George Floyd protests: Trump takes shelter in White House bunker

After the violent protests started on Friday in Washington and people tried to climb the gates to loot the White House, Secret Service agents rushed President Donald Trump to a bunker. Trump reportedly spent around an hour inside the underground rooms while the agents monitored the outside area.

The bunker was designed for use in emergencies like terrorism. The decision to remain inside the bunker is because protesters in Lafayette Park were throwing rocks at the White House throughout the weekend as Secret Service agents and law enforcement officers struggled to contain the crowds.

The last time the White House was on high alert due to a threat was the 11 September attacks in 2001. “The White House does not comment on security protocols and decisions,” said White House spokesman Judd Deere. The Secret Service said it does not discuss the means and methods of its protective operations.

People are protesting over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after he was pinned at the neck by a white Minneapolis police officer. More than 30 states experienced serious looting and violent protests throughout the weekend and the National Guard have been patrolling the streets in many states since Saturday night.

President Trump held a conference call on Monday morning with the governors from all the states affected by the protests and he told them to be more aggressive with the National Guard to dominate the streets. According to CNBC, Trump called governors “weak” and demands a tougher crackdown on protests.

According to multiple reports at least 4,100 people were arrested over the last three days of protests.