Two killed in Chicago during protests

Chicago, June 2 (IANS) Two people have been killed during unrest in Chicago's suburb of Cicero as protests continued over the death of African-American man, George Floyd, an official said.

City official Ray Hanania said that 60 people were arrested on Monday but did not provide additional information about those killed or the circumstances of their deaths, reports the BBC.

The Illinois State Police and Cook County Sheriff's Office were called in to help local police as businesses were broken into and items stolen.

The Cicero Police Department has urged residents to stay at home.

During the riots and other unrest, at least three people have died by gunfire in Indianapolis, Detroit and Oakland.

The development comes as some 40 cities across the US, including Washington D.C., have imposed curfews to curb acts of violence in extensive demonstrations against police brutality and racism.

Nationwide protests have erupted after Floyd, an unarmed 46-year-old African-American man, died in Minneapolis on May 25 after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, held him down with a knee on his neck though he repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe", and "please, I can't breathe".

All four police officers involved in the incident have been fired, and Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Trump vows to mobilize military to quell US protests  

 US President Donald Trump has vowed to deploy "thousands and thousands of heavily armed soldiers" to stop the unrest in the capital and other cities if local administrations refuse to take the action against demonstrators who were protesting over the death of African-American man, George Floyd.

Speaking to the media on Monday at the White House, Trump said "I am your President of law and order and an ally of all peaceful protests", but was "taking immediate presidential action to stop the violence and restore security and safety in America" because the country needed "cooperation not contempt, security not anarchy, healing not hatred, justice not chaos", reports Efe news.

"I am mobilizing all available, federal resources, civilian and military, to stop the rioting and looting to end the destruction and arson and to protect the rights of law-abiding Americans," he said.

His remarks came as some 40 cities across the US, including Washington D.C., have imposed curfews to curb acts of violence in extensive demonstrations against police brutality and racism.

Floyd, an unarmed 46-year-old man, died in Minneapolis on May 25 after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, held him down with a knee on his neck though he repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe", and "please, I can't breathe".

All four police officers involved in the incident have been fired, and Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Speaking at the White House, Trump said that Floyd's memory must not be "drowned out by an angry mob" and added that "strongly recommended" to every Governor to deploy the national guard in sufficient numbers to dominate the streets until the violence has been quelled.

"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.

The head of the National Guard Office, General Joseph Lengyel, tweeted on Monday that "17,015 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen are assisting local and state civilian agencies responding to civil unrest".

Calling the violence in Washington D.C. on Sunday night "a total disgrace", Trump said he was "dispatching thousands and thousands of heavily armed soldiers, military personnel, and law enforcement offices to stop the rioting, looting, vandalism assaults and the wanton destruction of property".

He said the government was putting everybody on warning that seven o'clock curfew will be strictly enforced.

He vowed to arrest and prosecute those "who threatened innocent life and property".

"I want the organisers of this terror to be on notice that you will face severe criminal penalties and lengthy sentences in jail."

At the end of his speech, Trump said he would go to "pay my respects to a very, very special place".

Surrounded by dozens of security personnel, he then walked out of the White House across Lafayette Square to St. John's Episcopal Church that was damaged in fire amid protests on Sunday.

Trump posed for the cameras with a Bible in his hand in front of the windows of the church, whose basement caught fire, although no major damage was done.

Los Angeles County extends curfew amid unrest

Authorities have extended the curfew in Los Angeles County after it witnessed another day of protests over the death of African-American man George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25.

The authorities announced that the curfew for the most populous county in the US with a population of over 10 million, will continue from 6 p.m. Monday to 6 a.m. Tuesday, reports Xinhua news agency.

Kathryn Barger, chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, said that the extension of the countywide curfew is "to protect against any further devastation".

"With COVID-19 fresh in our minds, we see that staying home can save lives. Life is precious -- and we must do everything we can to protect one another," she added.

During the curfew, all residents are required to stay off "public streets, avenues, boulevards, places, walkways, alleys, parks or any public areas or unimproved private realty within Los Angeles County".

Any violation of the order is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine upto $1,000 or an imprisonment up to six months, or both, according to the terms of the curfew.

The announcement came after the protests over Floyd's death went into the sixth straight day on Monday in the Los Angeles area.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti also extended a curfew for the City of Los Angeles on Monday.

Some other areas in the county, such as Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and Long Beach, even issued their own stricter curfew orders in response to days of chaotic protests.

Some 40 cities across the US have imposed curfews to curb acts of violence in extensive demonstrations against police brutality and racism.

Floyd, an unarmed 46-year-old man, died after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, held him down with a knee on his neck though he repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe", and "please, I can't breathe".

All four police officers involved in the incident have been fired, and Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

A curfew has been imposed in New York City in an effort to curb violent protests over the death of African-American man George Floyd, according to a joint statement by Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo.

The curfew began at 11 p.m. Monday, and will continue till 5 a.m. Tuesday, Xinhua news agency quoted the statement as saying.

"While we encourage people to protest peacefully and make their voices heard, the safety of the general public is paramount and cannot be compromised," Cuomo said in the statement.

Cuomo and de Blasio also announced that the New York Police Department (NYPD) will double its police presence in all the city's five boroughs to help prevent violence and property damage during demonstrations.

They also urged protesters to cover their faces as the city remains the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I support and protect peaceful protest in this city. The demonstrations we've seen have been generally peaceful. We can't let violence undermine the message of this moment," said de Blasio in the statement.

Some 40 cities across the US have imposed curfews to curb acts of violence in extensive demonstrations against police brutality and racism.

Earlier on Monday, de Blasio said that he was planning to talk with other officials on a potential curfew in the nation's largest city.

Over the past four days, some 1,000 protesters were arrested in New York City for looting, attacking police or vandalism, among other acts.

More than 40 police officers have been injured since May 28, none with serious injuries, according to NYPD officials.

Meanwhile, the NYPD is also under criticism due to some seemingly excessive moves in several encounters with the protesters, such as accelerating their cars while being surrounded by crowds of people.

The Mayor said in the statement that he had talked to NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea about the incidents in recent days "where officers didn't uphold the values of this city or the NYPD," adding that Shea would elaborate on how officers will be held accountable later.

Nationwide protests, some of which turned violent, have erupted since May 25, when Floyd, an unarmed 46-year-old man, died after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, held him down with a knee on his neck though he repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe", and "please, I can't breathe".

All four police officers involved in the incident that took place in Minneapolis city have been fired, and Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Fresh curfew in Washington D.C. over violent protests

Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has announced a new curfew as protests over the death of the African-American man George Floyd turned violent not only in the US capital, but also cross the nation.

Bowser, who issued an 11 p.m. curfew on Sunday night, said at a news briefing on Monday that journalists covering the demonstrations and other essential personnel are exempted from the new measure which began at 7 p.m., reports Xinhua news agency.

"We want your voices to be heard, but we also want to protect the safety of everyone in our city."

Describing the violent protests over the last few days as causing "significant damage" to the city's downtown areas, Bowser said while "every American should be outraged by the murder of George Floyd", Washingtonians should be "part of the solution, not part of the destruction".

Incidents of arson, vandalism and clashes between police and protesters took place when demonstrations turned violent Sunday evening in the capital, with graffiti seen on buildings and monuments in the city centre and fire flaring up at the Lafayette Square directly north of the White House.

Bowser said the fire near the White House, which rekindled on Monday morning, forcing the closure of nearby streets and firefighters to put the blaze under control, was "intentionally set", adding "that type of destruction is intolerable".

Washington, D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham said at the briefing that 88 people were arrested Sunday night and two-thirds of those charged will face felony counts, and that seven police officers were injured but without need for hospitalization.

He added that more arrests may occur as investigators are examining "expansive" video footage.

"We're prepared for multiple days of demonstrations," Bowser said.

"We're working with all of our intelligence to figure out who's coming here."

Pleading in vain for his life, Floyd died in Minneapolis on May 25 after a white policeman, Derek Chauvin, kneeled on his neck for minutes.

All four police officers involved have been fired, and Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Over 200 arrested during protests in Arizona

More than 200 people were arrested during the fourth consecutive night of protests in Phoenix over the death of the unarmed African-American man George Floyd, police in the capital city of Arizona state said.

Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed an executive order on Sunday declaring a statewide curfew lasting from local time 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. until June 8, reports Xinhua news agency.

The order prohibits people from "using, standing, sitting, travelling or being present on any public street or in any public place, including for the purpose of travel" with some exceptions.

However, local ABC15 news channel reported that many protesters remained in the Phoenix Police Department headquarters after the official protest was over and curfew started, holding signs, taking a knee and chanting outside of the building.

The police then declared unlawful assembly in the area and used tear gas against protesters.

Police on Monday did not give information about property damage from Sunday's demonstrations, but disclosed that more than 200 adults and over 10 minors were arrested, with charges including rioting, unlawful assembly, disorderly conduct and curfew violation.

Nationwide protests, some of which turned violent, have erupted since May 25, when Floyd, an unarmed 46-year-old man, died after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, held him down with a knee on his neck though he repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe", and "please, I can't breathe".

All four police officers involved in the incident that took place in Minneapolis city have been fired, and Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Trump deploys 'heavily armed soldiers'

While speaking from the Rose Garden US President Donald Trump said, what happened last night in Washington DC was a "disgrace" and warned that the curfew tonight will "strictly enforced".

He said, "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 what I will do."

Any rulebreakers will be arrested, detained and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, he added.

Organisers of the "terror" will face severe criminal penalties and lengthy sentences in jail, he said, mentioning Antifa.

"As we speak, I am dispatching thousands and thousands of heavily armed soldiers, military personnel and law enforcement officers to stop the rioting, looting, vandalism, assaults and the wanton destruction of property."

Trump said he will mobilise all available federal resources, civilian and military, to stop rioting, looting, vandalism, assaults and wanton destruction of property and protect the rights of law-abiding Americans.

He said, "We are ending the riots and lawlessness that have spread throughout the country."

"All Americans were rightly sickened and revolted by the brutal death of George Floyd," says Trump, promising "he will not have died in vain".

But Trump says that Floyd's memory must not be "drowned out by an angry mob".

"I am your president of law and order and an ally of all peaceful protests," he continues.

"But in recent days our nation has been gripped by professional anarchists, violent mobs, arsonists, looters, criminals, rioters, Antifa and others."

"A number of state and local governments have failed to take necessary action to safeguard their residents," he adds.

Earlier on Monday, Trump told governors during a phone call that they were "weak" and were being laughed at by the world because of their response to protests.

"Healing not hatred. Justice not chaos. This is our mission and we will succeed 100 percent. We will succeed. Our country always wins," Trump continues.

"If malice or violence reigns then none of us are free," he says, adding that America's "best days lie ahead".

"These are not acts of peaceful protest," says Trump. "These are acts of domestic terror."

"The destruction of innocent life and the spilling of innocent blood is an offence to humanity and a crime against God."

With Washington DC's curfew officially in place, Trump crossed Lafayette Square park outside the White House on foot to visit the nearby St John's Church.

He ended his statement to the nation saying: "Now I'm going to pay my respects to a very, very special place."

Before Trump spoke, armed officers in riot gear pushed protesters out of the park and several blocks away.

TV camera showed Trump walking through the park, wearing no mask to guard against the coronavirus.

St John's Episcopal Church has been attended by every US president since James Madison in 1816.

Its parish hall suffered a suspected arson attack on Sunday night, but the basement fire was quickly extinguished with only minor damage.

Standing outside the church, Trump held up a Bible, flanked by aides, and said: "We have the greatest country in the world. I'm going to keep it nice and safe."

As he spoke, he was flanked by White House aides who were not wearing masks or social distancing.

Fresh curfew in Washington D.C. over violent protests

 Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has announced a new curfew as protests over the death of the African-American man George Floyd turned violent not only in the US capital, but also cross the nation.

Bowser, who issued an 11 p.m. curfew on Sunday night, said at a news briefing on Monday that journalists covering the demonstrations and other essential personnel are exempted from the new measure which began at 7 p.m., reports Xinhua news agency.

"We want your voices to be heard, but we also want to protect the safety of everyone in our city."

Describing the violent protests over the last few days as causing "significant damage" to the city's downtown areas, Bowser said while "every American should be outraged by the murder of George Floyd", Washingtonians should be "part of the solution, not part of the destruction".

Incidents of arson, vandalism and clashes between police and protesters took place when demonstrations turned violent Sunday evening in the capital, with graffiti seen on buildings and monuments in the city centre and fire flaring up at the Lafayette Square directly north of the White House.

Bowser said the fire near the White House, which rekindled on Monday morning, forcing the closure of nearby streets and firefighters to put the blaze under control, was "intentionally set", adding "that type of destruction is intolerable".

Washington, D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham said at the briefing that 88 people were arrested Sunday night and two-thirds of those charged will face felony counts, and that seven police officers were injured but without need for hospitalization.

He added that more arrests may occur as investigators are examining "expansive" video footage.

"We're prepared for multiple days of demonstrations," Bowser said.

"We're working with all of our intelligence to figure out who's coming here."

Pleading in vain for his life, Floyd died in Minneapolis on May 25 after a white policeman, Derek Chauvin, kneeled on his neck for minutes.

All four police officers involved have been fired, and Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.