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Live Protest Updates: Cities Brace for Renewed Violence as Curfews Loom Live Protest Updates: Cities on Edge as Peaceful Protesters Defy Curfews
(32 minutes later)
Protesters returned to the streets on Tuesday from California to Pennsylvania, while the nation’s capital sizzled with anger, a day after a highly criticized episode outside the White House in which law enforcement officers used tear gas on peaceful protesters in order to clear a path for President Trump.Protesters returned to the streets on Tuesday from California to Pennsylvania, while the nation’s capital sizzled with anger, a day after a highly criticized episode outside the White House in which law enforcement officers used tear gas on peaceful protesters in order to clear a path for President Trump.
The public spectacle on Monday and the arrival of dozens of military vehicles on Washington’s streets on Tuesday seemed to underscore the president’s latest threat — to use the military to crack down on violence and looting — as it emerged that it was Attorney General William P. Barr who ordered officers to clear Lafayette Park on Monday in time for Mr. Trump to walk to a historic church and have his picture taken there.The public spectacle on Monday and the arrival of dozens of military vehicles on Washington’s streets on Tuesday seemed to underscore the president’s latest threat — to use the military to crack down on violence and looting — as it emerged that it was Attorney General William P. Barr who ordered officers to clear Lafayette Park on Monday in time for Mr. Trump to walk to a historic church and have his picture taken there.
On Tuesday afternoon, as the city’s 7 p.m. curfew went into effect, U.S. troops had positioned military vehicles across the city, and the crowd of protesters near the park was at least as large as on Monday. It shrank after the curfew, but more than 1,000 protesters remained, facing police officers across a tall chain-link fence erected overnight. On Tuesday afternoon, as the city’s 7 p.m. curfew went into effect, U.S. troops had positioned military vehicles across the city, and the crowd of protesters near the park was at least as large as on Monday. It shrank after the curfew, but more than 1,000 protesters remained, facing police officers across a tall chain-link fence erected overnight.
“You’re in the cage now!” one protester yelled. Another said, “Our tax dollars at work.”“You’re in the cage now!” one protester yelled. Another said, “Our tax dollars at work.”
The crowd remained peaceful. When a few demonstrators began to rock the fence, they were quickly stopped. “Use your words,” two of women yelled. “Don’t do that.”The crowd remained peaceful. When a few demonstrators began to rock the fence, they were quickly stopped. “Use your words,” two of women yelled. “Don’t do that.”
The tensions in Washington reflected a nation on edge, ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic, skyrocketing unemployment and now a public reckoning with systematic racism and police brutality.The tensions in Washington reflected a nation on edge, ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic, skyrocketing unemployment and now a public reckoning with systematic racism and police brutality.
Daily protests have spread to at least 140 cities, in a sprawling expression of anger and frustration after the killing in Minneapolis last week of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black security guard, who died after his neck was pinned under a white police officer’s knee for nearly nine minutes. The officer has been charged with murder.Daily protests have spread to at least 140 cities, in a sprawling expression of anger and frustration after the killing in Minneapolis last week of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black security guard, who died after his neck was pinned under a white police officer’s knee for nearly nine minutes. The officer has been charged with murder.
Though planned protests have largely been peaceful, the national unrest has also come with escalating tensions, including attacks on law enforcement, injuries and deaths of protesters and others on the streets, and widespread looting and destruction. Police officers in several cities have been fired or disciplined for using excessive force.Though planned protests have largely been peaceful, the national unrest has also come with escalating tensions, including attacks on law enforcement, injuries and deaths of protesters and others on the streets, and widespread looting and destruction. Police officers in several cities have been fired or disciplined for using excessive force.
Officials across the country were on guard Tuesday for another night of chaos. Here is the latest from around the country.Officials across the country were on guard Tuesday for another night of chaos. Here is the latest from around the country.
Philadelphia: Hundreds of protesters gathered outside City Hall by Tuesday afternoon, after a night of explosive tension. Mayor Jim Kenney defended a decision to use tear gas on protesters Monday but condemned a group of largely white men who had been seen patrolling the largely white neighborhood of Fishtown holding baseball bats. “Armed vigilantism will not be tolerated moving forward,” he said.Philadelphia: Hundreds of protesters gathered outside City Hall by Tuesday afternoon, after a night of explosive tension. Mayor Jim Kenney defended a decision to use tear gas on protesters Monday but condemned a group of largely white men who had been seen patrolling the largely white neighborhood of Fishtown holding baseball bats. “Armed vigilantism will not be tolerated moving forward,” he said.
Atlanta: Officials extended a curfew and arrest warrants were issued against six officers after video footage of the police firing Tasers and dragging two college students out of a car on Saturday ignited outrage.Atlanta: Officials extended a curfew and arrest warrants were issued against six officers after video footage of the police firing Tasers and dragging two college students out of a car on Saturday ignited outrage.
New York: Mayor Bill de Blasio moved a nightly curfew up to 8 p.m., three hours earlier than on Monday, after a night of looting in Manhattan. He acknowledged that the Monday night curfew, announced several hours before it was to begin, had failed to quell the violence that marred the peaceful protests of previous days. And he said on Tuesday that a curfew would be imposed again each day for the remainder of the week.New York: Mayor Bill de Blasio moved a nightly curfew up to 8 p.m., three hours earlier than on Monday, after a night of looting in Manhattan. He acknowledged that the Monday night curfew, announced several hours before it was to begin, had failed to quell the violence that marred the peaceful protests of previous days. And he said on Tuesday that a curfew would be imposed again each day for the remainder of the week.
California: Protesters filled the streets of Hollywood with chants of “black lives matter,” a crowd of protesters gathered along a beach in San Francisco and the city of Santa Monica enacted among the strictest curfews in the nation, starting at 2 p.m. local time.California: Protesters filled the streets of Hollywood with chants of “black lives matter,” a crowd of protesters gathered along a beach in San Francisco and the city of Santa Monica enacted among the strictest curfews in the nation, starting at 2 p.m. local time.
Las Vegas: An officer was in critical condition after being shot near the Circus Circus Hotel and Casino as the police tried to disperse crowds that were pelting them with bottles and rocks, officials said.Las Vegas: An officer was in critical condition after being shot near the Circus Circus Hotel and Casino as the police tried to disperse crowds that were pelting them with bottles and rocks, officials said.
Louisville: The police said that a restaurant owner who was killed in a shooting involving the National Guard and police officers this week had fired a gun first, and produced video that they say proved it.Louisville: The police said that a restaurant owner who was killed in a shooting involving the National Guard and police officers this week had fired a gun first, and produced video that they say proved it.
New Haven, Conn.: Police and the F.B.I. were investigating after Molotov cocktails were thrown at two police substations and caused fire damage.New Haven, Conn.: Police and the F.B.I. were investigating after Molotov cocktails were thrown at two police substations and caused fire damage.
Denver: A police officer was fired after sharing a photo of himself and two other officers in riot gear on Instagram on Monday with the caption “Let’s start a riot,” the department said.Denver: A police officer was fired after sharing a photo of himself and two other officers in riot gear on Instagram on Monday with the caption “Let’s start a riot,” the department said.
Attorney General William P. Barr ordered federal law enforcement officers to clear peaceful protesters out of Washington’s Lafayette Park on Monday so that President Trump could walk to a historic church and have his picture taken there, a Justice Department official who was not authorized to discuss the matter said on Tuesday.Attorney General William P. Barr ordered federal law enforcement officers to clear peaceful protesters out of Washington’s Lafayette Park on Monday so that President Trump could walk to a historic church and have his picture taken there, a Justice Department official who was not authorized to discuss the matter said on Tuesday.
The plan to clear the park, which is adjacent to the White House, was devised before Mr. Trump decided he wanted his photo op, the official said, but was not executed until just before he set out. The action, and its timing, drew condemnation from many quarters, including clergy members and political leaders of both parties.The plan to clear the park, which is adjacent to the White House, was devised before Mr. Trump decided he wanted his photo op, the official said, but was not executed until just before he set out. The action, and its timing, drew condemnation from many quarters, including clergy members and political leaders of both parties.
Overnight Sunday, after protesters had defaced the nearby Treasury Department building and a part of the church, St. John’s, had caught fire, top federal law enforcement officials decided that increased security measures were needed around the White House, including expanding the perimeter around the park.Overnight Sunday, after protesters had defaced the nearby Treasury Department building and a part of the church, St. John’s, had caught fire, top federal law enforcement officials decided that increased security measures were needed around the White House, including expanding the perimeter around the park.
When Mr. Barr found on Monday afternoon that it had not been done yet, he ordered officers on the scene to complete the expansion of the perimeter, but there was not enough time to do it before Mr. Trump made a speech in the Rose Garden, declaring himself a friend to peaceful protest. When Mr. Trump and aides then set out for the church, the protesters in the park were dispersed using gas and other forceful measures.When Mr. Barr found on Monday afternoon that it had not been done yet, he ordered officers on the scene to complete the expansion of the perimeter, but there was not enough time to do it before Mr. Trump made a speech in the Rose Garden, declaring himself a friend to peaceful protest. When Mr. Trump and aides then set out for the church, the protesters in the park were dispersed using gas and other forceful measures.
Mr. Barr was aware that those crowd control measures might be used, but it was supposed to have happened long before Mr. Trump decided that he, Mr. Barr and other officials would walk to the church, the official said.Mr. Barr was aware that those crowd control measures might be used, but it was supposed to have happened long before Mr. Trump decided that he, Mr. Barr and other officials would walk to the church, the official said.
The Justice Department has confirmed that Mr. Barr is managing the federal law enforcement response to the ongoing protests against police brutality.The Justice Department has confirmed that Mr. Barr is managing the federal law enforcement response to the ongoing protests against police brutality.
Mr. Barr issued a statement on Tuesday saying that “there will be even greater law enforcement resources” deployed in Washington on Tuesday evening.Mr. Barr issued a statement on Tuesday saying that “there will be even greater law enforcement resources” deployed in Washington on Tuesday evening.
“The most basic function of government is to provide security for people to live their lives and exercise their rights, and we will meet that responsibility here in the nation’s capital,” Mr. Barr said. He called Monday evening “a more peaceful night in the District of Columbia.”“The most basic function of government is to provide security for people to live their lives and exercise their rights, and we will meet that responsibility here in the nation’s capital,” Mr. Barr said. He called Monday evening “a more peaceful night in the District of Columbia.”
President Trump this week responded to the unrest roiling the nation by visiting two religious sites and calling for more military intervention.President Trump this week responded to the unrest roiling the nation by visiting two religious sites and calling for more military intervention.
On Tuesday, both moves were greeted with criticism from many of his rivals, as well as some of his sometime allies.On Tuesday, both moves were greeted with criticism from many of his rivals, as well as some of his sometime allies.
Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden, the likely Democratic nominee for president, said during a speech in Philadelphia that the nation was “crying out for leadership.” And House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California, wielding her own Bible and quoting from the Book of Ecclesiastes, criticized Mr. Trump for being a “fanner of the flame” of division.Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden, the likely Democratic nominee for president, said during a speech in Philadelphia that the nation was “crying out for leadership.” And House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California, wielding her own Bible and quoting from the Book of Ecclesiastes, criticized Mr. Trump for being a “fanner of the flame” of division.
Two Republican senators, Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Tim Scott of South Carolina, joined in the criticism. “If your question is, ‘Should you use tear gas to clear a path so the president can go have a photo op?’ the answer is no,” Mr. Scott, the only black Republican in the Senate, said at an event hosted by Politico.Two Republican senators, Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Tim Scott of South Carolina, joined in the criticism. “If your question is, ‘Should you use tear gas to clear a path so the president can go have a photo op?’ the answer is no,” Mr. Scott, the only black Republican in the Senate, said at an event hosted by Politico.
Some moderate Democrats in conservative-leaning districts also denounced Mr. Trump. Representative Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, a former C.I.A. officer, called his response the type of action “undertaken by authoritarian regimes throughout the world.”Some moderate Democrats in conservative-leaning districts also denounced Mr. Trump. Representative Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, a former C.I.A. officer, called his response the type of action “undertaken by authoritarian regimes throughout the world.”
“I know this playbook,” Ms. Spanberger said, “and I know the president’s actions are betraying the very foundation of the rule of law he purports to support — the U.S. Constitution.”“I know this playbook,” Ms. Spanberger said, “and I know the president’s actions are betraying the very foundation of the rule of law he purports to support — the U.S. Constitution.”
Retired senior military leaders also spoke out against the strategy of deploying active-duty units onto America’s streets.Retired senior military leaders also spoke out against the strategy of deploying active-duty units onto America’s streets.
Mr. Trump visited two religious sites — on Monday he posed holding a Bible outside St. John’s Church, an Episcopal parish near the White House, and on Tuesday he and his wife spent about 10 minutes inside the St. John Paul II National Shrine, a Catholic site in northeast Washington. Both visits were criticized by Christian leaders.Mr. Trump visited two religious sites — on Monday he posed holding a Bible outside St. John’s Church, an Episcopal parish near the White House, and on Tuesday he and his wife spent about 10 minutes inside the St. John Paul II National Shrine, a Catholic site in northeast Washington. Both visits were criticized by Christian leaders.
“I find it baffling and reprehensible that any Catholic facility would allow itself to be so egregiously misused and manipulated in a fashion that violates our religious principles, which call us to defend the rights of all people, even those with whom we might disagree,” Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Washington wrote in a statement. He said that the shrine’s dedicatee, John Paul II, “certainly would not condone the use of tear gas and other deterrents to silence, scatter or intimidate them for a photo opportunity in front of place of worship and peace.”“I find it baffling and reprehensible that any Catholic facility would allow itself to be so egregiously misused and manipulated in a fashion that violates our religious principles, which call us to defend the rights of all people, even those with whom we might disagree,” Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Washington wrote in a statement. He said that the shrine’s dedicatee, John Paul II, “certainly would not condone the use of tear gas and other deterrents to silence, scatter or intimidate them for a photo opportunity in front of place of worship and peace.”
And the Rev. Gini Gerbasi, an Episcopal priest who had been on the patio of St. John’s on Monday when nearby protesters were sprayed with tear gas, said in an interview, “People were hurt and terrified, for a photo op. They took what literally had been holy ground that day and turned it into a literal battleground.”And the Rev. Gini Gerbasi, an Episcopal priest who had been on the patio of St. John’s on Monday when nearby protesters were sprayed with tear gas, said in an interview, “People were hurt and terrified, for a photo op. They took what literally had been holy ground that day and turned it into a literal battleground.”
Arrest warrants have been issued for six Atlanta police officers, after video footage from Saturday night showed officers stopping two college students in a car while enforcing a curfew, firing Tasers at them and dragging them out of their vehicle. Law enforcement officers have been targeted in attacks in cities across the country in recent days, with officers wounded in gun battles in St. Louis and Las Vegas and others injured when they were run over by cars in New York City and Buffalo.
The six officers are accused of a series of crimes, including aggravated assault, illegally pointing a Taser and criminal damage to property. Video of the encounter sparked widespread outrage, and two of the officers have been fired. The Atlanta Police Department did not immediately respond to a question about the status of the other four officers. But officers also have been charged, or fired, in several states by police and government leaders trying to preserve and defend demonstrators’ right to protest while also restoring order after days of violence and lawlessness.
“The conduct involved in this incident is not indicative of the way that we treat people in the City of Atlanta,” Paul L. Howard, Jr., the district attorney, said in a news conference on Tuesday announcing the arrest warrants. The Las Vegas police on Tuesday identified both a man who was killed by officers and an officer who was gravely wounded, in two separate shooting episodes the night before.
The college students, Taniyah Pilgrim, 20, and Messiah Young, 22, appeared at the news conference alongside Mr. Howard. The Las Vegas officer, Shay K. Mikalonis, 29, was shot in the head near the Circus Circus hotel and casino. Police officials said he was in “grave condition;” a 20-year-old suspect was arrested.
“I hope every police officer who thinks it’s OK to drag someone, beat someone, do all this stuff because they are cops — I hope they are all going to be held accountable as well,” Ms. Pilgrim said. The officer’s shooting came on the same night the Las Vegas police fatally shot Jorge Gomez, 25, who they said raised one of the three Glock pistols he was carrying at officers after they had hit him with “low lethal” shotgun rounds.
Videos posted on social media have captured scene after scene of police aggression and even violence since the protests began. The arrest warrants in Atlanta reflected how, in some cases, the authorities have moved swiftly to crack down on misbehavior. In Richmond, Va., the police department apologized and said it would discipline officers who used tear gas on protesters on Monday.
Some law enforcement agencies have taken a more conciliatory approach. In Michigan, Sheriff Christopher R. Swanson of Genesee County marched with demonstrators.
The encounter in Atlanta happened around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, about 30 minutes after a curfew went into effect to quell demonstrations in the city. Video captured by a local television station showed officers stopping the car. Prosecutors said they were still investigating why the car was stopped.
The video footage shows officers aiming stun guns at the car from both sides, and one officer reaching into the passenger side of the car and pulling Ms. Pilgrim out. She is hit by a Taser, thrown to the ground, and her hands are zip tied; then she is put in a police vehicle, Mr. Howard said. Mr. Young was also hit with a Taser and pulled out of the vehicle and he fractured his wrist, Mr. Howard said.
Law enforcement officers were targeted in attacks in cities across the country overnight, with some officers wounded in gun battles in St. Louis and Las Vegas and others injured as they were run over by cars in New York City and Buffalo.
An officer was in critical condition on Tuesday after being shot down near the Circus Circus Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas as the police tried to disperse crowds that were pelting them with bottles and rocks, officials said.
In an unrelated episode, a person carrying several firearms was killed after he opened fire on police forces guarding a federal building on Las Vegas Boulevard, according to the authorities.
“This is a sad night for the L.V.M.P.D. family and a tragic night for our community,” Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department at a news conference in the early hours of Tuesday. The officer was transported to the University Medical Center and put on life support, he added, and a suspect was taken into custody.
“With these protests which are leading to riot,” he said, “one tragedy is only leading to another.”
In St. Louis, four officers were struck by gunfire in a shootout between gunmen at a protest and the police. The officers’ injuries were believed to be “non-life threatening,” Chief John Hayden of the St. Louis Police Department said at a news conference.In St. Louis, four officers were struck by gunfire in a shootout between gunmen at a protest and the police. The officers’ injuries were believed to be “non-life threatening,” Chief John Hayden of the St. Louis Police Department said at a news conference.
Chief Hayden said that after a peaceful protest of a few thousand people, a smaller group had broken off, intent on causing mayhem. Some in the crowd were armed and “flourishing pistols,” the chief said. Two officers were shot in the leg, one in the foot and one in the arm, he said. In New York, an N.Y.P.D. officer was in stable condition after being run over by a black sedan early Tuesday in the Bronx, and in Buffalo the driver of an S.U.V. was arrested after speeding through a line of law enforcement officers in riot gear and injuring two of them in an episode that was caught on video. The driver, a woman, now faces several felony charges.
Elsewhere, police officers were intentionally struck by vehicles. But the police also have been the subject of complaints about their actions.
A New York officer was run over by a black sedan at 12:45 a.m. on Tuesday in the Bronx, according to a police spokesman. The officer was in stable condition on Tuesday, the police said. Officials in Atlanta said arrest warrants had been issued for six police officers after video footage showed them tasing and assaulting two college students in a car while enforcing a curfew. “The conduct involved in this incident is not indicative of the way that we treat people in the City of Atlanta,” Paul L. Howard, Jr., the district attorney, said in a news conference on Tuesday announcing the arrest warrants.
That episode followed an attack on Monday in Buffalo, N.Y., when the driver of an S.U.V. sped through a line of law enforcement officers in riot gear, injuring two of them in an episode that was caught on video. The authorities said that the officers’ condition was stable and that those in the car had been taken into custody. The students, Taniyah Pilgrim, 20, and Messiah Young, 22, appeared at the news conference alongside Mr. Howard. “I hope every police officer who thinks it’s OK to drag someone, beat someone, do all this stuff because they are cops — I hope they are all going to be held accountable as well,” Ms. Pilgrim said.
A restaurant owner fired a gun before he was fatally shot in Louisville, Ky., by either a police officer or a National Guard soldier, police officials said on Tuesday. They released security-camera videos that they said appeared to support that account. In Richmond, Va., the police department apologized and said it would discipline officers who used tear gas on protesters on Monday.
In Louisville, police officials said a restaurant owner killed Saturday had fired a gun before he was fatally shot, by either a police officer or a National Guard soldier. The police released security-camera videos that they said appeared to support their account.
The restaurant owner, David McAtee, 53, was killed shortly after midnight on Monday, and has been cited as an innocent victim of the violent turmoil rocking the country. Before the day was over, Gov. Andy Beshear ordered an investigation by the Kentucky State Police, and Mayor Greg Fischer of Louisville dismissed the city’s police chief because the officers at the scene had not activated their body cameras.The restaurant owner, David McAtee, 53, was killed shortly after midnight on Monday, and has been cited as an innocent victim of the violent turmoil rocking the country. Before the day was over, Gov. Andy Beshear ordered an investigation by the Kentucky State Police, and Mayor Greg Fischer of Louisville dismissed the city’s police chief because the officers at the scene had not activated their body cameras.
On Tuesday, Mr. Fischer and police commanders held a news conference to show and to release images from two security cameras. Neither camera gives an unobstructed view of what happened, and neither has sound.On Tuesday, Mr. Fischer and police commanders held a news conference to show and to release images from two security cameras. Neither camera gives an unobstructed view of what happened, and neither has sound.
“The video appears to show Mr. McAtee firing a gun outside of his business door” as officers were approaching, said Robert Schroeder, the acting police chief. But he added that “the video does not provide all the answers,” and the investigations would continue. In Denver, an officer was fired after sharing a photo of himself and two other officers in riot gear on Instagram on Monday with the caption “Let’s start a riot.”
Officials said they did not know what may have prompted Mr. McAtee to shoot, or who or what he may have been shooting at. Asked whether a gun was recovered from Mr. McAtee, Major Paul Humphrey said, “That will come out as part of the findings of the investigation.” ADAM POPESCU
Officials have said that National Guard troops and at least one police officer fired their weapons in the episode. Hollywood, Calif.
A video taken from a camera inside Mr. McAtee’s barbecue business shows several people rushing in the door. Then Mr. McAtee is seen stepping just outside the door and raising his arm in the general direction of an approaching officer. A moment later, he staggers back through the door, clutching his chest, and falls to the floor. Hollywood’s Walk of Fame was the flash point today.
Major Humphrey said that “it appears right now from the footage” that McAtee fired first. Hundreds of protesters gathered steam for hours before converging at the corner of Hollywood and Cahuenga Boulevard, a Los Angeles landmark that in many ways is the heart of the city’s film roots. Flanked by the Capitol Records building and the Hollywood sign behind them, the protesters held “Love” signs or upstretched empty hands in 90 degree heat as dozens of Los Angeles Police Department officers filed out of trucks and formed a skirmish line in front of a Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen.
But the video does not show clearly whether Mr. McAtee had anything in his hand. When he raises his arm, his hand is out of sight. Another man standing just behind Mr. McAtee does have an object in his hand that resembles a gun. The police began to evacuate adjacent businesses. Some officers held batons; others had green shotguns with rubber bullets or pepper balls. The protesters stood firm.
The other video, from a camera just outside, shows the doorway, but its view is obstructed by an outer door that is propped open. As uniformed personnel approach within a few yards of the restaurant, there is a person in the doorway — it is not clear who — and a puff of smoke just outside the door. Young women began kneeling in the intersection, some taking selfies.
The officers run back to take cover behind cars, and then it several gunshots appear to strike the building. Alejandra Rosa
San Juan, P.R.
Police officers used pepper spray today in Puerto Rico as more than 200 protesters wearing gas masks broke a 7 p.m. curfew.
The protest, organized by Colectiva Feminista, demanded a stop to racism and police brutality in the island.
”Where are the anti racist people? We are here,” hundreds chanted on the cobblestone streets. “And we are not afraid.”
Protesters blamed local officials for black lives lost.
“Don’t tell us you don’t see racism here,” said Gloriann Sacha Antonetty, 39. “Because we don’t only see it. We feel it in our skin.”
The state of Minnesota has started a human rights investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department, citing evidence of systematic discrimination against people of color, particularly black people, state officials announced on Tuesday.The state of Minnesota has started a human rights investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department, citing evidence of systematic discrimination against people of color, particularly black people, state officials announced on Tuesday.
The state Department of Human Rights made a formal charge of discrimination against the police force based in part on the May 25 death of George Floyd, which has sparked demonstrations across the country, some of them descending into clashes with police, violence and looting.The state Department of Human Rights made a formal charge of discrimination against the police force based in part on the May 25 death of George Floyd, which has sparked demonstrations across the country, some of them descending into clashes with police, violence and looting.
The charge referred to a pattern of incidents in Minneapolis dating back at least 10 years that demanded investigations into the police department’s training and policies, and its “use-of-force protocols.”The charge referred to a pattern of incidents in Minneapolis dating back at least 10 years that demanded investigations into the police department’s training and policies, and its “use-of-force protocols.”
“There is sufficient information to investigate whether the respondent utilizes systemic discriminatory patterns or practices towards people of color, specifically Black community members, on the basis of race,” the charge stated.“There is sufficient information to investigate whether the respondent utilizes systemic discriminatory patterns or practices towards people of color, specifically Black community members, on the basis of race,” the charge stated.
Investigations by the Department of Human Rights do not lead to criminal charges, but if investigators find wrongdoing, state officials can attempt to force changes in the police department’s practices, which could include the state’s suing the police force.Investigations by the Department of Human Rights do not lead to criminal charges, but if investigators find wrongdoing, state officials can attempt to force changes in the police department’s practices, which could include the state’s suing the police force.
While Gov. Tim Walz, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rebecca Lucero, the state human rights commissioner, were announcing the investigation inside the state Capitol, thousands of people gathered outside in 90-degree heat to continue the weeklong protests over the killing of Mr. Floyd.While Gov. Tim Walz, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rebecca Lucero, the state human rights commissioner, were announcing the investigation inside the state Capitol, thousands of people gathered outside in 90-degree heat to continue the weeklong protests over the killing of Mr. Floyd.
A Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on Mr. Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes — including several minutes after he had gone motionless — and other officers pressed on his back as Mr. Floyd lay face down and handcuffed on a Minneapolis street. Video of the scene quickly went viral, prompting outrage and revulsion.A Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on Mr. Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes — including several minutes after he had gone motionless — and other officers pressed on his back as Mr. Floyd lay face down and handcuffed on a Minneapolis street. Video of the scene quickly went viral, prompting outrage and revulsion.
Mr. Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder. Protesters have called for the other three officers at the scene to face criminal charges, as well.Mr. Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder. Protesters have called for the other three officers at the scene to face criminal charges, as well.
Two autopsies — one by the county medical examiner and the other commissioned by lawyers for Mr. Floyd’s family — called his death a homicide. The examination for the family concluded that the officers alone caused his death, cutting off the blood supply to his brain and the air supply to his lungs. The county autopsy said there were additional factors, including underlying health problems, which his family denied.Two autopsies — one by the county medical examiner and the other commissioned by lawyers for Mr. Floyd’s family — called his death a homicide. The examination for the family concluded that the officers alone caused his death, cutting off the blood supply to his brain and the air supply to his lungs. The county autopsy said there were additional factors, including underlying health problems, which his family denied.
“The grief and anger that has torn through our city and our state did not emerge in a vacuum,” Lt. Governor Flanagan said on Tuesday. “It is built on years of injustice. This did not begin with George Floyd. But we can work to end it now.”“The grief and anger that has torn through our city and our state did not emerge in a vacuum,” Lt. Governor Flanagan said on Tuesday. “It is built on years of injustice. This did not begin with George Floyd. But we can work to end it now.”
The wrenching scene captured by a local television station in Los Angeles showed police officers, on the job to grapple with the chaos of the past week, interacting with black people in the same way that gave rise to the protests in the first place.
It starts with a black woman identified only as Monet, her husband and her brother-in-law standing guard over a cluster of local businesses while other shops in Los Angeles were being ransacked. One of the stores had been there for 30 years, Monet said.
“As long as we’re around this neighborhood, you’re not tearing nothing else up either,” she told the TV reporter, Christina Gonzalez of Fox 11 Los Angeles.
Then several cars approach, and people gather near a gold store. Monet and her relatives confront them, in an apparent attempt to ward off looting. Police sirens sound, squad cars drive by, and Monet waves her arms as she and Ms. Gonzalez try to get the officers’ attention.
It appears they are successful: Uniformed officers, some in riot gear, march toward the store. But when they arrive, it is Monet and her relatives who are ordered to face the wall as the police tie their hands, and Ms. Gonzalez pleads with the officers that Monet and her family have done nothing wrong.
“I was handcuffed, thrown up against a wall with my husband and brother-in-law, and I’m like, ‘What the hell?’” Monet told the station.
A spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department said she did not have any information about the encounter.
A sea of black boxes flooded Instagram and other platforms on Tuesday, as a plan to disrupt business as usual in the music industry morphed into a #BlackoutTuesday phenomenon on social media.
Millions of people posted black boxes under the hashtag, with many announcing silence on social media in an attempt to amplify black people’s voices online.
But the phenomenon was a diversion from its original intent as a campaign within the music industry to disrupt business as usual for a day, in response to the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and others.
The initiative, “The Show Must Be Paused,” was the brainchild of two black women in music marketing, Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyemang, who called for a day of reflection, conversation and plans for action within the industry. Brands including Spotify, Live Nation, Apple, TikTok and many of the largest record companies said that they would cease most operations for the day.
But after stars like Rihanna, the Rolling Stones, Drake and Quincy Jones shared the idea to their millions of followers, the idea morphed and took off online. By Tuesday, more than two million Instagram accounts featured the hashtag #BlackoutTuesday, and hundreds of thousands tagged #TheShowMustBePaused.
Some vowed to “mute” themselves online for the rest of the day as part of the blackout, while skeptics worried that silence was not the answer. And when many on social media began appending the general #blacklivesmatter message to their posts, others pointed out that doing so could drown out the very black voices they said they wanted to amplify.
On Tuesday, The Show Must Be Paused released an additional statement clarifying its intent. “The purpose was never to mute ourselves,” the group said. “The purpose is to disrupt.”
In the years since American cities erupted in anger in the 1960s, many of the conditions that fueled that unrest have changed little. Most deeply poor urban neighborhoods have remained that way. Schools that for a time grew more integrated have resegregated. Aggressive policing has continued as a defining feature of urban life for young black men.
But the American city itself has changed — or at least, many of them have. Downtowns became a destination again for white diners and even residents. “Tech hubs” arrived; stadiums and condos were built. Restaurants proliferated. Rents rose. Decent manufacturing and clerical jobs all but disappeared, replaced by a vast low-wage service sector. And the gaps between the most prosperous neighborhoods and those still trapped in poverty grew wider and more visible.
This expanding urban inequality is now implicated in new waves of unrest — another source of rage, inseparable from race, bound up with all the older ones. If protesters in the 1960s cried out from black neighborhoods that had seen severe disinvestment, now they are calling attention to cities that have experienced enormous investment that excludes them.
In Chicago, protesters have converged on Michigan Avenue, the city’s famous strip of high-end retail. In Atlanta, it has been affluent Buckhead. In Philadelphia, Center City. In New York, SoHo. In Los Angeles, protest leaders have deliberately steered toward upscale neighborhoods, including downtown and Beverly Hills.
There is limited symbolism in a store hit by opportunistic looting. But historians have noted the shifting geography of protest.
Anger at George Floyd’s killing has rippled far beyond the United States to many world capitals, where crowds have gathered to denounce police violence and racism.Anger at George Floyd’s killing has rippled far beyond the United States to many world capitals, where crowds have gathered to denounce police violence and racism.
An estimated 15,000 people in Paris defied police orders to gather at the city’s main law court on Tuesday. Demonstrators, most of them young, waved signs reading “No justice, no peace” or “I can’t breathe,” in direct reference to Mr. Floyd’s death.An estimated 15,000 people in Paris defied police orders to gather at the city’s main law court on Tuesday. Demonstrators, most of them young, waved signs reading “No justice, no peace” or “I can’t breathe,” in direct reference to Mr. Floyd’s death.
The protests were led by the family of Adama Traoré, a 24-year-old black man who died near Paris in 2016 after having been tackled by the police. Shouts of “Justice for Adama” regularly punctuated the clapping and chanting of the crowd.The protests were led by the family of Adama Traoré, a 24-year-old black man who died near Paris in 2016 after having been tackled by the police. Shouts of “Justice for Adama” regularly punctuated the clapping and chanting of the crowd.
“We protest for George Floyd, for Adama, for all the others and for the next ones,” said Anne-Sophie Kiminou, a 28-year-old office manager.“We protest for George Floyd, for Adama, for all the others and for the next ones,” said Anne-Sophie Kiminou, a 28-year-old office manager.
The Paris police said in the afternoon that the demonstration was forbidden during the country’s public health emergency, which bans any public gathering of more than ten people. Paris is one of the last areas of France where the coronavirus is still considered active, and many protesters wore masks.The Paris police said in the afternoon that the demonstration was forbidden during the country’s public health emergency, which bans any public gathering of more than ten people. Paris is one of the last areas of France where the coronavirus is still considered active, and many protesters wore masks.
Lolly Nzamba, 18, said France had a two-tier justice system that ignored the daily suffering of black people. “Personally, I’m afraid when I go out in the street and come across the police,” she said. But she added that Mr. Floyd’s death had changed people’s understanding and would help raise awareness.Lolly Nzamba, 18, said France had a two-tier justice system that ignored the daily suffering of black people. “Personally, I’m afraid when I go out in the street and come across the police,” she said. But she added that Mr. Floyd’s death had changed people’s understanding and would help raise awareness.
“There will be a before and an after,” Ms. Nzamba said.“There will be a before and an after,” Ms. Nzamba said.
Also Tuesday, thousands gathered for a march in Sydney, Australia and chanted “Enough is enough” while kneeling outside the American consulate, the latest in a series of peaceful global rallies as the U.S. protests have resonated around the world.Also Tuesday, thousands gathered for a march in Sydney, Australia and chanted “Enough is enough” while kneeling outside the American consulate, the latest in a series of peaceful global rallies as the U.S. protests have resonated around the world.
In London and Rio de Janeiro, demonstrations of solidarity have also prompted soul searching over local racial divisions.In London and Rio de Janeiro, demonstrations of solidarity have also prompted soul searching over local racial divisions.
Reporting was contributed by Emily Badger, Mike Baker, Kim Barker, Katie Benner, Julie Bosman, John Branch, Helene Cooper, Joe Coscarelli, Kimiko de Freytas-Tamura, Caitlin Dickerson, Catie Edmonson, John Eligon, Tess Felder, Manny Fernandez, Thomas Fuller, Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Russell Goldman, Miriam Jordan, Zolan Kanno-Youngs, Constant Meheut, Sarah Mervosh, David Montgomery, Jack Nicas, Elian Peltier, Adam Popescu, Austin Ramzy, Frances Robles, Katie Rogers, Rick Rojas, Marc Santora, Anna Schaverien, Eric Schmitt, Dionne Searcey, Megan Specia, Jennifer Steinhauer, Daniel Victor, Neil Vigdor and Mihir Zaveri. Reporting was contributed by Emily Badger, Mike Baker, Kim Barker, Katie Benner, Julie Bosman, John Branch, Helene Cooper, Joe Coscarelli, Kimiko de Freytas-Tamura, Caitlin Dickerson, Catie Edmonson, John Eligon, Tess Felder, Manny Fernandez, Thomas Fuller, Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Russell Goldman, Miriam Jordan, Zolan Kanno-Youngs, Constant Meheut, Sarah Mervosh, David Montgomery, Jack Nicas, Elian Peltier, Richard Perez-Pena, Adam Popescu, Austin Ramzy, Frances Robles, Katie Rogers, Rick Rojas, Marc Santora, Anna Schaverien, Eric Schmitt, Dionne Searcey, Megan Specia, Jennifer Steinhauer, Daniel Victor, Neil Vigdor and Mihir Zaveri.