three defendants in that case would stand trial on all charges.
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Al Sharpton announces new March on Washington led by families of black people killed by police
From CNN's Devan Cole
Rev. Al Sharpton speaks at a memorial service for George Floyd on June 4 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Sharpton said the event will be led by the families of black people who have died at the hands of police officers, including Floyd’s family. Sharpton made the announcement while speaking at Floyd’s memorial service on Thursday.
“On August 28, the 57th anniversary of the March on Washington, we’re going back to Washington,” Sharpton said as he delivered a eulogy for Floyd, a black man who was killed last week by a white police officer in Minneapolis, during the memorial service.
Sharpton said the march is going to be led by the families that “know the pain” and know what it’s like to be “neglected,” including the families of Floyd and Eric Garner, a black man who was choked to death in 2014 by a police officer in New York.
Arbery family attorney: "This was an intentional act by men who were motivated by hate"
From CNN’s Jennifer Henderson
Lee Merritt, the attorney for Ahmaud Arbery’s family, told CNN on Thursday that Arbery’s killing was “an intentional act by men who were motivated by hate.”
Arbery, a black man, was shot and killed while jogging in Brunswick, Georgia, on February 23. In a preliminary hearing today, the investigator testified that Arbery’s killer had allegedly used a racial slur.
“We heard the N-word used repeatedly, but every interaction they had with Ahmaud seemed to be based on a fear of his black skin. And we just heard it over and over and over again as they walked through the narrative, and it seemed like the defense was leaning into that as a defense, that Ahmaud was a menacing black man, even as he ran away,” Merritt said.
Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper, told CNN it was “heartbreaking” to hear about the slur.
“I often imagine the last minutes of my son’s life. I didn’t imagine it would be that harsh, but to learn that that statement was made in the last seconds of his life – again, it was very heartbreaking,” she said.
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Trump has walled himself off from America's conversation on racism
Analysis from CNN's Stephen Collinson
US President Donald Trump arrives at the White House on May 30 in Washington.
Eric Baradat/AFP/Getty Images
Part of America is tiptoeing toward an uncomfortable self-examination about race. But President Donald Trump, bunkered down in his fortress behind high fences now ringing the White House, is spurning a building wave of national reflection.
Sensing a moment of national reckoning, some major corporations, company managers, major sports leagues and white politicians have felt compelled to speak out. Anecdotal signs of a shift can be seen in Amazon bestseller lists dominated by books about racial prejudice. A story about a heart-to-heart about race between an airline executive and a flight attendant from a rival carrier was a feel-good moment in a wrenching week.
There is a notable absentee from this broadening debate: Trump. While he has condemned Floyd’s death and promised justice several times, the President, who has a history of flinging racist rhetoric, is not examining his own prejudices.
Instead, Trump has amplified accusations that former President Barack Obama inflamed racial angst, boasted that he’s done more for African Americans than any President but Abraham Lincoln, had federal forces charge peaceful protesters so he could have a divisive photo-op and threatened to send troops into the states.
And then, later on Thursday, Trump shared a letter on Twitter that referred to the peaceful protesters who were forcibly dispersed from a park near the White House as “terrorists.”
Two police officers have been suspended in Buffalo, New York, after pushing an elderly man
In Buffalo, New York, two police officers have been suspended without pay after knocking down a 75-year-old man during the protests, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said in a statement on Thursday night.
Brown said he was “deeply disturbed” by video of the incident, and that the police commissioner has directed an immediate investigation into the matter.
“After days of peaceful protests and several meetings between myself, police leadership and members of the community, tonight’s event is disheartening,” he said. “My thoughts are with the victim tonight.”
The video shows the man falling backward after being pushed and lying still with what appears to be blood on the ground below his head.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo also condemned the incident, saying he had spoken with Brown about it.
“This incident is wholly unjustified and utterly disgraceful. I’ve spoken with Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and we agree that the officers involved should be immediately suspended pending a formal investigation. Police Officers must enforce — NOT ABUSE — the law,” Cuomo tweeted.
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Los Angeles has lifted its curfew, and protesters are peacefully marching through downtown
CNN's Kyung Lah reports from a protest on Thursday night in Los Angeles.
CNN
As night falls in Los Angeles, protests are still continuing in full force.
There is no curfew in the city today, and demonstrations have stayed peaceful all day, without violent confrontations or clashes, according to CNN Correspondent Kyung Lah at the scene.
One group of protesters is now marching through a tunnel in downtown LA, Lah said.
Protesters chant slogans as they march, with music and drum beats blaring in the background. Cars are slowly moving through the tunnel along with marchers, with many drivers and passengers holding protest signs or raised fists out of their windows to show support.
“Last night we, saw some people arrested, but overall, most of the thousands who filled the streets of Los Angeles yesterday, did go home. There are fewer people on the streets today, but still … (there are) sizable crowds,” she said.
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There is no curfew tonight in Washington, DC, and protesters are still out
Demonstrators protest near the White House on June 4 in Washington.
Alex Brandon/AP
Protesters are still demonstrating in Washington, DC, even after a heavy downpour that swept through the downtown earlier today.
There is no curfew in the city tonight, reflecting the more peaceful nature of the protests these past few nights, according to CNN Correspondent Alex Marquardt on the scene.
Many of the protesters are now standing on the other side of a fence that had been put up earlier in the week following violent confrontations with law enforcement. On the other side of the fence, bright floodlights are being directed at the crowd.
“They have been lowered to eye height, so they’re pointing right into the faces of the protesters so you can’t see the forces behind the lights,” Marquardt said. “Those forces have become a huge point of contention.”
Some context: A huge influx of federal law enforcement has entered DC this week – members of the National Guard, FBI, ICE, TSA, and more – eliciting criticism from DC officials.
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Police in Manhattan are arresting protesters out past curfew
Police in New York have begun arresting protesters in Manhattan’s Midtown district, as crowds remain out on the streets in violation of the citywide 8 p.m. curfew.
After a day of mostly peaceful protests, the last remaining group of Manhattan demonstrators spent the past few hours marching north, starting from the lower end of Midtown up toward Central Park.
Then, as night fell and the protesters reached 57th Street, “officers just started moving in and making arrests,” said CNN Correspondent Shimon Prokupecz, reporting from the scene. “One of the officers was swinging his baton, and the captain actually pulled him back after seeing this officer doing this.”
Officers then began making arrests without any warning or announcement beforehand, Prokupecz said, estimating the police numbered in the hundreds.
On the other side of the East River, protesters also faced off with police in Brooklyn – but here, they managed to defuse some of the tension in a moment of shared unity.
Tensions threatened briefly to boil over when protesters, numbering a little over a hundred, were met with a line of police officers. Then, one of the police chiefs reached out to speak with the protesters, shook some of their hands, and deescalated the situation, said CNN Correspondent Jason Carroll.
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Retired Marine Gen. John Allen says Trump should not treat "American people as a potential enemy"
From CNN's Colin McCullough
Gen. John Allen, the former commander of American forces in Afghanistan and former special presidential envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS under the Obama administration, added to his criticism of US President Donald Trump’s handling of the unrest and protests across the country.
Allen said Washington should “partner with governors and with mayors rather than upbraid them, to see how we can take this moment and rather than treat the American people as a potential enemy, treat the American people as a population with guaranteed rights under the Constitution who are in enormous pain right now, pain from the pandemic and pain from the realities of what was ultimately at the heart of the death of George Floyd.”
Some context: On Wednesday, Allen joined former Defense Secretary James Mattis and a chorus of other former military leaders in condemning the President.
He penned a blistering op-ed in Foreign Policy writing that change will “have to come from the bottom up. For at the White House, there is no one home.”
Allen told CNN the American people are looking for “leadership at the most senior level and this is a chance for the President to truly unite the country.”
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Video shows woman being body slammed by officer during protest arrest last week in Atlanta
From CNN's Hollie Silverman
A video posted by the Atlanta Journal Constitution on YouTube shows Amber Jackson being body slammed by an officer who then handcuffs her during a protest near Lenox Square Mall in the Buckhead area of Atlanta on May 29.
Jackson suffered a broken clavicle as a result of the incident and is no longer able to work as a dental hygienist due to her injury, according to a news release from her attorney Mawuli Davis.
May 29 was the first night of protests in the Atlanta area in response to the death of George Floyd. Several businesses were damaged and looted in the area.
The video taken by the AJC shows a woman, identified by her attorney as Jackson, pulls away from an officer who then grabs her from behind and body slams her down to the ground.
CNN does not know what preceded the incident seen in the video.
The video moves before she hits the ground and a woman can be heard screaming in the background.
The video then cuts to Jackson being lifted by her arm by an officer while handcuffed.
Davis is holding a news conference Friday with Jackson, Georgia NAACP President James Woodall, as well as other activists and human rights leaders, the news release said.
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Ahmaud Arbery's mother: "At this point, I’m really speechless"
From CNN’s Jennifer Henderson
Wanda Cooper talks about her son Ahmaud Arbery's death alongside Arbery family attorney Lee Merritt.
CNN
Wanda Cooper, Ahmaud Arbery’s mother, told CNN it was “heartbreaking” to hear that the men accused of killing her son had used a racial slur.
“It was very heartbreaking. I often imagine the last minutes of my son’s life. I didn’t imagine it would be that harsh, but to learn that that statement was made in the last seconds of his life – again, it was very heartbreaking,” Cooper said.
“I’m hoping that the death of my son, also of Mr. (George) Floyd, that their deaths will implement change,” Cooper said. “We need change. So no other African-American male will lose their life in such a manner.”
Some context: At a preliminary hearing earlier today, the judge ruled that all three defendants in the Arbery case – Travis McMichael; his father, Gregory McMichael; and William “Roddie” Bryan – would stand trial on all charges.
Bryan told investigators he heard McMichael use a racial epithet after fatally shooting Arbery.
