Police cars were set on fire by protesters in Los Angeles, United States, this Saturday, following protests against police violence that caused the death of African American George Floyd. In New York, protesters went to a police station and access roads to Minneapolis were cut.
According to CNN, the police were forced to fire rubber bullets to disperse the crowd in Los Angeles, at a time when groups were throwing various objects at agents.
However, the American President calls on government officials to increase their strength. Donald Trump claims that the army can take to the streets to control the protests, at a time when tension in clashes between authorities and protesters in several cities increases.
The President blames groups organized by protests that say they have nothing to do with George Floyd.
Mandatory curfew enacted in Los Angeles and Atlanta
Following the clashes, the Los Angeles Mayor announced a curfew starting at 8 pm on Saturday (minus seven hours in Lisbon) and until 5 am on Sunday.
“In order to increase security for protesters, authorities and all citizens of Los Angeles, we are going to implement a curfew,” he said on Twitter.
The same was enacted in the city of Atlanta.
Protests spread across the country
The protests have spread to about 30 states and are also taking place next to the White House. At least six states and the District of Columbia “activated or asked” the National Guard to assist in local law enforcement.
At least 20 people have been arrested in New York and the number is expected to increase in the coming hours and days.
Last night, one person died after someone following in a car shot at the crowd of people protesting in Detroit.
A 19-year-old was the deadly victim of these shots, his death having been declared after he was transported to the hospital.
“There are peaceful protesters and those who just want to cause chaos and destroy”
SIC commentator Nuno Rogeiro said this Sunday that the protests in the United States were violent at first, but had a chance to mitigate when the agent linked to George Floyd’s death was arrested and charged with murder.
It classifies two types of protesters, those who protest peacefully and those who, on the other hand, are not interested in the George Floyd case, but only in cause chaos and destruction.
Police linked to the death of George Floyd arrested and charged with murder
Agent Derek Chauvin was arrested on Friday and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter for the death of George Floyd on Monday in Minneapolis.
In a video recorded by witnesses, the policeman is seen pressing the victim’s neck with his leg, despite persistent complaints that he was unable to breathe.
Trump talked to African American family killed by police
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced on Friday that he had spoken with the family of George Floyd.
“George’s family has a right to justice,” stressed the American head of state, adding that the people of Minnesota “have a right to security”, referring to the riots following the death of an African American citizen and which have rekindled racial tensions in the United States. “I understand the pain” of the George Floyd family, continued Trump, quoted by France-Presse.
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