George Floyd protests in Minneapolis & across US, live updates & reactions: Trump, Anonymous...
George Floyd death sparks protests in US: latest updates, 1/2 June
Feed change
Thank you for joining our daily coverage of the fallout from the killing of George Floyd.
We will continue to keep you updated on developments in our new feed.
Trump threatens to use military if governors can’t contain violent protests
Photo opp after military call
The United States president Donald Trump held a conference call on Monday morning with more than 30 governors, calling some of them ‘weak’ for not handling the protests.
Arresting confusion
This is a crazy scene during a live TV broadcast where police arrive en masse but act before getting the facts.
Floyd's final words flown over the US
“They’re Going to Kill Me,” flown over New York. “Please I Can’t Breathe,” above Detroit. “My Neck Hurts,” in Dallas.
Artist Jammie Holmes found a novel way to remember George Floyd’s final words above cities across the US.
Police sergeant seriously injured in hit and run
A New York Police sergeant reportedly responding to a pawn shop break-in was hit by a black sedan, according to NYPD Detective Adam Navarro.
The sergeant has a head and leg injury and is in serious, but stable condition. The driver fled the scene and no arrests have been made, police have said.
Arrest update
Atlanta police have made 350 arrests related to the George Floyd protests since Friday, the department said on Monday.
More than 200 people were arrested last night at New York protests, mainly in Manhattan, police said.
In Saint Paul, Minnesota, police arrested 66 protesters Monday night during a peaceful protest outside the State Capitol, police said.
In Oakland, California, more than 40 protesters were detained and arrested for being on the streets past the curfew. (CNN)
LA officer shot
A Las Vegas police officer was shot amid protests on Monday night over the killing of George Floyd, AP news agency said.
The officer was shot in the area of the Las Vegas Strip and another officer was 'involved in a shooting' in the same area, AP quoted the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department as saying. It did not give details of the shootings or the officers' condition.
Black Out Tuesday
A reminder that today is #BlackOutTuesday where the entertainment industry has downed tools as a form of protest...
George Floyd: two autopsies rule death homicide, but differ on cause
Autopsy update
The initial autopsy by Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office said that George Floyd died of "cardiopulmonary arrest". But this has now been challenged.
Journalists under fire
Donald Trump mentioned the Second Amendment in his Rose Garden statement, but the First Amendment appears to be the most under threat right now.
'Outrage' at Trump's photo opp
We told you earlier about POTUS' decision to force back peaceful protestors to stand in front of the church holding a bible. But the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, who has oversight responsibilities for the church, was not pleased with his actions.
Kentucky restaurateur killed, police chief fired
A popular black restaurateur was fatally shot in Kentucky early on Monday as police and National Guard troops fired weapons to disperse a crowd protesting against police killings of African Americans.
The chief of police in Louisville was fired and two officers placed on administrative leave after authorities learned the officers had fired their weapons without using body cameras to record what happened, Mayor Greg Fischer said at a press briefing on Monday.
'We had a horrible tragedy last night at 26th and Broadway,' Fischer said. 'We lost a wonderful citizen named David McAtee.'
The death of McAtee, who owned YaYa's BBQ near the site of the shooting, marked the second time Louisville police did not use their body cameras during a shooting incident in which an unarmed black resident was killed.
White supremacists pose as ANTIFA
We told you earlier that Donald Trump had put ANTIFA on the list of terrorist organisations, but Twitter has now had to intervene with fake online accounts.
One had been created by a known white supremacist group and it was calling for violence in the streets. This was Twitter's response:
"This account violated our platform manipulation and spam policy, specifically the creation of fake accounts. We took action after the account sent a Tweet inciting violence and broke the Twitter Rules." Full story
POTUS perception
It surprised many onlookers watching events live why the massive security force starting pushing back the peaceful protestors near the White House with the use of rubber bullets and tear gas. The photo op was that important it seems.
Mayweather offers to cover funeral costs for George Floyd
Floyd Mayweather has offered to cover the funeral expenses for George Floyd. The former five-division world champion's promotional company, Mayweather Productions, confirmed on Twitter that he had made the offer, and several local media reports have said the family have accepted.
Mayweather Productions and the boxer's agency have yet to respond to a request for comment. Floyd's death has prompted an outcry across the United States and abroad, with numerous pro athletes and leagues speaking out, including Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. Steve Bisciotti, the owner of the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, pledged $1 million for social justice reform and said a group of former and current players would decide which organisations benefit. "We must all discover new ways to unite. We must all work to break the cycle of systematic racial injustice," he said.
"I am your president of law and order" says Trump
US President Donald Trump gave a brief, six-minute speech at the Rose Garden as rubber bullets flew and tear gas was used to contain an angry mob just a short distance away from the White House.
"My fellow Americans - My first and highest duty as President is to defend our great Country and the American People. I swore an oath to uphold the laws of our Nation -- and that is exactly what I will do," he began. "All Americans were rightly sickened and revolted by the brutal death of George Floyd. My administration is fully committed that for George and his family, justice will be served, he will not have died in vain. But we cannot allow the righteous cries of peaceful protesters to be drowned out by an angry mob - the biggest victims of the rioting are the peace-loving citizens in our poorest communities. and as their president I will fight to keep them safe. I am your president of law and order and an ally of all peaceful protesters".
Trump statement
He starts speaking at 31 minutes into this video. In short he's calling for extreme action to shut down the protests, including sending the military onto the streets of Washington DC. He's also calling on state governors to get far tougher and use the national guard and military if necessary.
Trump to speak at 6:30pm ET
Donald Trump is to speak to the media from the White House Rose Garden at 6:30pm ET, the US president has confirmed.
New Floyd autopsy findings: full statement
Here is the full statement on the private autopsy conducted on George Floyd, which contradicts Hennepin County's post mortem and sustains that the 46-year-old did die of asphyxia.
In the statement, the family’s legal team calls for “the arrest of all the officers who played a part in Floyd’s death and for a first-degree murder charge to be brought against Derek Chauvin.”
Chauvin, who was charged with third-degree murder on Friday, is so far the only officer to have been arrested.
George Floyd: private autopsy finds Minneapolis man died of asphyxia
Floyd died of asphyxia, says private autopsy
Here's more on the news that a private autopsy commissioned by George Floyd's family has disputed the results of the post-mortem examination carried out by Hennepin County:
Lousville police chief reportedly fired over shooting
Louisville police chief Steve Conrad has reportedly been sacked after one person died when police and National Guard officers returned fire during protests in the Kentucky city last night.
According to WDRB reporter Chris Otts, Lousville mayor Greg Fischer has said the officers involved failed to turn on their bodycams.
New autopsy finds Floyd did die of asphyxia
A private autopsy commissioned by George Floyd's family has found that the 46-year-old died of "asphyxia due to neck and back compression". This contradicts the results of an autopsy conducted by Hennepin County, which determined that there was "no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation".
Massachusetts senator calls Trump "scum" over response to unrest
Ed Markey, a Democratic US senator from Massachusetts, has branded Donald Trump “scum” over his response to the protests that have spread across the country. The president is "fueling racist hate and violence" in America, Markey said in a tweet on Monday.
Liverpool stars take a knee in solidarity with Black Lives Matter movement
Liverpool footballers including Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold took to social media today to share a photo of the Reds' squad taking a knee in the centre circle of the Anfield pitch. Their posts were accompanied by the message "Unity is strength".
Dominate protesters or look like jerks, Trump tells governors
CBS News has obtained audio from Donald Trump’s call with US governors, in which the president can be heard telling his state premiers they "have to dominate" the protesters demonstrating across the nation.
Trump adds: "If you don’t dominate, you're wasting your time. They're going to run over you. You're going to look like a bunch of jerks."
"The choice isn’t between protest and politics. We have to do both"
Writing on the social-journalism platform Medium, former United States president Barack Obama has offered his thoughts on how to make the civil unrest in the country a “turning point to bring about change”.
Condemning the violence that has taken place in the nationwide protests, Obama urged people to “channel our justifiable anger into peaceful, sustained, and effective action”.
He added: “If we want to bring about real change, then the choice isn’t between protest and politics. We have to do both. We have to mobilize to raise awareness, and we have to organize and cast our ballots to make sure that we elect candidates who will act on reform.”
Trump urges governors not to look like "fools", clashes with Illinois premier
In a video call with United States governors, American president Donald Trump has urged the country's state premiers to crack down more severely on the unrest across the nation and not to be "weak", according to the reporter Robert Costa.
Trump also told his governors and mayors not to be made to look like "fools" and clashed with Illinois governor JB Pritzker, who criticised the president's incendiary rhetoric since protests spread throughout the US in the wake of the death of George Floyd.
White House calls for 'law and order' as violent protests rage
(Reuters) The White House on Monday called for "law and order" and blamed agitators for a sixth straight night of violent nationwide U.S. protests triggered by anger over racial inequities and excessive police force.
Police and fire departments fought into the night to quell chaos of fires burning near the White House and shops looted in New York City and Southern California. The National Guard said it had deployed in 23 states and Washington, D.C.
One person was killed in Louisville, Kentucky, overnight where police and National Guard troops returned fire while trying to disperse a crowd.
The unrest, which erupted as the country was reopening after lengthy lockdowns to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus, began with peaceful protests over the death of a black man, George Floyd, in police custody in Minneapolis last Monday.
Video footage showed a white police officer kneeling on the neck of Floyd, 46, for nearly nine minutes before he died. Derek Chauvin, the since-fired police officer involved in the incident, has been charged with third-degree murder.
Police in Miami and New York take the knee for George Floyd
Protests across the US following the death of George Floydhave led to violent scenes but police in Miami and New York have made a show of solidarity.
George Floyd protests: what is ANTIFA and who is behind it?
US President Donald Trump has placed Antifa on the terror list following violent protests across the country after the death of George Floyd.
Anonymous: who are they and why are they threatening Trump?
Anonymous
After the death of George Floyd, protests and riots have spread across America, and the group of cyber activists have come out again to take on the establishment.
'All lives matter!' Yes, but...
We are reminded of this cartoon by Kris Straub for those that try to move conversation slightly.
Man in Kentucky killed after police fire shots
The information about the victim has not yet been released.
Bundesliga players demand justice for the death of George Floyd
German solidarity
Several players from different Bundesliga teams expressed how they felt about the death of George Floyd this weekend during week 29 of the current season.
Sport stars want to be heard
Current and former sports stars are taking an active part in the discussion about race relations in the US following the death of 46-year-old George Floyd one week ago.
Two Atlanta officers fired for using excessive force
Atlanta police have released body camera footage from officers who have since been fired for the violent arrest of two college students Saturday night.
POTUS update
The American people, and many around the world, are waiting to hear from their leader. Donald Trump's most recent tweet was this one, focusing on part of the media.
Reports are that even in his own camp there are divisions on how to deal with the situation. Some say he needs to call for calm, while others think he should double-down on the riot condemnation...the latter with November votes on the mind.
Truck driver motivations
While some have pointed to the violent reaction of the protestors, who beat up the driver, others point to his potential motivations. No one is questioning this situation is drawing further political divisions.
Chauvin court date pushed back
The former officer who has been charged with the murder of George Floyd is to appear in court on Monday 8 June.
Anonymous: Donald Trump and Naomi Campbell named in Epstein ring
Anonymous: 'catch the real criminals'
The online hackers known as Anonymous have hit back along with the George Floyd protestors revealing what they call "The Little Black Book of Jeffrey Epstein".
'Staying silent is complicit'
In case you missed it, live on CNN, Floyd's family spoke to Minneapolis police directly for the first time and his brother asked whether the other officers involved would be arrested. Police Chief Medaria Arradondo was clear:
"Being silent or not intervening to me, you're being complicit ... Mr. Floyd died in our hands."
Former NBA star J.R. Smith beats man for allegedly vandalising car
Ex-Cavs star rages at alleged vandal
TMZ Sports have posted a video showing the former Cleveland Cavaliers guard beating up a man he alleges damaged his car while parked in a residential area in Los Angeles during the protests over the death of George Floyd.
Violent scenes everywhere
With mobile tech is in the hands of everyone across the US, images have been captured of police brutality in multiple cities.
The Verge has compiled several of them.
Where we are...
A sixth night of protests have taken place across America and around the world, and there were numerous hotspots where violence erupted.
If you've missed what has been going on you can catch up here.
George Floyd death: latest updates
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the reactions and protests in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.
The background
Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died on Monday 25 May after pleading for help as police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck to pin him down. Floyd was unarmed and already handcuffed. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
Footage shot by a bystander shows Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck, as he pleads that he cannot breath, until he slowly stops talking and moving.
The death has provoked widespread protests, initially in the city where Floyd was killed, Minneapolis, but which have now spread across the US.