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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
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Martin Belam (now), Helen Sullivan, Lauren Aratani and Joan E Greve (earlier)

Breonna Taylor decision: two officers shot in Louisville as protests erupt across US – as it happened

Key events so far…

I’m going to be closing this blog shortly, but I’ll be bringing you more coverage of the reaction to the Breonna Taylor charging decision over on our US politics live blog for Thursday. In the meantime, here’s a summary of where we are at:

  • The Jefferson county grand jury has indicted one of the officers involved in the shooting of Breonna Taylor. Former Louisville police officer Brett Hankinson faces three felony counts of first-degree wanton endangerment. None of the other officers involved in the fatal shooting were indicted. No homicide charges were issued.
  • Thousands of people joined protests in many major US city which saw protesters chanting “Say her name! Breonna Taylor” and “No justice, no peace”. Posters and shrines dedicated to Taylor were seen all around as protesters marched.
  • Two police officers in Louisville were shot and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Louisville police have one suspect in custody.
  • A car drove through protests in Denver, there were no injuries. Chemical agents were used on protesters by the authorities in Atlanta and other cities. A riot was declare in Portland, Oregon, where police shared a video which appeared to show them being attacked with a Molotov cocktail.
  • Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the family of Breonna Taylor, described the grand jury announcement as “outrageous and offensive.” Crump noted that none of the charges announced today appear to relate directly to the fatal shooting of Taylor. “If Brett Hankison’s behavior was wanton endangerment to people in neighboring apartments, then it should have been wanton endangerment in Breonna Taylor’s apartment too. In fact, it should have been ruled wanton murder,” Crump said in a tweet.
  • Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, learned of the charging decision minutes before attorney general’s announcement. The family’s attorney, Sam Aguiar, told CNN: “She had to drive all the way down there to be told this, despite two advanced requests from me to not force her to drive down only to learn no indictments.”

You can continue to follow the latest developments over here…

Another New York Times columnist, Charles M. Blow, sums up the feelings of a lot of people this morning…

Updated

Dr Melanye Price has written about Breonna Taylor for the New York Times this morning. In a piece headlined “It hurts to keep hoping for justice”, Price picks up on Kentucky’s attorney general, Daniel Cameron using the phrase “Mob justice is not justice”. She writes:

All Ms. Taylor’s family wanted, and all many of the protesters wanted, is for the Constitution and the mechanism of justice to work for them the way it works for others. Mr. Cameron, who is Black, should know that to suggest that protesters are nothing but a mob dehumanizes the people calling for justice and respect. And it reminds African-Americans of the way we’re so often unfairly portrayed as perpetrators of crime, and so rarely seen as victims.

Police officers who kill citizens are rarely convicted. But in this tragic situation, in which the woman killed was not only unarmed but asleep in the moments before a police officer took her life, we hoped that for once, justice would be on our side. This is yet another disappointing reminder that it’s not.

These efforts take a cumulative toll. Young African-Americans consuming a regular diet of Black death are learning to not trust their government. It’s painful to realize that kneeling for the national anthem can cost a football player like Colin Kaepernick his career, but a police officer firing a deadly shot into an innocent young woman’s home late at night will face no consequences. Black people will try to make sense of this, try to rebuild whatever expectation of safety we can muster, and tap into coping mechanisms that are now so familiar. Preparing for moments like this feels like a futile job that can never really soften the actual experience.

Read it here: New York Times – Melanye Price: It hurts to keep hoping for justice

Updated

Facebook to launch long-delayed independent oversight board in October

Also with the election in mind, here is some social media news. Facebook’s long-delayed independent oversight board plans to launch in mid-to-late October, just before the presidential election, although a board member said he did not know whether it would hear cases related to the contest

The board, announced by Facebook in response to criticism of its handling of problematic content, will initially have the power to review decisions to take down posts from Facebook and Instagram, and recommend policy changes.

Elizabeth Culliford reports for Reuters that some experts have said it will not be able to help combat misinformation, because it will have no authority at first to evaluate posts that the company decides to leave up.

Oversight board member – and former Guardian editor – Alan Rusbridger told Reuters in an interview that the board was now aiming for an October launch. A spokesman confirmed that timetable, saying the launch, originally planned for last year, had also been slowed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Rusbridger said he did not know whether the board would hear cases about content connected to the US election.

Biden to be endorsed by 489 national security leaders who say Trump 'not equal to the enormous responsibilities of his office'

Away from the Breonna Taylor protests for a moment, a quick snap from Reuters here that one of president Donald Trump’s most senior military advisers, retired General Paul Selva, is joining a large group of former Pentagon leaders to publicly endorse Joe Biden, according to a letter seen by the news agency.

Selva, who served as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff until July 2019, appears on a list of 489 national security experts - including former military leaders, ambassadors and White House officials - who signed a letter being released on Thursday that declares Trump “not equal to the enormous responsibilities of his office.”

“Thanks to his disdainful attitude and his failures, our allies no longer trust or respect us, and our enemies no longer fear us,” reads the letter by the group, called “National Security Leaders For Biden.”

Other groups of former national security leaders have endorsed Biden and criticized Trump, but, Reuters say, it is remarkable that a recently retired four-star general like Selva - who was the Pentagon’s No. 2 military officer - would publicly endorse any candidate and sign onto a letter condemning a president he served.

CNN’s Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr, notes:

Updated

The events of yesterday and last night are liable to push police and justice reform back into the public spotlight and make them a focus of the election campaign. Adam Mahoney has been in Chicago for us, looking at why the city is the only one in America’s top 10 not yet to agree to new police reforms, despite civil rights protests and a bloody summer of police shootings.

Community leaders are at their wits end in a city where having the largest per-capita police force in the US is not translating into less crime or less violence, especially in neighborhoods long blighted by structural racism and now slammed by the twin coronavirus and economic crises.

“This summer and the pandemic have shown us that if we want justice and love in Chicago, what we’re doing isn’t working,” said Moises Moreno, a city native and director of Pilsen Alliance, an organization on the lower west side that develops grassroots leadership in working class, immigrant communities.

Three weeks ago in the Pilsen neighborhood, a cluster of candles and flowers couldn’t quite cover the dried blood on the sidewalk where 26-year-old Miguel Vega had been shot dead by Chicago police, one of five police shootings by the department in the last two months.

A sixth shooting was carried out by a sheriff’s officer from surrounding Cook county. While county sheriff Tom Dart released bodycam footage less than a day after that wounding, Chicago Police Department failed to release any of the footage from its five shootings, until two days ago it issued bodycam from the Vega incident.

Read it here: Why Chicago hasn’t enacted police reforms despite demands for change

Updated

Here are some more of the pictures that have been coming through of a night of protest and demonstrations in many US cities.

Protesters blocked a police car in downtown Los Angeles.
Protesters blocked a police car in downtown Los Angeles. Photograph: Jill Connelly/ZUMA Wire/REX/Shutterstock
A protester carries a sign in honor of Breonna Taylor in Chicago, Illinois.
A protester carries a sign in honor of Breonna Taylor in Chicago, Illinois. Photograph: Natasha Moustache/Getty Images
Protesters march under an overpass downtown in Louisville, Kentucky.
Protesters march under an overpass downtown in Louisville, Kentucky. Photograph: Jon Cherry/Getty Images
Hundreds of people take to the streets of Washington DC, marching from the Department of Justice to Black Lives Matter Plaza and beyond.
Hundreds of people take to the streets of Washington DC, marching from the Department of Justice to Black Lives Matter Plaza and beyond. Photograph: Amy Katz/ZUMA Wire/REX/Shutterstock
A protester with a loudhailer on a march through the streets of Seattle in remembrance of Breonna Taylor.
A protester with a loudhailer on a march through the streets of Seattle in remembrance of Breonna Taylor. Photograph: Karen Ducey/ZUMA Wire/REX/Shutterstock
Police watch as hundreds of people protest in New York.
Police watch as hundreds of people protest in New York. Photograph: Lev Radin/Pacific Press/REX/Shutterstock

Like many cities in the US there was a Black Lives Matter protest in San Jose yesterday over the Breonna Taylor decision. The East Bay Times reports:

As of 6:30pm Wednesday, roughly 100 protesters had gathered outside San Jose City Hall. Among them was 25-year-old San Jose resident Daniel Barrena, who said he was disgusted the jury did not do more.

“It just shows that they’re not accountable at all to anyone,” said Barrena, who waved a Zapatista flag in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. “There’s just going to be more protests and more riots until we get the justice we deserve.”

Paris Browder said the news was “a slap in the face to me, to every Black person and to Breonna’s family specially.”

“I feel infuriated, frustrated, outraged and out of my body,” the 28-year-old San Jose resident said.

For 29-year-old San Jose resident Srishti Prabha, the indictment of a single police officer was an example “of just how much political power police have in this country.”

“It’s unfortunate that Breonna Taylor’s family is not going to get the justice they wanted,” Prabha continued. “This was a heinous crime and justice did not happen.”

Updated

Our multimedia team have put together this report, as thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in more than a dozen cities across the US after a grand jury decided not to directly charge police officers for the killing of Breonna Taylor.

Pulitzer Prize winning Robin Givhan has written powerfully for the Washington Post this morning, in a piece simply titled Miss Breonna Taylor.

The Kentucky attorney general kept calling her Miss.

Miss Taylor. Miss Breonna Taylor.

He gave her that honorific, that scrap of dignity six months after she was killed.

Cameron used the genteel title — “Miss” — as a matter of formality but also as a kind of armor. The nicety would serve as evidence of his respectfulness of Taylor and of his regard for the criminal justice system. The title would also give feeble cover to the system’s indifference to the value of this 26-year-old Black woman’s life. The word would teeter atop a mountain of historical disregard that continues to grow.

She did not have a weapon. She had done nothing wrong. She was simply at home. And she was killed by police.

Cameron called her death a tragedy. That’s the least of it.

No one would be held to account for Taylor’s death. Taylor was killed and the system shrugged. But at least Cameron called her Miss.

Read it here: Washington Post – Robin Givhan: Miss Breonna Taylor

Back to Portland, where the Oregonian reports on the evening’s protests. Mark Graves writes for the paper that the demonstration started when hundreds of people filled Southwest Third Avenue in front of the downtown Justice Center:

Several Black women addressed the crowd from the steps of the Justice Center and encouraged people to vote and continue pressing for change.

As the speeches continued past 9pm, a smaller crowd started forming in front of the Second Avenue side of the Justice Center — the Central Precinct of the Portland police.

Portland police declared that gathering an “unlawful assembly shortly” before 10pm It was unclear why. Most people remained focused on the speeches on the opposite side of the building.

Police warned people to leave Second Avenue, live videos showed. Dozens of officers then advanced on the crowd, using smoke and other devices to force people to move. At least one protester responded by throwing a firework toward police.

He goes on to say

A handful of protesters targeted a police precinct with fire and rocks. Police quickly extinguished the flames as they burned the edge of an awning. But soon after, someone threw a Molotov cocktail toward officers. Police ordered the hundreds of people gathered in honor of Breonna Taylor to leave, then used force to make people move. Federal officers helped.

Federal officers shot impact munitions on downtown streets a half-mile away from the federal courthouse that President Donald Trump pledged to protect. The scene mirrored many July nights, when federal officers regularly and aggressively dispersed crowds outside the courthouse.

Read it here: Oregon Live – Portland, federal police break up downtown protest of Breonna Taylor grand jury decision

Updated

Away from the protests for a moment, the Associated Press is reporting that the US justice department is investigating a former Republican Florida Congresswoman accused of spending at least $50,000 of campaign money on vacations and restaurant and luxury hotel bills.

The federal department’s public integrity section is looking into the expenditures by Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, from Miami, including a 2017 trip to Walt Disney World with her children and grandchildren, rooms at a Ritz-Carlton resort and a New Year’s Eve meal at a high-end seafood restaurant.

In this 2015 file photo, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, listens to a question from the media.
In this 2015 file photo, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, listens to a question from the media. Photograph: Wilfredo Lee/AP

Jeffrey Weiner, an attorney for Ros-Lehtinen, said in a statement to WFOR-TV, which first reported the investigation, that Ros-Lehtinen was aware of the investigation and she and former staff members and volunteers were cooperating with the Federal Election Commission and the Justice Department.

In a statement to the Miami Herald, the attorney added that they are turning over campaign finance and other records subpoenaed by the Justice Department.

“We ... are confident that, if bookkeeping errors were committed, they were due to negligence, and not willful or intentional misconduct by the former congresswoman or anyone on her staff, or her accountants,” the news outlets quoted Weiner as saying.

Ros-Lehtinen declined to seek reelection in 2018 after a 30-year career in Congress. Following her retirement announcement in April 2017, she transferred more than $177,000 from her reelection campaign account to a political action committee she controlled, WFOR-TV reported. Federal law prohibits campaign funds, including those transferred to PACs from being spent on personal use.

Weiner declined to explain the campaign-related purpose of the expenditures but said his team has not “found any evidence whatsoever of intentional wrongdoing” by the former Congresswoman or her staff.

Here’s a reminder of what Kentucky attorney general, Daniel Cameron, said, urging protesters to make their voices heard peacefully after only one police officer involved in the shooting death of Breonna Taylor was indicted by a grand jury.

Police have declared a riot in Portland, Oregon

Police in Portland, Oregon, have declared a riot after protesters took to the streets there over the Breonna Taylor charging decision. This is not that unusual, as the city has been the focus for months of consecutive Black Lives Matter protests, and the authorities have quite frequently taken that step.

Unusually tonight, though, the Portland police have shared a video which they say is a Molotov cocktail being hurled at them during the protests. The Guardian has not been able to independently verify the footage.

Journalist Sergio Olmos, who works for Oregon Public Broadcasting, shared a photo which showed a small fire and some damage at a Portland police bureau.

The Seattle Times have been reporting on how protests unfolded in the city whose council recently voted to reduce the police department’s budget. They say:

Protesters organized two separate 7pm rallies — one that began at Westlake Park downtown and ended with a vigil for Taylor outside the U.S. Courthouse, and another at Cal Anderson Park on Capitol Hill that led to smashed windows and several arrests. In support of Kentucky protesters, Westlake organizers read aloud six demands from Louisville’s Black Lives Matter chapter

At Cal Anderson Park, protester Trayvonna Thompson-Wiley said the grand jury’s decision offered “no justice at all.” The demonstration was a message that people across the country are in solidarity, she said. “The new generation, millennials, Gen Z are not going to give in to lip service,” she said. “They want change.”

The Seattle Times go on to report that later on:

Around 8:30pm, some people who had gathered at Cal Anderson started smashing parking meters and the windows of a Starbucks on First Hill. A second Starbucks was hit shortly after, and Seattle police issued a dispersal order just before 9pm.

By 9:15pm, police had arrested several people on First Hill. A Seattle police spokesperson said that by 9:45pm, officers had made at least six arrests — one for allegedly assaulting an officer and the rest on investigation of rendering criminal assistance and pedestrian interference. At least two more people were arrested later in the night, police tweeted.

Around 11pm, a group of officers — some on bikes — rushed into the area, pepper spraying the crowd and sending people running.

Protesters light candles and lay flowers outside the Federal Courthouse in remembrance of Breonna Taylor in Seattle.
Protesters light candles and lay flowers outside the Federal Courthouse in remembrance of Breonna Taylor in Seattle. Photograph: Karen Ducey/ZUMA Wire/REX/Shutterstock

There’s also some unverified footage being widely shared around social media that appears to show a Seattle police officer on a bicycle in running over the head of an injured person who was lying at the side of the road.

Here are some of the pictures that have come through of events in Atlanta, where authorities deployed chemical agents against a crowd of people protesting after the grand jury refused to charge officers with Breonna Taylor’s killing, instead opting to indicte just one officer on charges of wanton endangerment.

A lone protester confronts state troopers with an umbrella.
A lone protester confronts state troopers with an umbrella. Photograph: Nathan Posner/REX/Shutterstock
Georgia state patrol using tear gas to dispel protesters in downtown Atlanta.
Georgia state patrol using tear gas to dispel protesters in downtown Atlanta. Photograph: Nathan Posner/REX/Shutterstock
Protesters gather outside of the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta.
Protesters gather outside of the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta. Photograph: Nathan Posner/REX/Shutterstock
Protesters march in downtown Atlanta carrying signs with Breonna Taylor’s name.
Protesters march in downtown Atlanta carrying signs with Breonna Taylor’s name. Photograph: Nathan Posner/REX/Shutterstock

Vice president Mike Pence, alongside Ivanka Trump, will no doubt be addressing the subject of the Breonna Taylor protests later today. They already had a planned campaign stop in Minneapolis where they were intending to show support for law enforcement and talk about the president’s “law and order” agenda.

In the city where the death of George Floyd sparked the widespread summer of global Black Lives Matter protests, the pair plan to host a listening session with a “Cops for Trump” group.

Earlier, Joe Biden’s pick for vice president, Kamala Harris, added her voice to those calling for protests to be non-violent.

She also called on people to never stop speaking Breonna Taylor’s name.

Key events so far…

Here’s a quick catch-up on where we are right now and what we know:

  • The Jefferson county grand jury has indicted one of the officers involved in the shooting of Breonna Taylor. Former Louisville police officer Brett Hankinson faces three felony counts of first-degree wanton endangerment. None of the other officers involved in the fatal shooting were indicted. No homicide charges were issued.
  • Thousands of people joined protests in many major US city which saw protesters chanting “Say her name! Breonna Taylor” and “No justice, no peace”. Posters and shrines dedicated to Taylor were seen all around as protesters marched.
  • Two police officers in Louisville were shot and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Louisville police have one suspect in custody, but it is unclear whether the suspect and the shooting were related to protests in the city. One officer is undergoing surgery while the second is alert and stable. The police have not released any other information.
  • A car drove through protests in Denver, there were no injuries. One person was detained.
  • Chemical agents were used on protesters by the authorities in Atlanta.
  • President Donald Trump has tweeted that he is praying for the two police officers.
  • His opponent in November’s election, Joe Biden has tweeted “Even amidst the profound grief & anger today’s decision generated, violence is never & can never be the answer” and said that he and his wife Jill would be keeping the officers shot “in our prayers”.
  • Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the family of Breonna Taylor, described the grand jury announcement as “outrageous and offensive.” Crump noted that none of the charges announced today appear to relate directly to the fatal shooting of Taylor. “If Brett Hankison’s behavior was wanton endangerment to people in neighboring apartments, then it should have been wanton endangerment in Breonna Taylor’s apartment too. In fact, it should have been ruled wanton murder,” Crump said in a tweet.
  • Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, learned of the charging decision minutes before attorney general’s announcement. The family’s attorney, Sam Aguiar, told CNN: “She had to drive all the way down there to be told this, despite two advanced requests from me to not force her to drive down only to learn no indictments.”

I’m Martin Belam, taking over from Helen Sullivan, and you can get in touch with me at martin.belam@theguardian.com

That’s it from me, Helen Sullivan, for today. Thank you for following along – and a special thanks to those who got in touch.

I’m handing over to my colleague Martin Belam who’ll be bringing you the latest from the reaction to the Breonna Taylor decision.

San Diego police declare unlawful assembly

The San Diego police department has ordered a group of protestors to disperse from outside the police headquarters or face arrest, in what they say is a response to “acts of violence and vandalism”:

The attorney for Taylor’s boyfriend echoing the message from civil rights attorney Ben Crump earlier today.

Crump, who is representing the Taylor’s family, told CNN the indictment is, “like killing Breonna all over again, and added that, “The DA can indict a ham sandwich if they want to ... We strongly feel they did not want an indictment against these police officers.”

Steven Romines, who is representing Taylor’s boyfriend has told CNN, “A prosecutor can indict anybody he wants. And indict him for whatever he wants. They did not want to indict anybody for Breonna Taylor’s murder.”

Updated

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear authorizes 'limited' deployment of national guard

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear says he has authorized a “limited” deployment of the National Guard, AP reports.

The Democratic governor said Wednesday at a news conference that the deployment is “based on very specific operations,” and is under the sole command of the National Guard.

Beshear said the National Guard would protect “critical infrastructure,” including hospitals. Meanwhile, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said the indictment of one of the officers on a charge of wanton endangerment “confirmed our decision to terminate” him from the Louisville Metro Police Department.

Fischer said the case is “far from over” and the FBI is continuing its probe into the matter.

Also, LMPD is conducting a Professional Standards Unit investigation to determine if any policies and procedures were violated by officers involved in the case.

In urging calm, Fischer said: “Let’s turn to each other, not on each other.”

Updated

Police deploy chemical agents in Atlanta

More from Atlanta, via the AP:

Police say they have deployed chemical agents on Atlanta protesters. Georgia State Patrol Spokesperson Franka Young has told The Associated Press the chemical agents were fired after “some unruly protesters” attempted to climb on top of a SWAT vehicle that was stationed in the city.

“They were given orders to get off of the vehicle and when they ignored the orders, the SWAT team was forced to utilize less lethal gas to deter them,” Young said. Some protesters were also arrested after refusing orders to disperse from roads and to walk on sidewalks, Young said. It is not clear how many people were arrested. Young said many protesters had followed police orders.

Updated

For those of you just tuning in, here are the key developments from the last few hours:

Updated

Martin Luther King III, human rights activist and Martin Luther King Jr and Loretta Scott King’s oldest son:

Updated

Hi, Helen Sullivan here. I’m bringing you the latest from the protests and reaction to the Breonna Taylor decision. Get in touch on Twitter @helenrsullivan.

If you’re just joining us: Protests have erupted across the US after a grand jury decided not to directly charge police officers for the killing of Breonna Taylor, who was fatally shot by Louisville police as officers carried out a no-knock warrant in March. Thousands of people in nearly every major US city saw protesters chanting “Say her name! Breonna Taylor” and “No justice, no peace”.

Updated

Here is a bird’s-eye view of the protests in New York from earlier this evening:

Opal Tometi, co-founder of Black Lives Matter: ‘I do this because we deserve to live’

BLM was formed in 2013 when Oakland-based organiser Alicia Garza felt moved to respond to the acquittal of George Zimmerman. Zimmerman had the year before shot dead an unarmed black teenager, Trayvon Martin, in Florida, and Garza posted an impassioned message on Facebook. Patrisse Cullors shared the post with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter, and an inspired Opal Tometi built the BlackLivesMatter.com website, choosing yellow and black as its signature colours. And with that a movement was born.

It’s a movement that some analysts say is the biggest in US history. Between 15 and 26 million people participated in demonstrations following the death of George Floyd in May this year – and between then and August there were 7,750 demonstrations in all 50 states and Washington DC. Internationally, there have been protests in 60 countries and on every continent except Antarctica, with politicians from Boris Johnson to Justin Trudeau insisting that they, too, think “Black Lives Matter”:

US president Donald Trump has responded to the shooting of two police officers saying he is praying for them and that the government is “ready to help”.

Shortly afterwards, he again tweeted “LAW & ORDER”, which he has done several times in the last few months:

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden also tweeted his response to the shooting, saying, “Even amidst the profound grief & anger today’s decision generated, violence is never & can never be the answer. Those who engage in it must be held accountable.”

Breonna Taylor decision – summary

  • Protests have erupted across the US after a grand jury decided not to directly charge police officers for the killing of Breonna Taylor, who was fatally shot by Louisville police as officers carried out a no-knock warrant in March.
  • Thousands of people in nearly every major US city saw protesters chanting “Say her name! Breonna Taylor” and “No justice, no peace”. Posters and shrines dedicated to Taylor were seen all around as protesters marched.
  • Two police officers in Louisville were shot and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Louisville police have one suspect in custody, but it is unclear whether the suspect and the shooting were related to protests in the city. One officer is undergoing surgery while the second is alert and stable. The police have not released any other information.
  • A car drove through protests in Denver, there were no injuries. One person was detained.
  • Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, learned of the charging decision minutes before attorney general’s announcement. The family’s attorney, Sam Aguiar, told CNN: “She had to drive all the way down there to be told this, despite two advanced requests from me to not force her to drive down only to learn no indictments.”
  • Former Louisville police officer Brett Hankinson faces three felony counts of first-degree wanton endangerment. None of the other officers involved in the fatal shooting were indicted. No homicide charges were issued. Reacting to the announcement on MSNBC, the Revered Al Sharpton, a civil rights leader, condemned the charges as “grossly insufficient.”
  • The Louisville mayor announced a curfew in anticipation of the Taylor announcement. Mayor Greg Fischer issued an on-camera statement saying he hoped Cameron’s announcement would be met with “a peaceful, lawful response like we have seen the majority of the past four months.” Fischer announced the city would observe a curfew for the next three nights, from 9pm to 6.30am.
  • Kentucky governor, Andy Beshear, called for protesters to “go home”. In a video statement, he said: “We know that the answer to violence is never violence. And we are thinking about those two officers and their families tonight. So I’m asking everybody, please, go home. Go home tonight.”
  • Senator Kamala Harris said Taylor and her family “deserve justice yesterday, today and tomorrow”. Asked about the indictment, the California senator said she had not yet had the chance to fully review the indictment.
  • Kentucky’s attorney general, Daniel Cameron, denied that the search warrant carried out at Breonna Taylor’s home was a “no-knock warrant”. Cameron claimed the police officers involved in the fatal shooting of Taylor identified themselves before entering the apartment. Cameron said that information was corroborated by a witness. But according to a 911 call placed by Taylor’s boyfriend shortly after she was shot, he did not know the shooters were police officers. “I don’t know what’s happening,” Kenneth Walker said in the call. “Somebody kicked in the door and shot my girlfriend.”

Updated

Taylor's mother learned of decision minutes before attorney general's announcement

Tamika Palmer, Breonna Taylor’s mother, learned of the decision not to directly charge the police officers for the killing of her daughter just minutes before it was announced publicly by Attorney General Daniel Cameron, the family’s attorney, Sam Aguiar, has told CNN:

“She had to drive all the way down there to be told this, despite two advanced requests from me to not force her to drive down only to learn no indictments,” Aguiar said. “I told them that would be hell for her.”

Updated

Are you protesting in your city? Let me know on Twitter @helenrsullivan.

Tear gas used in Atlanta

WSB-TV in Atlanta reports that police have used tear gas to break up protestors.

“A number of arrests” have also been made, a police spokesperson told CNN.

Car drives through protests in Denver, no injuries and one person detained

A few moments ago, a driver drove into a group of protestors. There were no serious injuries, Denver police have confirmed, and a man has been detained.

Here is footage of the incident:

Taylor's attorney says indictment is 'like killing Breonna all over again'

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the family of Breonna Taylor, has told CNN the indictment is, “like killing Breonna all over again.”

He called her death, “Legalized genocide of people of color, because no matter how much evidence we have, they always find a way to try to legally justify it.”

Crump added that, “The DA can indict a ham sandwich if they want to ... We strongly feel they did not want an indictment against these police officers,” and said that the decision “underscores the fact that there are two justice systems in America – one for Black America and one for White America.”

“We stand here today to say that there is no justification for the murder of Breonna Taylor. And we will go to our graves proclaiming that Breonna Taylor did not get justice from the Kentucky attorney general’s office.”

Earlier, Crump described the grand jury announcement as “outrageous and offensive.”

Crump noted that none of the charges announced today appear to relate directly to the fatal shooting of Taylor.

“If Brett Hankison’s behavior was wanton endangerment to people in neighboring apartments, then it should have been wanton endangerment in Breonna Taylor’s apartment too. In fact, it should have been ruled wanton murder,” Crump said in a tweet.

At least 46 people have been arrested in Louisville tonight, Louisville Police Sgt. Lamont Washington confirmed to CNN.

A curfew has been in place since 9.30 pm.

From the demonstration in Oakland, California:

The protests are still going strong in New York, where a large group of protestors have started crossing the Williamsburg Bridge:

For nearly 120 days, protesters in Louisville, Kentucky, have shouted “no justice, no peace!” as they called for charges against three police officers involved in the killing of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman who was shot in her apartment in March as police executed a search warrant.

In the minutes following the announcement that only one officer would be indicted – for wanton endangerment for firing into an apartment next door to Taylor’s – a quiet, stunned sadness and simmering anger overtook Louisville’s Jefferson Square Park, the epicenter of protests which has been dubbed Injustice Square Park.

Monique Lathon, a 33-year-old Black woman, said she was feeling “mostly sadness more than anger” as tears streamed down her face after the announcement. “Just sorry to Bre that we weren’t able to get her justice.”

Get in touch on Twitter @helenrsullivan.

Colin Kaepernick, the quarterback and civil rights activist who in 2016 knelt during the national anthem at the start an NFL game to protest police brutality, has tweeted about the Breonna Taylor decision:

Updated

Kentucky governor asks protestors to 'go home tonight'

A short while ago, the Kentucky governor, Andy Beshear, released a video statement in which he asks that protesters leave the streets and go home in light of the shooting of two officers.

Here is the full transcript of what he said:

I know that with the events of today, many people are feeling powerful emotions. Whether that’s frustration, anger, concern. And many people have been out on the streets, especially in Louisville tonight, giving voice to those emotions. But sadly we have seen at least one individual turn what were non-violent ways of expressing ourselves into the shooting of at least two law enforcement officers.

We know that the answer to violence is never violence. And we are thinking about those two officers and their families tonight. So I’m asking everybody, please, go home. Go home tonight.

There will be many times over the coming days where there will be an opportunity to be heard, and so many people are listening right now.

As your governor I’ve promised to listen. But let’s make sure we don’t see any more violence tonight. And let’s make sure that we find ways of expressing ourselves moving forward where your point and other people’s points are made and that hopefully we can not just listen, but hear.

Everybody out there stay safe. We care about each and every one of you. Goodnight.”

Earlier today, Beshear called on the state attorney general, Daniel Cameron, to release online all the information he can about the Breonna Taylor case.

“I believe that the public deserves this information,” said the Democrat governor. “I trust Kentuckians. They deserve to see the facts for themselves.”

Beshear argued releasing the information, without jeopardizing the three-count indictment against former officer Brett Hankison, would help the state to heal.

Updated

Here is video from the protests in Detroit:

And two from the protests in New York:

Updated

Hi, my name is Helen Sullivan and I’ll be bringing you the latest for the next while.

As always, we really appreciate news, updates, good photographs or anything else from the protests in your city.

Get in touch on Twitter @helenrsullivan or send me an email: helen.sullivan@theguardian.com.

What we know so far

Two police officers in Louisville were shot tonight and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Louisville police have one suspect in custody, but it is unclear whether the suspect and the shooting were related to protests that were happening in the city. One officer is undergoing surgery while the second is alert and stable. The police have not given any other information to press.

After it was announced a grand jury decided not to directly charge police officers for the killing of Breonna Taylor, who was shot by police in March, protests have been happening in Louisville all throughout the afternoon. Protests were largely peaceful, though confrontations became tense as police attempted to disperse crowds and started to warn protesters about the city’s 9 pm curfew. Arrests were made earlier in the day of people who refused to disperse in closed-off areas.

Thousands of people across the country have turned their anger over the grand jury’s decision into largely peaceful protests. Nearly every major US city saw protesters chanting “Say her name! Breonna Taylor” and “No justice, no peace”. Posters and shrines dedicated to Taylor were seen all around as protesters marched through city streets.

A huge crowd of people turned up in New York City tonight to protest a grand jury’s decision not to charge three police officers for the killing of Breonna Taylor.
A huge crowd of people turned up in New York City tonight to protest a grand jury’s decision not to charge three police officers for the killing of Breonna Taylor. Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Updated

Two officers shot in Louisville

Two officers were shot in Louisville tonight, both suffering non-life-threatening injuries, said Robert Schroeder chief of the Louisville Metro Police Department at a brief press conference.

One of the officers is currently undergoing surgery, while a second is “alert and stable”. The officers were shot at around 8.30pm. Police have one suspect in custody. It is unclear whether the shootings were in connection to the protests that were happening downtown.

While protests in the city turned tense as time went on and police attempted to disperse protesters, the demonstrations throughout the day were largely peaceful.

Updated

Though protests in Louisville have led to tense confrontations between the police and protesters, demonstrations around the country have been largely peaceful.

A crowd of people are marching in downtown Austin, chanting “say her name! Breonna Taylor” and holding signs that say “Justice for Breonna Taylor”.

Protests are happening in nearly every major city. Protesters in Dallas are chanting “we’re young, we’re strong, we’re marching all night long”.

Meanwhile, huge crowds have gathered in New York City, where multiple protests have popped up around the city.

Updated

Some local news outlets in Louisville have reported that an additional officer has been shot. The Louisville Metro Police Department said it will hold a press conference tonight to provide more information on the “officer shootings”.

Officer shot in Louisville

The Louisville Metro Police Department has confirmed that one of their officers has been shot, according to multiple outlets. Reports say the officer has been taken to a hospital downtown. No other information seems to be available at this time.

Multiple videos with gunshots ringing out in the background are floating around on Twitter, though it is unclear when the officer was shot. The city’s curfew started at 9pm.

Updated

Joe Biden just released a statement on today’s Breonna Taylor decision. While many lawmakers in the Democratic party have taken stronger stances against the decision, Biden called for people to wait for the federal investigation that will provide a “final judgment of that investigation”.

“I know people are frustrated and they have a right to peacefully protest, but violence is never acceptable,” the statement read.

Updated

Protests in the largest US cities have started to balloon in size. In Washington DC, hundreds have gathered at Black Lives Matter Plaza, which the city placed in direct view of the White House.

Hundreds of people holding signs and chanting could be seen walking down the streets of Atlanta and New York City.

Curfew in Louisville is set to start at 9pm, but police have already released tear gas in attempts to disperse a crowd of protestors.

Actor George Clooney released a powerful statement on Breonna Taylor’s case, pushing back on Kentucky attorney general Daniel Cameron’s assertion that celebrities and influences from outside the state “will tell us how to feel”, “suggesting they understand the facts of this case and that they know our community and the commonwealth better than we do”.

Clooney wrote: “I was born and raised in Kentucky. Cut tobacco on the farms of Kentucky. Both my parents and my sister in Kentucky. I own a home in Kentucky, and I was there last month.

“I know the community. I know the commonwealth. And I was taught in the schools and churches of Kentucky what is right and what is wrong. I’m ashamed of this decision.”

Police in Louisville are making warnings over a loud intercom that if protesters don’t disperse after 9 pm, when the city-wide curfew starts, the police may “dispense chemical agents and you may be arrested”.

Protestors in Grand Rapids, Michigan have started to gather outside of the city’s police headquarters, demanding that the police chief join them outside and kneel with them.

Taylor announcement prompts protests in more than a dozen US cities

Protests are under way in over a dozen US cities in response to the three officers involved in the killing of Breonna Taylor not being charged for her death.

A group in Washington D.C. is chanting “no justice, no peace”, with cars honking in support, while hundreds of people have gathered outside the Barclay Center in Brooklyn, kneeling in honor of Taylor.

Protesters in Atlanta are shouting “Say her name! Breonna Taylor!”

Crowds are starting to be seen in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Kansas City and Indianapolis. Meanwhile in Louisville, where protests have been happening since the decision was announced in the afternoon, protesters are still out just a few hours before the city’s curfew at 9 pm. Earlier today, police arrested some protesters in Louisville after they refused to disperse.

Updated

After months of Trump’s attempts to delegitimize mail-in voting, which will take place at an unprecedented scale this year because of the pandemic, concerns about what the president will do if he loses have been abound. Joe Biden has been raising money specifically for a transition team that the campaign hopes to be staffed with at least 350 by the time of an inauguration.

At a press conference tonight, Donald Trump refused to commit to a peaceful transition of power should he lose the election this year, bolstering concerns that his rhetoric against mail-in voting signals trouble if the results are close.

When asked by a reporter if he would commit himself to a peaceful transfer of power after the election, Trump said: “Well, we’re going to have to see what happens.”

“I’ve been complaining strongly about the ballots, and the ballots are a disaster,” Trump said.

“Get rid of the ballots … and there won’t be a transfer, frankly. There will be a continuation.”

Trump has been saying the same version of this over the last few weeks, saying at a rally that the only way he could lose the election is if there is fraud in the election, teeing up doubt over any result that is not in his favor.

“The only way we’re going to lose this election is if the election is rigged,” he said. “It’s the only way we’re going to lose this election, so we have to be very careful.”

Top US intelligence officials have debunked Trump’s claims that mail-in ballots are ripe for fraud. Instead, the FBI put out a public service announcement yesterday that Americans should beware of misinformation from foreign actors spreading online, especially around election night.

Updated

At the White House’s press conference, Scott Atlas, White House advisor on the Covid-19 pandemic, said that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Robert Redfield had “misstated” things when he told Congress that 90% of the population remains susceptible to Covid-19.

Atlas said that the CDC data that Redfield cites is “old” and that looking at antibodies from the virus is not the only way to determine immunity. When asked by a reporter whether Americans should believe CDC or himself, Atlas said: “You’re supposed to believe the science, and I’m telling you the science.”

Atlas also reiterated his belief that “we’re going to have a vaccine highly likely in far less than one year, but without cutting any safety corners.”

He said that the White House should be praised for its efforts to push out a vaccine. “You shouldn’t be punished for doing something faster than people have done or thought.”

When asked later if he can confirm that there is no clear-cut timeframe for when the vaccine will be released, Atlas said he is merely repeating what he’s hearing from people in charge of vaccine development. “It is highly likely we will have a vaccine before the end of the year,” he said, though he added later that “no one can really say with certainty when it’s coming. That’s just impossible.”

Atlas also commented on reports that Dr Deborah Birx, a member of the White House coronavirus taskforce, believes that Atlas has been a negative influence on the president. “It’s completely false,” he said.

Updated

Donald Trump just held a brief press conference before he left to take “an emergency phone call”. Trump did not say what the phone call was about before he left the room.

When asked to comment on Breonna Taylor’s case, Trump said that he “thought it was really brilliant”.

Trump, who said he had not been briefed on the grand jury’s decision when asked about it earlier this afternoon, said that the Kentucky attorney general, Daniel Cameron, “is doing a fantastic job. I think he’s a star.” The president quoted Cameron’s statement that “justice is not easy” and “mob justice is not justice”. “I heard that I said write that down for me please,” Trump said.

“I think it’s a very positive thing it’ll all work out,” he added.

When asked about whether he will allow a peaceful transition of power if he loses the election, Trump doubled down on his anger toward mail-in ballots. “Get rid of the ballots and there will be a continuation. The ballots are out of control.”

Updated

Protests in Louisville have been going for hours since Kentucky’s attorney general, Daniel Cameron, announced this afternoon the decision from a grand jury for the case of Breonna Taylor. None of the officers involved were charged for the killing.

Multiple cities are bracing for protests, but Louisville’s protest is well underway. Some protesters have been arrested for refusing to disperse on a closed-off street.

Here’s a look at what’s happening at the protest in Louisville.

Protests in Louisville have erupted after the officers who killed Breonna Taylor faced no charges for her death.
Protests in Louisville, Kentucky have erupted after the officers who killed Breonna Taylor faced no charges for her death.
Protests in Louisville, Kentucky have erupted after the officers who killed Breonna Taylor faced no charges for her death.
Protests in Louisville, Kentucky have erupted after the officers who killed Breonna Taylor faced no charges for her death.

Updated

The Guardian’s Kari Paul reports:

ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, requested a preliminary injunction on Wednesday against an order from Donald Trump that would ban the popular video sharing app if it is not sold to an American company by the end of the week.

The looming ban stems from an executive order the president issued on 6 August to address supposed security concerns surrounding TikTok as well as China-owned messaging app WeChat.

Both apps were to be removed from stores on 20 September, according to the executive order, unless they were sold to a US-based company.

WeChat managed to obtain an extension on Monday when a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction against the ban. TikTok got a one-week extension on the ban as it continued to broker a deal with tech firm Oracle regarding US operations of the app.

After that extension runs out, TikTok will be removed from app stores at 11:59 pm ET on Sunday, 27 September, prohibiting new downloads of the app and software updates for existing users.

To avoid that, TikTok is requesting “preliminary injunctive relief” that would prevent that ban from going into effect and is requesting a response from Trump and the Commerce Department by Friday at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Missouri governor and noted mask skeptic Mike Parson and his wife, Teresa Parson, have both tested positive for Covid-19.

Parson, 65, appears to have no symptoms, but has postponed all events, including ones for his re-election campaign.

Despite pressure from public health officials, including the White House’s coronavirus taskforce, to issue a state-wide mask mandate, Parson held firm that the decision should be up to local government officials. Cases of the virus have been rising in the state, which saw a record number of new cases in a single week last week.

Throughout the summer, even as cases started to spike in Missouri, Parson was seen out in public without a mask. The governor said that he wore masks when it is required but said he did not wear one when he thinks social distancing is possible. Multiple pictures the governor posted of himself from over the summer show him shaking hands and standing close with people without a mask.

“It’s just a choice you’ve got to make,” he said.

Updated

This is Lauren Aratani taking over from Joan E Greve. Cities are bracing themselves for protests tonight following the grand jury’s decision in the case of the officers who killed Breonna Taylor.

The Associated Press spotted a few demonstrators being arrested by police in Louisville, though reasons for the arrest are unclear. Protesters have been gathering in downtown Louisville for hours since the decision was announced. The city set a curfew that will start at 9pm tonight and end at 6.30 am today morning.

Meanwhile Chicago officials are preparing for massive protests. Mayor Lori Lightfoot asked that protests remain peaceful and called for a city-wide moment of silence at 7 pm in remembrance of Taylor. Word of protests in New York City tonight have also begun to spread.

Updated

Today so far

That’s it from me today. My Guardian colleague Lauren Aratani will be taking over the blog for the next few hours.

Here’s where the day stands so far:

  • A grand jury indicted one police officer involved in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor. Former Louisville police officer Brett Hankinson faces three felony counts of first-degree wanton endangerment for blindly shooting into the apartments of Taylor’s neighbors. However, no charges were filed in direct relation to the killing of Taylor.
  • Kentucky’s attorney general said the two other officers involved in Taylor’s shooting were not charged because their use of force was justified. Attorney general Daniel Cameron argued Sgt Jonathan Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove were in the right because Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired off a shot before they fatally struck Taylor. But Walker has said the officers did not properly identify themselves when they entered the apartment, which Cameron denied.
  • The indictment was met with rage among those who had called for the officers to be brought to justice. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Taylor family, denounced the decision as “outrageous and offensive”.
  • Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was honored with a private ceremony at the supreme court. The late justice will lie in repose at the supreme court today and tomorrow, and Trump is expected to pay his respects to Ginsburg tomorrow.
  • Members of the White House coronavirus taskforce testified before a Senate committee. The commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, Stephen Hahn, pledged that the authorization of a coronavirus vaccine would be “based on science and data, not politics”.

Lauren will have more coming up, so stay tuned.

Updated

Progressive congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said the latest news in the Breonna Taylor case was “weighing really heavy on my heart.”

Ocasio-Cortez told a Capitol Hill reporter, “We know that her death is not just the result of one person but the system, structure, and department that failed their entire community.”

The Kentucky governor called on the state attorney general, Daniel Cameron, to release online all the information he can about the Breonna Taylor case.

“I believe that the public deserves this information,” said Democrat Andy Beshear. “I trust Kentuckians. They deserve to see the facts for themselves.”

Beshear argued releasing the information, without jeopardizing the three-count indictment against former officer Brett Hankinson, would help the state to heal.

Trump says he wants ninth supreme court justice to help decide election

Trump said he wants to confirm a ninth justice to the supreme court because he believes the court will determine the outcome of the presidential election.

“I think this will end up in the supreme court, and I think it’s very important that we have nine justices, and I think the system is going to go very quickly,” Trump told reporters moments ago.

The president has previously indicated the federal courts will need to become involved in the election because it will be tainted by fraud. Trump has provided no evidence for that extraordinary claim, and voter fraud is actually very rare.

“This scam that the Democrats are pulling, it’s a scam, the scam will be before the United States supreme court, and I think having a 4-4 situation is not a good situation,” Trump said.

The president’s implication that he wants another conservative justice to help swing the election to him will likely only further intensify tensions in the Senate as Republicans move to get a nominee confirmed before election day.

Updated

When asked whether he thought justice was served in the case of Breonna Taylor, Trump repeated his widely contested claim that he has done more for the black community than any other president besides Abraham Lincoln, who ended slavery.

The president was asked what message he had for members of the black community who feel justice was not served, after two of the police officers involved in the shooting of Taylor were not charged.

“My message is that I love the black community, and I‘ve done more for the black community than any other president, and I say with the possible exception of Abraham Lincoln,” Trump said.

“Abraham Lincoln, let’s give him the nod,” he added. “But beyond that, nobody’s done more. I love the black community.”

Trump said of the indictment, “I don’t know enough about it. I heard a decision was just made. We’ve been together here, and so we haven’t discussed it. But after I see what the decision is, I will have a comment on it.”

Trump was asked about the announcement in the Breonna Taylor case, but he said he did not yet know enough about the grand jury indictment to comment.

The president told reporters he would review the indictment before his press conference at 6 pm ET tonight.

Harris: Taylor and family 'deserve justice yesterday, today and tomorrow'

Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris is on Capitol Hill today to attend a Senate intelligence committee briefing.

Asked about the indictment in the Breonna Taylor case, the California senator said she had not yet had the chance to fully review the indictment.

But she added, “There’s no question Breonna Taylor and her family deserve justice yesterday, today and tomorrow, so I’ll review it and then I can say more.”

A local reporter in Louisville, Kentucky, observed a militia group marching downtown after the grand jury announced its indictment in the Breonna Taylor case.

Today’s news comes a month after 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse was charged with shooting and killing two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin, after the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

Demonstrators have already taken to the streets of Louisville to protest the decision not to charge two of the police officers involved in the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor.

Mostly peaceful protests over Taylor’s shooting have been unfolding in the Kentucky city consistently since late May.

Kentucky’s attorney general, Daniel Cameron, has wrapped up his press conference after a grand jury indicted one of the police officers involved in the shooting of Breonna Taylor.

Reactions have started pouring in, with a number of Democratic lawmakers denouncing the grand jury’s decision not to charge the other two officers involved in the shooting.

From Massachusetts senator Ed Markey:

From Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar:

From Washington congresswoman Pramila Jayapal:

Kentucky’s attorney general, Daniel Cameron, was asked how Breonna Taylor could have been shot so many times when her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, who fired at the officers, was not hit.

“That’s part of the tragedy here,” Cameron said.

Cameron has argued the police officers were justified in their use of force because Walker fired a shot at them.

But again, a 911 call placed by Walker shortly after Taylor was shot indicates he did not know the shooters were police officers.

“I don’t know what’s happening,” Walker said in the call. “Somebody kicked in the door and shot my girlfriend.”

The attorney general of Kentucky defended the decision not to charge the other two officers involved in the shooting of Breonna Taylor, Sgt Jonathan Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove.

“Sometimes the criminal law is not adequate to respond to a tragedy,” Daniel Cameron said.

Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, has called for all three officers involved in the shooting to be criminally charged.

The attorney general of Kentucky said he was forming a task force to review the process for obtaining search warrants in response to the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor.

Daniel Cameron also promised to “vigorously” prosecute the three felony charges of wanton endangerment against former officer Brett Hankinson.

Cameron argued it was reasonable to not charge the other two officers involved in the shooting, Sgt Jonathan Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove, because they were justified in their use of force.

The attorney general also noted a forensic analysis indicated the fatal shot that killed Taylor was fired by Cosgrove.

Kentucky AG claims warrant in Taylor case was not a no-knock warrant

The attorney general of Kentucky, Daniel Cameron, denied that the search warrant carried out at Breonna Taylor’s home was a “no-knock warrant”.

Cameron claimed the police officers involved in the fatal shooting of Taylor identified themselves before entering the apartment. Cameron said that information was corroborated by a witness.

But according to a 911 call placed by Taylor’s boyfriend shortly after she was shot, he did not know the shooters were police officers.

“I don’t know what’s happening,” Kenneth Walker said in the call. “Somebody kicked in the door and shot my girlfriend.”

Josh Wood reports from Louisville, Kentucky:

Crowds in Louisville, where Breonna Taylor was shot at home in March, reacted angrily to the announcement by a judge that a grand jury had decided to indict one of the police officers involved, Brett Hankinson, on three charges of wanton endangerment.

Louisville had been on edge earlier as it waited for a grand jury’s conclusions on whether there would be charges against three police officers involved in the killing.

Louisville was placed under a state of emergency Tuesday as city officials closed down a more than 25-block perimeter to traffic. Most city administrative buildings and other businesses were boarded up in anticipation of the decision.

Protests in Louisville related to Taylor’s death in March have been taking place for more than 100 consecutive days and have been overwhelmingly peaceful.

A state of emergency was declared in Louisville in anticipation of protests following the grand jury decision.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the family of Breonna Taylor, described the grand jury announcement as “outrageous and offensive.”

Crump noted that none of the charges announced today appear to relate directly to the fatal shooting of Taylor.

“If Brett Hankison’s behavior was wanton endangerment to people in neighboring apartments, then it should have been wanton endangerment in Breonna Taylor’s apartment too. In fact, it should have been ruled wanton murder,” Crump said in a tweet.

Updated

When the grand jury indictment against Brett Hankinson was read, the judge said the former police officer was being charged for firing shots into the apartments of residents with the initials “CD,” “TM” and “Z.F.”

The initials “BT” for Breonna Taylor were not mentioned. So it appears Hankinson was charged for some of his behavior that night, but those charges do not directly relate to the fatal shooting of Taylor, as a staff writer at the Marshall Project noted:

Former Louisville police officer Brett Hankinson was fired in June after blindly shooting into the home of Breonna Taylor while carrying out a no-knock warrant.

Hankison now faces three felony counts of first-degree wanton endangerment in connection to the fatal shooting of Taylor.

The two other officers involved in the shooting, Sgt Jonathan Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove, have not been fired and were not indicted.

Mattingly said in an email to colleagues this week that he believed the officers “did the legal, moral and ethical thing that night” of the shooting.

Grand jury indicts one officer in Breonna Taylor case

The Jefferson county grand jury has indicted one of the officers involved in the shooting of Breonna Taylor.

Former Louisville police officer Brett Hankinson faces three felony counts of first-degree wanton endangerment. None of the other officers involved in the fatal shooting were indicted. No homicide charges were issued.

Reacting to the announcement on MSNBC, the Revered Al Sharpton, a civil rights leader, condemned the charges as “grossly insufficient.”

Updated

The US top public health expert, Anthony Fauci, clashed with right-wing libertarian Rand Paul at the Senate hearing earlier, accusing the Kentucky Senator of deliberately misconstruing data on coronavirus.

Paul derisively challenged Fauci on his praise for New York measures to prevent the spread of the virus (relatively early, strict lockdown, mandatory mask-wearing in public, etc) when New York City early in the first surge of the virus, in March and April, had the most infections in the world.

Fauci indicated that while New York had made some errors (including that it could have locked down earlier) in the early stages of the pandemic that later cost, the way it got a handle on the disease and, at this point, has reached a level of fewer than one percent of coronavirus tests proving positive was by following federal public health guidelines on social distancing, mask-wearing and other measures.

“You misconstrued that, Senator, as you have done in the past,” Fauci shot back.

Virginia Democratic Senator Tim Kaine told a Senate hearing moments ago that not only had he and his wife both had coronavirus but they know four people who have died from the disease during the pandemic that is still out of control in the US.

Kaine, who was Hillary Clinton’s running mate in the 2016 presidential election, said the Trump White House’s handling of the pandemic “has been one of the worst failures of domestic governance in the history of this country.”

“We need to pay attention,” he said. He pointed out that the death toll in the US from Covid-19, by far the highest in the world, had occurred despite much expert opinion, most notably from the prestigious Johns Hopkins University, that before the disease reached the US that it was “the best prepared of any nation” to deal with a crisis like this.

And yet in addition to the government’s failure to contain the disease, the Trump administration had also made “a concerted four-year effort to take away health insurance from millions and millions of people,” Kaine said.

Senator Tim Kaine (R) jokes with congresswoman Abigail Spanberger (both represent Virginia) after she arrived at a voting station to vote early in the 2020 election.
Senator Tim Kaine (R) jokes with congresswoman Abigail Spanberger (both represent Virginia) after she arrived at a voting station to vote early in the 2020 election. Photograph: Bob Brown/AP

Today so far

Here’s where the day stands so far:

  • Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was honored with a private ceremony at the supreme court. The late justice will lie in repose at the supreme court today and tomorrow, and Trump is expected to pay his respects to Ginsburg tomorrow.
  • Members of the White House coronavirus task force are testifying before a Senate committee. The commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, Stephen Hahn, pledged that authorizing a coronavirus vaccine would be “based on science and data, not politics.”
  • The attorney general of Kentucky is expected to soon deliver an update on the case of Breonna Taylor. Attorney General Daniel Cameron will make an announcement in about 30 minutes. Taylor was fatally shot by Louisville police as officers carried out a no-knock warrant in March, sparking months of protests in the city. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer has already said the city will observe a curfew for at least the next three nights.

The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned.

Louisville mayor announces curfew in anticipation of Taylor announcement

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer issued an on-camera statement shortly before the Kentucky attorney general, Daniel Cameron, is expected to deliver an update on the case of Breonna Taylor.

A woman visits the memorial for Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky.
A woman visits the memorial for Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky. Photograph: Bryan Woolston/Reuters

Fischer said that, regardless of what Cameron announces, he remains committed to uncovering the facts of the night of Taylor’s death.

Taylor was fatally shot by Louisville police as officers carried out a no-knock warrant in March, sparking months of protests in the city.

Fischer said he hoped Cameron’s announcement would be met with “a peaceful, lawful response like we have seen the majority of the past four months.”

Fischer announced the city would observe a curfew for the next three nights, from 9 pm to 6:30 am starting tonight.

More than 90% of Americans still vulnerable to coronavirus

Robert Redfield, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today warned the public that a new government health study across the nation indicates that the vast majority of Americans are still vulnerable to contracting Covid-19.

“Across the US, preliminary results show that the majority of our nation, more than 90% of the population, remains susceptible,” Redfield told today’s Senate health committee hearing.

Redfield said that the CDC is in the process of “a very large” study across the country and expected to finalize its findings and present the results in “the next week or so”.

He told the Senate that there are some US states were less than 1% of the population shows evidence of previous infection by coronavirus, while in other states as much as 15% or 20% of the population has had coronavirus, with one states where 24% of people have had the disease.

Redfield did not list the states he was referring to.

Bill and Hillary Clinton paid their respects to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the supreme court moments ago.

Clinton was the president who nominated Ginsburg to the court in 1993, and he has spoken of her glowingly since her death on Friday.

Clinton told ABC News on Sunday, “In a time where people are so cynical, Ruth Ginsburg symbolizes everything that is best about America and she was always completely on the level.”

He added, “And she just seemed to be authentic and a person first. And she never disappointed on that.”

Shortly after Ginsburg’s death, Hillary Clinton wrote in a tweet, “Justice Ginsburg paved the way for so many women, including me. There will never be another like her. Thank you RBG.”

Joe Biden briefly spoke to reporters before taking off for Charlotte, North Carolina, where he will be campaigning today.

Asked whether he has been preparing for next week’s debate, Biden said, “I’ve started to prepare but I haven’t gotten into it really heavily. I will, beginning tomorrow.”

The Democratic nominee also emphasized that his party needs to make it clear to voters what’s on the line as Republicans move to fill Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s supreme court seat before the election.

“What’s going to happen is, women’s rights as it relates to everything from medical healthcare is going to be gone,” Biden said.

“Women will be able to be charged more than men for the same procedures again. Pregnancy will be a preexisting condition again. ... We should go to the American people, make the case why this is a gigantic mistake and abuse of power.”

Updated

Trump announces new sanctions against Cuba

Trump announced new sanctions against Cuba today, during a White House speech meant to honor veterans of the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion.

Donald Trump speaks at an event honoring Bay of Pigs veterans in the East Room of the White House.
Donald Trump speaks at an event honoring Bay of Pigs veterans in the East Room of the White House. Photograph: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

The president said Americans would now be prohibited from staying in properties owned by the Cuban government, and the import of Cuban tobacco and alcohol products would be further restricted.

The announcement comes as Trump attempts to win over Cuban-American voters in the critical swing state of Florida.

A Washington Post-ABC News poll released today shows Trump and Joe Biden running neck and neck in Florida, as the president’s 4-point lead with likely voters fell within the survey’s margin of error.

Hahn says vaccine authorization will be based on science, not politics

Testifying before the Senate, Dr Stephen Hahn, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, outlined the steps his agency will take to legitimize any vaccine that applies for emergency use authorization.

Hahn emphasized that the FDA would make vaccine authorization decisions “based on science and data, not politics.”

“In the end, FDA will not authorize or approve a vaccine that we would not feel comfortable giving to our families,” Hahn told senators.

Hahn laid out the following commitments to the American people: “FDA will not authorize or approve any Covid-19 vaccine before it has met the agency’s rigorous expectations for safety and effectiveness, decisions to authorize or approve any such vaccine or therapeutic will be made by the dedicated career staff at FDA through our thorough review processes, and science will guide our decisions. FDA will not permit any pressure from anyone to change that.”

Hahn’s comments come as polling has indicated declining confidence among Americans of both parties about the safety of a vaccine, which Democrats have blamed on Trump politicizing the approval process.

In case you missed it: Trump will hold a press conference at 6 pm ET today, on the “economy, job gains and vaccine development,” the president announced in a tweet this morning.

The presser comes one day after reports emerged that the Food and Drug Administration is planning to release strict guidelines on an emergency use authorization of a coronavirus vaccine, which would make it very unlikely a vaccine would be approved before election day.

Trump has previously said a vaccine will be available in “weeks,” but the CDC director, Robert Redfield, told the Senate last week that a vaccine would not be widely available to the American public until mid to late 2021.

Four top health officials are testifying in front of a Senate committee on the federal government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are among the experts that are testifying today.

Perhaps alluding to comments Redfield made last week where he said a mask may be more effective than a vaccine, Fauci said: “We feel strongly that if we have a combination of adherence to public health measures, together with the vaccine that will be distributed, we may be able to turn the pandemic around.” He said that a prediction of a vaccine is “of course no guarantee”.

In his opening statement, Redfield highlighted the shifting nature of infection in the country, saying that 26% of infections are in young adults ages 18 to 25. “It’s important that these young adults understand they are major contributors to the spread of covid-19 in our country at this time,” he said, emphasizing the importance of following public health guidelines.

Director of the Food and Drug Administration Stephen Hahn and assistant health secretary Brett Giroir are also testifying today.

Dr Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, reiterated that he is “cautiously optimistic” that the country will be able to get a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine.

“As these trials go on, we predict that sometime by the end of this year—let’s say November or December—we will know whether or not these are safe and effective,” Fauci said of the current vaccine candidates.

The Food and Drug Administration is expected to soon release strict guidelines on the emergency authorization of a coronavirus vaccine that would make it very unlikely for a vaccine to be approved before election day, on November 3.

Fauci and Redfield testify before Senate committee

Members of the White House coronavirus task force are now testifying before the Senate health, education, labor and pensions committee.

Among those testifying are Dr Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Dr Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Fauci opened his remarks by noting his concerns about so-called “long haulers,” those who have experienced long-term effects after contracting coronavirus, such as fatigue and muscle aches.

Updated

Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s casket is now in place at the top of the supreme court steps, where it will be on public viewing for the next two days.

Hundreds of people came out to greet Ginsburg’s casket as it arrived at the supreme court this morning, and thousands will likely visit today and tomorrow to pay their respects to the late justice.

Trump will be among the mourners. According to a White House statement released this morning, the president plans to pay his respects tomorrow.

One longtime supreme court reporter, Pete Williams of NBC News, became choked up on air as he watched Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s coffin arrive at the supreme court this morning.

Williams noted Ginsburg sat on the bench for 27 years, but her career with the supreme court truly started 49 years ago, when she argued her first case before the court. In the case, Ginsburg argued gender discrimination was unconstitutional.

John Roberts speaks about Ginsburg's legacy

Supreme court Chief Justice John Roberts is now speaking at the memorial service for his late colleague, Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Roberts expressed his condolences to Ginsburg’s family and said the late justice’s life represented “one of the many versions of the American dream.”

Roberts noted that Ginsburg grew up in Brooklyn with her mother, who was a bookkeeper. Roberts said Ginsburg often told this joke: “What’s the difference between a bookkeeper in Brooklyn and a supreme court justice? One generation.”

Roberts added, “It has been said that Ruth wanted to be an opera virtuoso, but became a rock star instead.”

Roberts said Ginsburg brought the country “closer to equal justice under law” and became “a star on the bench.”

Updated

Ginsburg's casket arrives at supreme court

The casket of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has arrived at the supreme court, where she will lie in repose today and tomorrow.

People watch as the casket of the Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg arrives at the supreme court.
People watch as the casket of the Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg arrives at the supreme court. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

Some of Ginsburg’s former clerks served as pall bearers, and more than 100 others stood on the supreme court steps to greet her casket.

A private ceremony will be held for Ginsburg’s family, close friends and colleagues at the court before the casket will be on display for public viewing to allow people to pay their respects to the late justice.

Dozens of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s former law clerks showed up at the supreme court to greet her casket, which will lie in repose there today and tomorrow.

The court will soon hold a private memorial service for Ginsburg’s family, close friends and colleagues. The public will then be able to view her casket and pay their respects for the next two days.

Trump to visit Ginsburg's casket at supreme court tomorrow

This is Joan Greve in Washington, taking over for Martin Belam.

The White House has just announced that Trump will pay his respects to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg tomorrow, as she lies in repose at the supreme court.

White House spokesperson Judd Deere told the press pool, “The president will pay his respects to the late justice on Thursday at the U.S. supreme court where she will be lying in repose.”

Ginsburg will lie in repose at the supreme court today and tomorrow, before moving to the US Capitol to lie in state on Friday.

Politico had an interesting little story earlier today about how the CIA has clamped down on the flow of Russia intelligence to White House. Natasha Bertran and Daniel Lippman report that:

Nine current and former officials said in interviews that CIA Director Gina Haspel has become extremely cautious about which, if any, Russia-related intelligence products make their way to President Donald Trump’s desk. Haspel also has been keeping a close eye on the agency’s fabled “Russia House,” whose analysts she often disagrees with and sometimes accuses of purposefully misleading her.

Last year, three of the people said, Haspel tasked the CIA’s general counsel, Courtney Elwood, with reviewing virtually every product that comes out of Russia House, which is home to analysts and targeters who are experts in Russia and the post-Soviet space, before it “goes downtown” to the White House. One former CIA lawyer called it “unprecedented that a general counsel would be involved to this extent.”

Four of the people said the change has resulted in less intelligence on Russia making its way to the White House, but the exact reason for that — whether Elwood has been blocking it, or whether Russia officers have become disillusioned and are producing less, or even self-censoring for fear of being reprimanded — is less clear.

Read it here: Politico – CIA clamps down on flow of Russia intelligence to White House

Police in Iowa charge four people over death of man whose body was found burning in ditch – conclude it was not racially motivated

Police in Iowa have charged four people in the strangulation death of a man whose body was found burning last week in rural central Iowa ditch – but concluded that the victim knew the suspect, and it was not motivated by race.

Steven Vogel, 31, of Grinnell, was arrested Tuesday in the death of 44-year-old Michael Williams, of Grinnell, the Iowa Department of Public Safety said. He’s charged with first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse.

Police acknowledged that the killing of Williams, who is Black, had led to fears that he may have been targeted because of his race. Grinnell College canceled classes Monday based on that fear. But police said Williams and Vogel, who is white, were well acquainted.

“The investigation has revealed no evidence to show the acts against Michael Williams were motivated by his race nor that his death was the result of a hate crime,” police said in a release.

Betty Andrews, president of the Iowa-Nebraska NAACP, said during a news conference with police that based on the evidence, she also believes there is no indication that Williams was targeted because of his race.

However, she said she will evaluate additional evidence as it becomes available. “Given that the current climate where racial justice is on the front burner for so many ... we understand the fear this kind of incident evokes,” Andrews said.

The others arrested, who also are white, are Julia Cox, 55, Roy Lee Garner, 57, and Cody Johnson, 29, all of Grinnell. They’re each charged with abuse of a corpse, destruction of evidence and accessory after the fact.

People are already queuing up outside the supreme court in Washington DC ready to pay their respects to Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Heather Setzler wears a face mask bearing images of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as she stands outside the supreme court.
Heather Setzler wears a face mask bearing images of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as she stands outside the supreme court. Photograph: Patrick Semansky/AP
Attorney Cara Stewart waits outside the supreme court, where the body of Ginsburg will lie in repose.
Attorney Cara Stewart waits outside the supreme court, where the body of Ginsburg will lie in repose. Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
A woman waits for the arrival of the casket of Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the supreme court.
A woman waits for the arrival of the casket of Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the supreme court. Photograph: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images

Deirdra Funcheon of Capital and Main has written for us today about what Miami’s vastly unequal zip codes reveal about the election fight in Florida.

Miami-Dade county has the second-biggest gap between rich and poor of all large metro areas in the US, according to a 2019 report – only the New York metropolitan area is more unequal. The county’s 33109 zip code is the richest not just in the county, but in the entire US. Zip code 33034, which covers parts of the rural but quickly developing cities of Homestead and Florida City, is the county’s poorest. For the 23,000 people in its 280 sq miles, the per-capita income is $10,608.

Nevertheless, as the 2020 election looms, it’d be wrong to say that the poor will vote for Biden and the rich for Trump. As conversations with residents indicate the political fault lines are not quite so clear-cut.

Read it here: What Miami’s vastly unequal zip codes reveal about the election fight in Florida

Trump urges FDA to move quickly on Covid vaccines while praising new Johnson & Johnson clinical trials

Trump has just tweeted approval of the news that Johnson & Johnson is beginning a huge final study to try to prove if a single-dose Covid-19 vaccine can protect against the virus.

Associated Press have reported that the study starting today will be one of the world’s largest coronavirus vaccine studies so far, testing the shot in 60,000 volunteers in the US, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.

The AP quote Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, telling reporters “We want to do everything we can without sacrificing safety or efficacy we’re not going to do that to make sure that we end up with vaccines that are going to save lives.”

However, vaccine specialists question whether the Food and Drug Administration will be able to stick to that goal under intense pressure from the Trump administration.

Trump’s tweet this morning praising the Johnson & Johnson news added “FDA must move quickly!”

A survey earlier this week suggested that only 39% of Americans said they were likely to take a first generation coronavirus vaccine, a figure which had dropped by 8% from the month before.

Ahead of the memorial service for justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the supreme court today, Jill Filipovic has written for us today on how much Ginsburg’s work has meant to generations of women.

For a lot of women, especially those who are more bookworm than rabble-rouser, Ginsburg embodied a kind of quiet power that felt both thrilling and accessible. No, most of us are not going to be supreme court justices. But for today’s young women, who were raised in an era where being a “good girl” meant being a smart girl, Ginsburg’s success represented the pinnacle of what we were promised: that hard work pays off; that if you’re meticulous enough in all you do, you don’t need to be the loudest or the most intimidating or even the most charismatic to make change happen. You just have to be excellent. And a lot of American women spent their girlhoods and young adulthoods cultivating excellence.

Of course, the sad reality is that the promise that excellence means success isn’t always true; you can be excellent at something, as many women are, and still run into the many barriers women face: extreme inequality that makes what should be basic only on offer to a privileged few; the difficulty in working and having a family in a nation that puts the burden of childcare on individuals, and mostly on women; deep biases that still favor men and afford them a higher presumption of competence, authority, and importance. But Ginsburg fought these barriers, too, in her personal and professional life. Her marriage was a model for what gender egalitarianism could look like.

Read it here: Jill Filipovic – Ruth Bader Ginsburg didn’t solve sexism in America. But she died trying

There’s a lot in the diary for the next couple of hours coming up in DC.

At 10am, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Robert Redfield and other members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force will be updating Congress on the federal response to the pandemic at 10am.

Federal reserve chair Jerome Powell will also be testifying this morning, on the coronavirus’ impact on the economy. That’s up before the select subcommittee on the coronavirus crisis at 10am.

As well as that, the Senate homeland security committee will be considering Chad Wolf for secretary of homeland security via videoconference, also at 10am.

Before those start, there will be the Ruth Bader Ginsburg memorial service at the supreme court at 9.30am, which is followed by the late supreme court justice lying in repose for public viewing.

Here’s the Politico verdict on that newly released Republican Senators’ interim report into Hunter Biden. They describe it as “largely a compilation of previously public information — some of it rehashed anew by witnesses who already testified during the House’s impeachment inquiry last year — as well as news articles and strongly worded insinuations with little evidence to back them up.”

Andrew Desiderio and Kyle Cheney write:

The report adds little new to a discussion first raised by president Donald Trump’s defense team in his impeachment trial before the Senate earlier this year, when the president was acquitted on charges of abusing his power by seeking to pressure Ukraine to investigate the Bidens.

The report relies on vague assessments already revealed publicly — namely, from top State Department official George Kent, who said Hunter Biden’s role on the board of a Ukrainian energy company was “very awkward” for US officials.

The GOP senators have been investigating allegations that a Democratic public-relations firm, Blue Star Strategies, sought to influence the Obama-era State Department by leveraging Hunter Biden’s role on the board of Burisma.

The investigation found that two officials, including Kent, raised conflict-of-interest concerns to Biden when he served as vice president.

Trump’s allies allege that Biden — who led anti-corruption efforts for the Obama administration in Ukraine — forced the removal of a Ukrainian prosecutor who was investigating Burisma while Hunter Biden sat on the board. But high-level State Department witnesses repeatedly discredited this claim, emphasizing that Biden’s removal of the prosecutor, who was widely seen as corrupt, was official US policy and actually made it likelier that Burisma would face a serious corruption investigation.

Read it here: Politico – GOP senators’ anti-Biden report repackages old claims

Updated

Daniel Strauss in Washington has been looking for us about what lies in store for the transition team working for Joe Biden, who not only face the prospect of a contested election and an unpredictable incumbent, but are also attempting to plan during an unprecedented pandemic.

“We are preparing for this transition amid the backdrop of a global health crisis and struggling economy,” former Delaware senator Ted Kaufman, the co-chair of the Biden transition team, said in a statement to the Guardian. “This is a transition like no other, and the team being assembled will help Joe Biden meet the urgent challenges facing our country on day one.”

The transition team has set a goal of raising between $7m and $10m, according to Politico. That’s a budget eclipsing past transition teams. The Biden transition organization is also reportedly planning to build a staff of as many as 350 people by the time of any inauguration.

The leadership of the transition team suggests the Biden campaign is eager to include differing viewpoints as it builds the runway for a new government to land in the White House. At the same time, the inclusion of champions of often opposing wings of the Democratic party will open up the transition team to criticism from various activists and interest groups.

Looming over the whole process is the uncertainty of the outcome of the election and, in the case of Trump losing, if he will bow out immediately or allow for a fraught period where he refuses to hand over power.

Read more here: ‘This is a transition like no other’: Biden team prepared for all possibilities

Donald Trump has started his day by sending out a tweet attacking Cindy McCain. The widow of John McCain came out yesterday to endorse Joe Biden.

The president was clearly not enthralled, repeating that he was never a fan of her husband.

The president has also retweeted an appeal to sign a petition from Judicial Watch which is attempting to organise an investigation into Minnesota congressional rep Ilhan Omar for “perjury, immigration fraud, marriage fraud, state and federal tax fraud, and federal student loan fraud.”

Statistical model at the Economist gives Democrats a 67% chance of flipping the Senate in November

There’s a very long analysis on the Economist website this morning in which they predict that the Democrats are narrow favourites to win the Senate. They say “The Economist’s new statistical model gives them a 67% chance of flipping the upper house of Congress. That would open a world of possibilities.”

There’s a lot of caveats around the model, for example, there’s never been an election in a coronavirus pandemic before, and there’s no way of knowing how this is going to affect the number of mail-in votes, for example. They also caution that “There are no nationwide Senate polls. Some races are polled often; others not at all.”

They say overall that:

To sort through these complexities, we have built a statistical model to estimate the probabilities of each party controlling the Senate. It currently gives the Democrats a 67% chance of flipping the Senate. That probability is lower than the 86% our corresponding model gives Biden of winning the presidency, but higher than conventional wisdom last year held about Senate Democrats’ odds.

Where do they see the best chances for gains?

  • Mark Kelly in Arizona – “a former astronaut who is married to Gabrielle Giffords and leads in the polls by around eight percentage points”
  • John Hickenlooper in Colorado – the “centrist former governor” leads incumbent, Cory Gardner, by seven points.
  • Cal Cunningham in North Carolina – leads “rather unloved Republican incumbent” Thom Tillis by six points.
  • Sara Gideon in Maine – incumbent Susan Collins is “the Senate’s most moderate Republican”, but the Economist suggest recent supreme court battles “have alerted Maine’s somewhat Democratic-leaning electorate to the fact that even a centrist Republican is still a Republican.”

They lay out just how important it might be for Biden to reach that goal:

The most important choice American voters face in November is whether to re-elect Donald Trump. The second-most important is whether to leave Republicans in control of the Senate, whose assent is required to pass federal laws and to confirm presidential nominees to federal courts and senior jobs.

If Mr Trump wins another term, Republicans will almost surely hold the Senate as well. But if he does not, a GOP-controlled Senate would serve as a remarkably strong check on Joe Biden’s administration. If the record of Mitch McConnell, the Republicans’ leader in the Senate, is any guide, a hostile upper chamber would probably block Mr Biden’s entire legislative agenda and prevent him from filling most judicial vacancies—even if he wins the election in a landslide.

Read more here: The Economist – Why the Democrats are our narrow favourites to win the Senate

US Senate Republicans publish 87 page report into 'Hunter Biden, Burisma, and corruption'

And here we are: “Hunter Biden, Burisma, and corruption: The impact on US government policy and related concerns” has dropped. It is 87 pages long, and you can read it here:

US Senate committee investigation report into Hunter Biden

Updated

It look like this is happening this morning then…

Seattle city council overrides mayor, votes to reduce police budget

Black Lives Matters supporters have repeatedly pointed out that while changes to racial stereotypes on food packaging may be an advance, they aren’t the kind of true structural change that will rectify racial disparity in the US.

Seattle, however, has made a more concrete move in that direction. The Seattle city council voted last night to reduce the police department’s budget and reallocate some money to community programs. This overrides Mayor Jenny Durkan’s vetoes of adjustments to this year’s budget.

The council’s proposals approved last month were supported by demonstrators who have marched in the city for months following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, but were strongly opposed by the mayor and former police Chief Carmen Best.

“Divestment from a broken policing model is not only the right thing to do . I believe it is the needed course of action,” Council President M. Lorena Gonzalez said, the Associated Press report.

“We cannot look away from this and we can no longer accept the status quo if we truly believe that Black lives matter.”

In vetoing the council’s actions, the mayor has said she did not agree with losing officers as well as a plan to take officers off a team that removes camps of people experiencing homelessness. She had also complained that the council had not discussed their plans with her or the police chief before taking action although at least one council member said that the police chief had been consulted.

Best, the city’s first Black female police chief, officially retired earlier this month amid the controversy over proposed police cuts and the department’s response to protests.

Measures passed by the council will cut less than $4 million of the department’s $400 million annual budget this year. The exact number of officers to be cut wasn’t clear but council members suggested it would amount to several dozen.

Seattle now has about 1,400 police officers, and the proposed reductions fell far short of calls from many Black Lives Matter protesters for a 50% cut to the department. Some members of the council had described the cuts as a “down payment” on future reductions.

Councilmember Dan Strauss said “excessive and indiscriminate use of force” by police against Seattle residents exercising their First Amendment rights led the council to make the budget adjustments.

“The changes proposed in the 2020 rebalanced budget are not radical or earth shattering,” Strauss said. “They are reasonable and responsible first steps in a long process to re-envision the way we handle public safety.”

Mars Inc to change name of Uncle Ben's rice amid several BLM iniatives

Uncle Ben’s rice is joining Aunt Jemima on the list of food brands that are changing after being criticized as depicting a racial stereotype following a summer where the US has seen a widespread focus on the Black Lives Matter movement.

Associated Press report that parent firm Mars Inc. will change the name to Ben’s Original, and packaging with the new name will hit stores next year.

“We listened to our associates and our customers and the time is right to make meaningful changes across society,” said Fiona Dawson, global president for Mars Food, multisales and global customers. “When you are making these changes, you are not going to please everyone. But it’s about doing the right thing, not the easy thing.”

Perhaps more importantly than a cosmetic branding change, Mars also announced several other initiatives, including a $2 million investment in culinary scholarships for aspiring Black chefs in partnership with the National Urban League. It also is planning a $2.5 million investment in nutritional and education programs for students in Greenville, Mississippi, the majority African-American city where the rice brand has been produced for more than 40 years.

Mars said it has set a goal of increasing the ranks of racial minorities in US management positions from 20% to 40%. The company did not give a timeframe for reaching that number.

Mars had announced in the summer that the Uncle Ben’s brand would “evolve”. Since the 1940s, the rice boxes have featured a white-haired Black man, sometimes with a bow tie, an image critics say evokes servitude. The company is still to decide on an image to accompany the new name.

Back to Donald Trump’s predictably combative performance at the United Nations yesterday for a moment. Stephen Collinson and Caitlin Hu for CNN’s Meanwhile in America newsletter this morning write scathingly on what it revealed about US foreign policy under Trump:

If President Donald Trump’s grievance-filled video rant to the UN General Assembly proved anything, it’s that he doesn’t really have a foreign policy.

Trump lashed out at China and critics of his climate-change-denying environmental record, celebrated sparse diplomatic achievements and lied about the US fight against the pandemic. His speech encapsulated how he wields power abroad — in service of domestic and personal political goals, rather than based on a traditional calculation of wider US interests.

All Trump’s foreign moves are expected to pull their political weight at home. When he wanted a trade deal with Beijing, Trump was Chinese President Xi Jinping’s best friend — offering unwarranted praise over his pandemic leadership. But when his own disastrous handling of the virus threatened hopes of a second term, he chose China as a scapegoat even at the expense of triggering a new Cold War. The US pullout from the Iran nuclear deal left Tehran closer to a bomb, but it sure helped destroy Barack Obama’s legacy. US-backed normalization deals between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain also aimed to please evangelicals in the US. And while the President’s love fest with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un did nothing to dismantle his nukes, it yielded great photo ops.

They conclude that “if Joe Biden takes Trump’s place at the UN next year, he’ll face a world grown skeptical of America’s staying power – and foes who made hay in its absence.”

Lauren Witzke, at the same event where she defended both QAnon and the Ruth Bader Ginsburg meme published on her Facebook campaign page, also pledged support for Republicans filling Ginsburg’s seat as soon as is possible. Author David Litt has written for us this morning, to say that while the Republicans look set to get their wish and swiftly replace Ginsburg, it is actually Democrats who hold the trump cards.

If Trump and McConnell rush through the confirmation of an extremist, partisan judge, cementing a 6-3 majority, the calculation for Democrats will change completely. Even moderate members of the party are likely to conclude that they simply don’t have much to lose by acting more aggressively.

Unless they never again win the House, Senate and White House simultaneously, the constitution gives Democrats plenty of ways to restore our democracy even without resorting to McConnellism or Trumpism. They can expand the electorate by restoring the Voting Rights Act, making voter registration universal, and passing comprehensive immigration reform. They can blunt (if not entirely offset) the GOP’s Senate advantage by granting statehood, and two senators apiece, to Puerto Rico and Washington DC. They can undo the effects of McConnell’s court-packing by expanding the bench – not just the supreme court, but lower courts as well.

What’s notable about all of these positions is that they stop far short of what the constitution allows. They don’t involve granting voting rights to recent immigrants, splitting California into seven states, restricting the supreme court’s right to review most cases, or any other long-shot scheme. In other words, should Democrats ever regain power in Washington, they won’t have to choose between ambition and caution. They can exercise both.

Read it here: David Litt – Republicans will replace RBG but Democrats hold the trump cards – no, really

Speaking of QAnon, which we seem to be doing more and more, Cecilia Saixue Watt writes for us on the topic this morning, suggesting that while for some Republicans, the antisemitic conspiracy theory is seen as an opportunity to garner support, for those who have lost loved ones to it, QAnon is a destroyer of families and relationships.

Susan and her partner, Mike, have been together for seven years. In the beginning, Susan was drawn to Mike’s kindness and altruism. “He’s really thoughtful and always really positive,” said Susan. “He was always pushing me to do better things.”

Mike had long been interested in conspiracies, and had said strange things about aliens and water fluoridation, but Susan had found it “endearing and weird and harmless”, she said.

But over a year ago, Mike began talking about QAnon. After the pandemic hit and Mike spent more time indoors, on social media, he became obsessed. “It’s been an exponential thing,” said Susan. “He’ll spend hours ‘researching’, which is just watching YouTube videos and going on Twitter.”

Susan and Mike began to fight frequently. Mike continuously tried to convince her, sending her videos she found upsetting. “He would get so mad that I wasn’t ‘open-minded’,” she said. “He’ll say I’m programmed, or that I don’t realize I’m a slave, or that there’s a secret war. He has all the information and I haven’t ‘done the research’. It got to a point where I just didn’t care.”

Susan researched how to speak to loved ones who have joined cults. She attempted to establish common beliefs with Mike, and encourage him to examine cognitive dissonance and confirmation bias, to no avail . Susan now believes that her relationship is over. “I would like to help him navigate out of QAnon, if that’s something he wants to do,” she said, “but it doesn’t seem like it is.”

Read it here: The QAnon orphans: people who have lost loved ones to conspiracy theories

QAnon-associated Senate candidate Witzke defends controversial Facebook meme about Ginsburg

QAnon-associated Republican Senate candidate Lauren Witzke on has defended a controversial meme about supreme court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg which was posted to Witzke’s campaign Facebook page in the wake of Ginsburg’s death.

Randall Chase reports for the Associated Press that Witzke said “Yes, my campaign posted a meme and I stand by it,” during an online candidate forum Tuesday night.

Witzke added that the meme was removed because she had received death threats “from far-left radicals threatening to come and kill my family and doxing my address.”

Witzke, who describes herself as “extremely pro-life” said in a post just hours after Ginsburg’s death that the jurist’s “obsession with abortion overtly singled out blacks and minorities for extermination.”

“Her own words from the 1970s tell us she didn’t want too many blacks or poor folks procreating. Tens of millions of black and brown babies never got a chance at life because of Ruth Bader Ginsberg (sic),” the post added.

The post was accompanied by a photo that appears to show a small group of half-naked children in a developing country smiling and dancing. The photo caption reads: “Black babies when Ruth Vader Ginsburg dies.”

The post drew widespread criticism. Witzke has refused to apologize, but said in a subsequent post that she was “taking back full control of my Facebook page, in order to ensure that our message comes across as intended.”

Questioned again at the event on Tuesday night for her public support of the antisemitic conspiracy theory QAnon, she said “From what I understand about QAnon, that’s just a bunch of people who want pedophiles held accountable.”

“From what I understand, it’s absolutely harmless,” she added. The FBI has determined QAnon to be a potential source of domestic terrorism.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle call on Americans to register to vote in rare royal political intervention

Reuters have this on Britain’s Prince Harry and his American wife Meghan calling on Americans to register to vote in the upcoming US presidential election. It sees them entering into partisan political territory where British royals traditionally do not tread.

In a video for 2020 Time 100, the US magazine’s list of the world’s most influential people, the couple said people who were able to cast their vote, should do so.

Harry and Meghan now live in California, having stepped down from their senior royal roles in March.

“Every four years we are told the same thing that this is the most important election of our lifetime,” Meghan said.

“But this one is. When we vote, our values are put into action and our voices are heard, your voice is a reminder that you matter, because you do, and you deserve to be heard.”

Meghan, who married Queen Elizabeth’s grandson in 2018, criticized Donald Trump during his 2016 election campaign as being misogynistic and divisive.

Last year, Trump, on being told of Meghan’s criticism, used one of his favourite slurs against women, saying: “I didn’t know that. What can I say? I didn’t know that she was nasty.”

Britain’s royal family are expected to remain politically neutral.

“This election, I’m not going to be able to vote in the US, but many of you may not know that I haven’t been able to vote in the UK my entire life,” Harry said in the video. “As we approach this November, it’s vital that we reject hate speech, misinformation and online negativity.”

You can read more here: Time – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle discuss voting and the importance of combating misinformation

Pelosi and Mnuchin reach deal to avoid September government shutdown

Overnight House speaker Nancy Pelosi and treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin reached an agreement which takes the threat of a government shutdown at the end of the month off of the table.

The agreement includes tens of billions in funds for the Commodity Credit Corporation. This crucial aid to farmers was a sticking point for Republicans, who would not accept an agreement without it. Democrats have raised concerns about how the Trump administration is distributing the money.

Pelosi said in a statement: ““We have reached an agreement with Republicans on the (continuing resolution) to add nearly $8 billion in desperately needed nutrition assistance for hungry schoolchildren and families. We also increase accountability in the Commodity Credit Corporation, preventing funds for farmers from being misused for a Big Oil bailout.”

The new agreement will keep government running through to 11 December. Intriguingly, that date puts trying to get the next agreement slap bang in the middle of either the dying embers of the Trump presidency, or during the transition period to a Biden administration. Throw in the prospect that the electoral college hasn’t cast its votes by then, but that the Senate might have approved a replacement for Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and you imagine it could certainly get quite testy to cut a deal next time around.

Here’s a reminder of how the US president Donald Trump used his appearance at the UN yesterday to attack China over the spread of the coronavirus – and the strong Chinese response to his words.

Good morning, and welcome to our live coverage of US politics for Wednesday. Here’s a catch-up on where we are, and what we might expect to see today.

I’m Martin Belam and you can drop me a mail here: martin.belam@theguardian.com

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