The death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police has sparked protests and riots across the country. Minneapolis was a warzone last night, with a police headquarters being torched by rioters. Looting was rampant. The city pretty much surrendered to the mob. Police and first responders were told to stand down and the National Guard was not yet fully deployed. It was total anarchy. Now, Washington D.C. has protesters descending upon the White House, prompting the Secret Service to lock it down.
The White House has been locked down as protesters arrive at Pennsylvania Avenue/Lafayette Park https://t.co/uENMzmpU9H pic.twitter.com/2fdD0gzOtL
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) May 29, 2020
THE WHITE HOUSE IS ON LOCKDOWN DUE TO ESCALATING DEMONSTRATIONS
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 29, 2020
Protest in front of the White House. #georgefloyd. @CBSNews pic.twitter.com/lZqVUHvEdt
— Fin Gomez (@finnygo) May 29, 2020
Protesters in front of the White House. #GeorgeFloyd. @CBSNews pic.twitter.com/uZ6A2QyXBu
— Fin Gomez (@finnygo) May 29, 2020
Here is video of the @SecretService officers taking one of the protesters into the federal building across from White House just after the marchers got to PA Ave. Unclear what occurred prior. Important to note: The overwhelming majority of the protest has been peaceful. @CBSNews pic.twitter.com/hoO320pSEB
— Fin Gomez (@finnygo) May 29, 2020
Young protesters in DC chanting “ I can’t breathe” and “ Don’t shoot” as they march down 14th St. #GeorgeFloyd pic.twitter.com/8NQ8FKmaFQ
— Fin Gomez (@finnygo) May 29, 2020
The protest then headed to in front of the White House. A protester was taken by the USSS in front of Pennsylvania Ave into an adjacent federal building. Unclear what he did.A couple men then splintered off from the group and spray painted “F*ck Trump” on the building. @cbsnews pic.twitter.com/OVwPu0PF6X
— Fin Gomez (@finnygo) May 29, 2020
NOW: A woman just climbed over the barrier outside the White House. Secret service officers took her into custody.
— Shomari Stone (@shomaristone) May 29, 2020
Some protesters tell me Trump has not shown leadership over race relations in America. They’re angry over deaths: #GeorgeFloyd #BreonnaTaylor. @MSNBC @NBCNews pic.twitter.com/6Ya79dvXRw
Floyd died when an arresting officer held his knee on his neck for nearly ten minutes. Floyd is heard saying that he couldn’t breathe. All four officers involved in his arrest for a false document charge were fired. The officer who knelt on him, Derek Chauvin, was arrested today on third-degree murder and manslaughter charges. President Trump has ordered the FBI and the Department of Justice to look into this matter as well.
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UPDATE: Lockdown has been lifted.
White House lockdown lifted. Heading out. pic.twitter.com/7lO32ZOxx9
— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) May 30, 2020
UPDATE II: Secret Service in riot gear got into an intense and violent confrontation with activists throughout the night along the barricade line. Reporters were also forced to flee for their own safety:
I've lived in DC for 20 years, covered many protests, and have never have seen protestors so forcefully and aggressively challenging Secret Secret protection of the White House, especially at midnight.
— Tim Craig (@timcraigpost) May 30, 2020
A Secret Service officer outside the White House has sustained a severe head injury. A brick or some other hard projectile was apparently thrown at his head. #BlackLivesMatter #antifa pic.twitter.com/0RTto0pbrO
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) May 30, 2020
Secret Service agents in riot gear push back on protesters that were throwing water bottles and breaking down barricades in front of the White House. pic.twitter.com/V7mZ7pw3ZQ
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) May 30, 2020
There was full on street fighting between Secret Service agents and protesters in front of the White House tonight.
— Hunter Walker (@hunterw) May 30, 2020
Tensions are escalating in front of the White House.
— Andrew Dymburt (@DymburtNews) May 30, 2020
Demonstrators now face-to-face with authorities clad in riot gear after protesters jumped over a barrier that had separated them from Police/Secret Service for most of the night. @ABC pic.twitter.com/M8ZmJw0kAW
Protestors chase out a reporter allegedly from Breitbart pic.twitter.com/eETdPUMiic
— Jane Recker (@janerecker) May 30, 2020
From the attacks on @CNN today to @FoxNews reporters being chased out of scene, We are just trying to give you the news as we see it and often at risk to our crews. https://t.co/696h0H7aam
— Sean Langille (@SeanLangille) May 30, 2020
The protestors chased out a reporter they believe to be from Fox News pic.twitter.com/6tpj0IAryV
— Jane Recker (@janerecker) May 30, 2020