Politics- President
Donald Trump spoke out on the protest over George Floyd's death that gathered demonstrators in Washington DC, specifically across from the White House. - Trump posted a series of tweets commending agents from the
Secret Service for protection before warning protestors they could have been targeted with "the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons." - The president also claimed without evidence that members of the crowd were "professionally managed so-called 'protesters'" who "had little to do with the memory of George Floyd."
President Donald Trump commented on the protests that raged outside the White House late Friday by commending Secret Service agents on their response before warning protestors.
In a series of tweets posted Saturday morning, Trump praised the agents as "totally professional" and "very cool" before warning protestors that if any had approached the White House fence, they "would have been greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons, I have ever seen."
—Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2020
Photos and reports from the Friday evening demonstration outside the White House show demonstrators confronting Secret Service agents and US park police officers, who were armed in riot gear and extensive barricades in the city's Lafayette Square.
The Associated Press reported that there were hundreds of people present, chanting "No justice, no peace" and "Say his name: George Floyd" for several hours before police forced them to disband by pushing demonstrators back and firing pepper spray.
Trump said on
Trump then took aim at Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, who he claimed is "who is always looking for money & help," but "wouldn't let the DC Police get involved."
—Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2020
Bowser fired back in a tweet soon after, "my police department will always protect DC and all who are in it whether I agree with them (such as those exercising their First Amendment Right) or those I don't (namely, @realdonaldtrump)."
The Secret Service said in a statement released Saturday that its officers worked with Metropolitan Police Department and the US Park Police at the demonstration, where six people were arrested.
"Some of the demonstrators were violent, assaulting Secret Service Officers and Special Agents with bricks, rocks, bottles, fireworks, and other items," the statement said. "Multiple Secret Service Uniformed Division Officers and Special Agents sustained injuries from this violence."
"The Secret Service respects the right to assemble, and we ask that individuals do so peacefully for the safety of all," the statement concluded.
The demonstrators in Washington DC were just a few of the crowds that swallowed areas of cities across the US in violent protests to push back on the death of George Floyd after he was taken into police custody in Minneapolis.
Floyd's arrest was caught on video, which shows a white officer kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Officer Derek Chauvin has since been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
In subsequent tweets, Trump took aim at the demonstrators, claiming without evidence that they were "professionally managed so-called 'protesters'" who "had little to do with the memory of George Floyd." He then appeared to reference a gathering of his supporters at the White House set for Saturday night, but did not elaborate.
"They were just their [sic] to cause trouble," Trump wrote. "The @SecretService handled them easily. Tonight, I understand, is MAGA NIGHT AT THE WHITE HOUSE???"
Read the original article on Business Insider