Police stand near a overturned vehicle and a fire as demonstrators protest the death of George Floyd, Sunday, May 31, 2020, near the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
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George Floyd riots escalate in Washington, DC as Secret Service agents are injured, multiple law enforcement agents deployed and National Guard called in
The nationwide riots sparked by the death of George Floyd escalated to extraordinary levels in the nation's capital Sunday night.
U.S. Marshals and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents were deployed into the streets of D.C. move to beef up security alongside local police, Secret Service and Homeland Security agents, the Justice Department confirmed. U.S. Attorney for D.C. Mike Sherwin is heavily involved in the operation, Fox News has learned.
A senior official in the direct chain of command for defending Washington D.C. told Fox News that at least 50 Secret Service officers were Sunday night and that some rioters were throwing bottles and Molotov cocktails. As observed in New York City and elsewhere, groups in D.C. are planting cars filled with incendiary materials, Fox News is told.
Police form a line on H Street as demonstrators gather to protest the death of George Floyd, Sunday, May 31, 2020, near the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
In addition, the entire Washington, D.C. National Guard was being called in to help with the response to protests outside the White House and elsewhere in the nation’s capital, according to two Defense Department officials. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said Sunday that she had requested 500 DC Guardsman to assist local law enforcement. Later on Sunday, as the protests escalated, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy ordered the rest of the Guardsman — roughly 1,200 soldiers — to report.
Lights that normally illuminate the exterior of the White House were disabled early Monday morning, reportedly so that the Secret Service could use night-vision equipment to monitor protesters.
As authorities clashed with demonstrators for the third straight night, the parish house connected to the historic St. John’s Episcopal Church across the street from the White House was set on fire late Sunday. The parish house contains offices and parlors for gatherings. Click here for more on our top story.
Other related developments:
- Trump on violent protesters: 'Where are the arrests and long-term jail sentences?'
- Semitrailer speeds toward crowd of protesters on Minneapolis bridge; driver arrested
- Jason Riley: Media coverage gives false impression that Floyd incident 'happens to black people every day'
- Famed DC monuments defaced after night of protests
Floyd riots, fires, violence surge and wreak havoc in several major cities
Chaos broke out in several major U.S. cities on Sunday night as rioters hijacked what had been peaceful protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody.
In addition to the violence in Washington, D.C., rioters clashed with police in New York City; and the Los Angeles County sheriff saying people still out on the streets were "acting like terrorists." The National Guard’s top general on Sunday said Guard units in nearly half of U.S. states have been mobilized to help major cities deal with the riots.
Gen. Joseph Lengyel said some 16,000 additional Guard troops have been deployed to 24 states and the District of Columbia in response to civil disturbances.
Floyd died Monday after a Derek Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer, pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck. The officer has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter; he and three other officers were fired from the force after video of Floyd’s death emerged.
The latest deployment brought the total number of deployed National Guard members to about 62,000 across the country. Other Guard members already had been deployed to assist with their governments’ COVID-19 relief efforts. Click here to read more.
Other related developments:
-Trump announces US to designate Antifa as terrorist organization
- Barr: Violence from Antifa, other groups 'is domestic terrorism'
- Son of Minnesota’s attorney general: 'I hereby declare, officially, my support for ANTIFA'
- Cities where people are protesting and rioting
Health officials worry about second wave of coronavirus after George Floyd unrest
Health officials in the U.S. have new concerns that the nationwide protests over George Floyd's death could spark a wider spread of the coronavirus after many cities reported bringing the virus under control.
Scott Gottlieb, the former Food and Drug Administration commissioner, told CBS News' “Face the Nation” that there are still some “pockets of spread” in communities. He said there has been an uptick in new coronavirus cases in recent days at the epicenter of the protests.
Minnesota Health Department spokesman Doug Schultz said Sunday that any spike from the protests will not be seen until six to 10 days after its transmission, the Star Tribune reported. The report pointed out that Minneapolis officials provided hundreds of masks for protesters.
Gov. Tim Walz said, according to the paper, that he is "deeply concerned about a super-spreader type of incident … after this. We are going to see a spike in COVID-19. It's inevitable."
The U.S. has seen more than 1.7 million infections and over 104,000 deaths in the pandemic, which has disproportionately affected racial minorities. Click here for more.
Other related developments:
- Big-city Dems imposed strict coronavirus lockdowns now let Floyd rioters flout rules
- Juan Williams: Protests are build-up of coronavirus tensions and 'incredible wave' of abuse by police
- Susan Rice makes claim Russians could be behind violent Floyd demonstrations
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SOME PARTING WORDS
Fox News contributor Richard Fowler weighs in on unrest over George Floyd's death and bridging the long-term racial divide in the U.S.
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