US protests: End it or I will, Donald Trump to states

Donald Trump has threatened governors that he would deploy the military to their states if they did not stamp out violent protests.

Police begin to clear demonstrators gather as they protest the death of George Floy, near the White House in Washington. Picture: AP

Donald Trump has declared himself the “president of law and order” and signalled that he would stake his re-election on convincing voters his forceful approach, including deploying troops to cities­, was warranted in a time of national tumult and racial unrest.

Wielding extraordinary federal authority, the US President threatened the nation’s governors that he would deploy the military to their states if they did not stamp out violent protests over police brutality that have roiled America over the past week.

But despite Mr Trump’s bellicose rhetoric, the nation convulsed through another round of violence over last week’s death of George Floyd as protests continued to hit major American cities on Tuesday night (AEST).

While most of the demonstrations of the past week have been peaceful, others have descended into violence, leaving neighbourhoods in shambles, stores ransacked, windows broken and cars burned, despite curfews around the country and the deployment of thousands of National Guard members in at least 15 states.

Again on Tuesday, demonstrations erupted from Philadelphia, where hundreds of protesters spilled onto a highway in the heart of the city; to Atlanta, where police fired teargas; to Nashville, where more than 60 National Guard soldiers­ put down their riot shields at the request of peaceful protesters who had gathered to honour Mr Floyd, who died after a policeman knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes during an arrest in Minneapolis last week.

A looter carrying boxes of shoes run past National Guard soldiers in Hollywood, California. Picture: AFP

Two people were killed during protests in Chicago. In Louisville, Kentucky, riot police firing teargas scattered several hundred protesters from downtown, violently capping off a day of mostly peaceful protests.

A car ploughed through a group of law-enforcement officers at a demonstration in Buffalo, New York, injuring at least two. Video from the scene showed the car ­accelerating through an intersection shortly after officers appar­ently tackled a protester and handcuffed him. The officers were hospitalised in stable condition.

In New York City, large crowds had rallied peacefully in Times Square and Brooklyn during the day. But in the early evening ­looters rushed into a Nike store in Manhattan and protesters smashed storefront windows near the Rockefeller Centre.

Just after curfew began at 11pm on Monday (1pm Tuesday AEST), about 100 people held a peaceful demonstration in front of the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn, taking a knee in tribute to victims of police brutality. Police observed from a distance but made no arrests despit­e the curfew.

In Washington, protesters continued­ marching peacefully hours after being forced from Lafayett­e Park and past the 7pm curfew. Eventually, within sight of the Capitol building, they were turned back by law-enforcement officers using teargas, pellets and low-flying helicopters kicking up debris. As they dispersed, some protesters smashed windows at a nearby office building.

A man kneels and holds up his fist at a memorial site where George Floyd died. Picture: AFP

Mr Trump’s threat to call in the military brought quick condemnation, especially from leading Democrats hoping to unseat the President in November.

“These are not the words of a president. They are the words of a dictator,” Democratic senator ­Kamala Harris tweeted in response­ to his comments.

“How low can this President go?” Democrat leader in the Senate­ Chuck Schumer tweeted.

Former vice-president and presumptive Democrat presidential nominee Joe Biden also blasted the President’s words.

“He’s using the American milit­ary against the American people. He tear-gassed peaceful protesters and fired rubber bullets,” Mr Biden tweeted. “For a photo.”

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called the President’s ­actions “shameful”.

“(Mr Trump) used the military to push out a peaceful protest so he could have a photo op at a church. It’s all just a reality TV show for this President. Shameful,” he said.

But Republican senator Marco Rubio appeared to side with the President. “The most important job of our government is to protect all Americans by providing law, order & equal justice,” Senator Rubio tweeted. “This requires bringing to justice those respons­ible for Mr Floyd’s murder. And it requires bringing to an end the anarchy­, ­violence & rioting by any lawful means required.”

AP, DPA, AFP