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- Protests erupted in cities across the US over the deadly arrest of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, who was pinned to the ground by the knee of a white officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- Protesters rallied in Minneapolis for a third night on Thursday into Friday, with some demonstrators overtaking a police building and setting it on fire.
- The Minnesota National Guard has been activated and sent to Minneapolis, Saint Paul and surrounding areas.
- Floyd’s family demanded charges be brought against the four officers involved.
- Twitter hid Trump’s tweet criticising the protesters and Minneapolis’s handling of the protests as a violation of its policy on glorifying violence.
Here are the latest updates:
Friday, May 29
15:30 GMT – Minnesota governor apologises for CNN arrests, there will be swift justice for Floyd
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said he expects “swift” justice for George Floyd.
“It is my expectation that justice for the officers involved in this will be swift, that it will come in a timely manner, that it will be fair,” Swift said. “That is what we’ve asked for. I have been in contact with Hennepin County attorney, and I am confident that those very things I just said will happen.”
Prosecutors have been criticised for taking more than three days to announce a decision on charges against the officers.
Walz also publicly apologised for the arrest of a CNN crew.
14:20 GMT – Biden ‘furious’ about Trump tweet
Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, said on Twitter that he was “furious” about Trump’s tweet glorifying violence against protesters in Minneapolis.
“I will not lift the President’s tweet,” the former Vice President said “I will not give him that amplification. But he is calling for violence against American citizens during a moment of pain for so many. I’m furious, and you should be too.”
I will not lift the President’s tweet. I will not give him that amplification. But he is calling for violence against American citizens during a moment of pain for so many. I’m furious, and you should be too.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 29, 2020
Biden said he would speak later on Friday about the protests.
14:15 GMT – US First Lady calls for peace
Striking a noticeably different tone from her husband, US First Lady Melania Trump tweeted her condolences to the family of George Floyd and called for peace.
“Our country allows for peaceful protests, but there is no reason for violence,” she said. “I’ve seen our citizens unify & take care of one another through COVID19 & we can’t stop now. My deepest condolences to the family of George Floyd. As a nation, let’s focus on peace, prayers & healing.”
Our country allows for peaceful protests, but there is no reason for violence. I’ve seen our citizens unify & take care of one another through COVID19 & we can’t stop now. My deepest condolences to the family of George Floyd. As a nation, let’s focus on peace, prayers & healing.
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) May 29, 2020
13:10 GMT – Minnesota attorney general says charges are likely
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison says he expects “there will be charges” against the police officers involved in Floyd’s deadly arrest.
“We are standing by and helping any way we can,” Ellison told CNN. “I anticipate there will be charges. I hope they’re soon. But that is the prerogative of another prosecuting authority. They are trying to be careful. They are trying to make sure their case is strong and airtight.”
12:00 GMT – Brother of George Floyd: ‘I just want justice’
Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd says he just wants justice.
Philonise said the protesters “have the same pain that I feel”.
“I want everybody to be peaceful right now but people are torn and hurt because they’re tired of seeing black men die constantly, over and over again,” Philonise told CNN.
“I understand and I see why a lot of people are doing a lot of different things around the world. I don’t want them to lash out like that, but I can’t stop people right now. Because they have pain. They have the same pain that I feel. I want everything to be peaceful, but I can’t make everybody be peaceful. I can’t. It’s hard.”
Read more here.
11:00 GMT – Twitter flags and hides Trump’s tweet that ‘glorified violence’
Twitter has, for the first time, flagged and hidden a tweet by Trump, saying he violated Twitter’s rules about glorifying violence.
Trump took to Twitter on Friday, saying “when the looting starts, the shooting starts”, in reference to nationwide protests that followed the deadly arrest of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, in Minneapolis.
Twitter flagged the second tweet with a disclaimer, saying: “This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the public’s interest for the Tweet to remain accessible,” allowing the public to still view the tweet by clicking on “View”.
Read more here.
09:00 GMT – Protests over deadly arrest rock US’s Minneapolis
Protests erupted across the United States on Thursday night as anger over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, intensified, with some demonstrators gaining access to a police precinct in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and setting sections of the building on fire.
Protesters set a shop on fire during the third day of demonstrations over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis [EPA]
A protester reacts while gathering with others outside the city hall [Carlos Barria/Reuters]
People gather outside the Hennepin County Government Center to protest against the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, arrested by police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota [Eric Miller/Reuters]
Read more here.
Hello and welcome to Al Jazeera’s continuing coverage of the protests in the United States over the deadly arrest of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This is Laurin-Whitney Gottbrath in Louisville, Kentucky.
Here are a few things to get caught up:
- George Floyd, unarmed 46-year-old Black man, died on Monday after a white officer used his knee to pin Floyd’s neck down to the ground for several minutes. Floyd can be heard on a bystander video repeatedly pleading with officers, saying “I can’t breathe.” He eventually goes motionless with the officer’s knee still on his neck. (You can read about the deadly incident here.)
- The four officers involved in the incident were fired, but prosecutors have not made a decision on charges, angering Floyd’s family, community leaders and residents.
- Protests erupted across Minneapolis on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. While they have started peacefully, they have descended into chaos and fires. There have been reports of looting and vandalism.
- Protesters on Thursday gained access to the Minneapolis third precinct police building, setting it on fire. A state of emergency has been declared and the National Guard activated.
- Protests have also gripped other parts of the US, including New York City, Louisville, Kentucky, Denver, Colorado and Oakland, California. More protests are scheduled for the weekend.
