3 June 2020 12:00 am
US President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to deploy the military if states failed to quickly quell the violent protests that have gripped the nation for six days, hours after the brother of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody, called for peace.
In his first remarks from the White House in light of the turmoil, Trump said governors must establish an “overwhelming law enforcement presence” and deploy the national guard in “sufficient numbers that we dominate the streets.”
“If a city or state refuses to take the actions that are necessary to defend the life and property of their residents, then I will deploy the US military and quickly solve the problem for them,” he said.
Cities across the country have been gripped by both peaceful protests over Floyd’s killing last week, and incidents of after-dark rioting that included arson, looting and clashes with police.
Declaring himself the “president of law and order,” Trump said he was taking immediate presidential action to “stop the violence and restore security and safety in America.”
Trump announced he was dispatching “thousands and thousands of heavily armed soldiers, military personnel, and law enforcement officers” to the nation’s capital, as protesters gathered outside the White House for a fourth night.
Later in the evening, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley was seen walking around the streets of Washington in a camouflage uniform to observe the situation as protests continued.
Washington (dpa)
The Episcopal Bishop of Washington DC, Mariann Budde, slammed Trump for using force to pose in front of the embattled church.
But his photo shoot triggered outrage from church leaders and rival politicians, and led Arlington County police to pull their officers out of the capital after they were used to charge at protesters
Bishop Budde said: ‘I am outraged that they would be clearing with tear gas so they could use one of our churches as a prop, holding a Bible, one that declares that God is love and when everything he has said and done is to inflame violence.
Priests revealed they were part of a peaceful crowd teargassed by cops who were clearing a path for President Donald Trump so he could take photos in front of St. John’s Church in Washington DC.