US protests continue unabated despite curfew in the wake of the death of George Floyd

US protests continue unabated despite curfew in the wake of the death of George Floyd, an African-American man at the hands of a white police officer.

According to media reports, relative calm descended on Minneapolis and other U.S. cities Monday.

Reports had it protesters and police across the country clashed for a sixth straight night.

US protests continue unabated

U.S. police made more than 4,400 arrests at demonstrations nationwide since video emerged showing former Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin holding his knee to Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes.

Viewers can easily hear Floyd as saying “I can’t breathe.”

Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo apologized to Floyd’s family Sunday.

He cited that firing Chauvin and the other three officers involved in the Memorial Day confrontation the right thing to do.

However, violence marred peaceful protests.

Meanwhile, vandalism and looting continued across the country. And so did the police use of tear gas and rubber bullets in confrontations with protesters.

Monday dawned cloudy and cool in Minneapolis as thousands of people headed to work following a weekend of protests.

A light rain fell on the water bottles and milk jugs littered the city area.

The Sunday night saw the latest confrontations between protesters and police.

Police made arrests after the 8 p.m. curfew, but they remained a tiny proportion of the thousands who peacefully marched around the city.

Floyd died in police custody

Outside the spot where Floyd died in police custody, banners and flowers fluttered in the wind while a stream of mourners came to pay their respects.

Dozens of cities imposed curfews, but many people ignored them, leading to stand-offs and clashes.

On Sunday night, riot police also faced off with protesters in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and Los Angeles, firing tear gas and pepper bullets to try to disperse crowds.

Police vehicles were set on fire and shops were looted in several cities.

The country is experiencing the most widespread racial turbulence and civil unrest since the backlash to the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968.

The National Guard – the US reserve military force for domestic emergencies – said on Sunday that 5,000 of its personnel activated in 15 states and Washington, DC.

There, crowds once again gathered near the White House.

Protesters gathered near the White House

Demonstrators lit fire to buildings there, including a historic church known as the church of the presidents, and threw stones at riot officers. Police used tear gas in response.

In Louisville, Kentucky, a man was shot dead in a confrontation between protesters, police and the National Guard after midnight early on Monday.

Shots were fired at police officers and guard troops as they moved to disperse a crowd in a car park and “returned fire”, leaving one man dead, Louisville Metro Police said.

More than 75 cities have seen protests, with streets only days ago deserted because of coronavirus full of demonstrators marching shoulder to shoulder. Some US officials have warned of protest-connected virus outbreaks.

The Floyd case has reignited deep-seated anger over police killings of black Americans and racism.

Black Lives Matter movement

It follows the high-profile cases of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Eric Garner in New York and others that have driven the ‘Black Lives Matter movement.’

For many, the outrage also reflects years of frustration over socio-economic inequality and discrimination, not least in Minneapolis itself, where George Floyd died.

Despite strict curfews and the deployment of the National Guard, many demonstrations that had been peaceful during the day again descended into violence overnight.

Police vehicles were vandalised and set alight in several cities, while riot officers continued to respond with tear gas and flash grenades.

In Philadelphia, local TV stations showed people smashing police cars and looting at least one store.
President Donald Trump tweeted: “Law & Order in Philadelphia, NOW! They are looting stores. Call in our great National Guard.”

GTV