Peaceful rallies have erupted in a third night of arson, looting and vandalism in Minneapolis as protesters voice fury over the killing of George Floyd, a black man who was filmed gasping for air as a police officer knelt on his neck.
The latest spasm of unrest in Minnesota's largest city went largely unchecked, despite governor Tim Walz ordering the National Guard to help restore order following the first two days of disturbances sparked by the 46-year-old's death on Monday night.
Donald Trump risked fanning the flames of the anger by branding protesters "thugs" and threatening to send in the army, tweeting: "When the looting starts, the shooting starts".
Soundtrack from dystopian horror series played as clashes continue in Minneapolis
One video uploaded live on Thursday night showed burning vehicles as the audio, used in the American dystopian horror series The Purge, was played on a speaker.
“Any and all crime, including murder, will be legal for 12 continuous hours”, says the voice in the audio.
It continues: “Police, fire and emergency medical services will be unavailable until tomorrow morning at 7am when The Purge concludes.”
“America, a nation reborn, may god be with you all,” is then heard before a siren blares.
Arson, looting and vandalism seen in several US states, as anger over police killing of George Floyd escalates
Adam Forrest writes: Peaceful rallies gave way to a night of arson, looting and vandalism in cities across the US, as protesters vented their rage over the death of a black man seen on video gasping for breath while a white police officer knelt on his neck.
The spasm of unrest has spread from the Minnesota city of Minneapolis – where Monday night’s fatal arrest of 46-year-old George Floyd took place – to New York, Los Angeles, Denver, Columbus and nearby St. Paul.
Thursday evening saw some striking images from Minneapolis itself, where police were forced to abandon the 3rd precinct police station after rioters broke through a cordon and set the entrance on fire. Local businesses were looted and some were set ablaze.
Minneapolis police union chief attacked Obama's 'oppression of police'
Lt Bob Kroll, head of the Minneapolis police union, slammed former President Barack Obama’s “handcuffing and oppression of police” while praising Donald Trump at a re-election rally the president held in the city last year.
Donning a red “Cops for Trump” shirt as he took the stage, the lieutenant attacked the Obama administration over its alleged “despicable” treatment of police, adding: “The first thing President Trump did when he took office was turn that around … he decided to start to let cops do their job, put the handcuffs on the criminals instead of us.
The 2019 rally has come under scrutiny after photos from the event circulated online that purported to show one of the police officers involved in the recent killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died at the hands of a white officer named Derek Chauvin. Mr Chauvin was seen in cellphone footage shared online kneeling on Mr Floyd’s neck as he pleaded that he could not breathe. He and three other police officers have been fired, as protests over the death have erupted throughout Minneapolis and across the country.
Mr Kroll told local news outlets that Mr Chauvin was not actually the officer seen in the photos from the rally. The photos have spread online amid days of violent protests, with many demonstrators condemning local police not just for the killing of Mr Floyd, but for what some have described as decades of systematic and institutionalised racism within the Minneapolis police department.
Story to come...
Of the people shot, two were taken to hospital for surgery, while the other five are reportedly in good condition. The precise origin of the shots is unclear, but authorities say they came from among the protesters.
Ms Taylor, an emergency medical technician, died on 13 March after being shot at least eight times by police officers who entered her Louisville apartment during a drug raid. The details of the raid are still a matter of dispute, but officers say they returned fire after Ms Taylor’s boyfriend shot one of them and that Ms Taylor was killed inadvertently.
Black correspondent Omar Jimenez had just shown a protester being arrested when about half a dozen white police officers surrounded him.
Mr Jiminez told the Minnesota State Patrol officers: “We can move back to where you like”, before explaining that he and his crew were members of the press, adding: “We’re getting out of your way.”
Nevertheless, the journalist was handcuffed and led away. Jimenez asked why he was being arrested but received no answer. Several minutes later, as their camera was still filming, the other members of his CNN team, who are white, were also arrested.
Mississippi mayor defies calls to resign over George Floyd tweet
A Mississippi mayor who sparked anger by defending the police officers involved in the fatal arrest George Floyd is resisting calls to resign.
Hal Marx, mayor of the town of Petal, tweeted on Tuesday after the four officers were fired: "Why in the world would anyone choose to become a police officer in our society today?"
He added he "didn't see anything unreasonable" in footage of Floyd gasping for air and pleading for help as an officer knelt on his neck. #
"If you can say you can't breathe, you're breathing," said Marx. "Most likely that man died of overdose or heart attack. Video doesn't show his resistance that got him in that position. Police being crucified."
His Twitter account has seen been deactivated.
The Petal Board of Aldermen held a special meeting on Thursday, voting unanimously to ask for Marx's resignation, the Clarion Ledger newspaper reported.
Alderman Clint Moore said the mayor had "repeatedly made comments that have isolated, enraged and belittled individuals in a way that is unbecoming to our city".
Members of the public in Petal - a town of little more than 10,000 people - have also called for his resignation, and protests are planned for the coming days, but Marx said he would "never surrender to the mob mentality".
Trump launches new attack on Twitter and Section 230 after site hides his George Floyd tweet
My colleague Jon Sharman has filed this on Donald Trump's latest attack on Twitter after it limited access to his tweet about the Minneapolis protests:
CNN crew released after arrest
CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez and his two colleagues have been released following their arrest as they reported on the Minneapolis protest this morning, the network has said:
Minnesota governor Tim Waltz has apologised for the arrest of a CNN reporter, producer and camera operator, calling it "totally unacceptable".
CNN said Waltz had spoken to the network's president and assured him he was working to secure the immediate release of the crew.
"It is never acceptable for this to happen," he added in a statement.
A tale of two protests
Tweets highlighting telling differences between the Minneapolis protest and another recent demonstration in Michigan over the coronavirus lockdown are being shared widely.
One contrasts pictures of armed white protesters who had stormed Michigan's statehouse screaming in the faces of impassive police officers with officers firing tear gas at unarmed demonstrators, some of them black, sitting on the ground protesting peacefully over George Lloyd's death.
Others have noted the difference in reaction from Donald Trump, who described the Michigan protesters as "very good people" but condemned those in Minneapolis as "thugs" who would be shot.
Why Twitter's warning over 'glorifying violence' matters
Andrew Griffin, The Independent's technology editor, explains the significance over Twitter's intervention over Donald Trump's Minneapolis tweets here:
Trump launches into attack on Twitter
Donald Trump has begun his day by launching into an attack on Twitter, which this morning slapped a warning on his tweet for "glorifying violence".
The president made no immediate mention of the warning, but has renewed his threat to revoke a law which provides protections to social media companies against legal action over content posted by their users.
Trump this week signed an executive order opening the door to this change in retaliation over Twitter fact-checking his posts.
CNN demands release of arrested journalists and condemns 'clear violation of rights'
CNN's media correspondent has just tweeted this statement from the network about the arrest of its crew covering the Minneapolis protest:
Police arrest CNN journalists live on air
Minneapolis police have just arrested a CNN correspondent and crew live on air as they reported from scene of last night's protest.
This extraordinary footage shows Omar Jimenez being handcuffed by officers as he speaks to the camera in front of a line of police in riot gear.
A CNN producer and camera operator were also then arrested, according to the network.
CNN's anchor said the crew were told they were being arrested after they were told to move but did not.
UK 'must show solidarity' with George Floyd's community, says MP
A Labour MP has said the UK must "show solidarity" with the friends and family of George Lloyd and the Minneapolis community following his death.
"We cannot ignore yet another death of a Black man in police custody," tweeted Claudia Webbe.
Video shows police pepper-spraying peaceful protesters
Footage doing the rounds on social media appears to show police officers firing pepper spray at protesters yesterday as they drive past a peaceful demonstration in Minneapolis.
It is still daylight in the video, meaning the clip was filmed before the worst of the unrest broke out last night.
Jeremiah Ellison, a city council member, has suggested the footage shows police instigated the violence in the 3rd precinct:
'A state of agony'
Here's the front page of Minneapolis newspaper the Star Tribune this morning. The paper reports on a "night of terror" as the city and neighbouring St Paul were "convulsed in chaos".
