National Guard Mobilized in Several States

In nearly half of the country, US states have called out the National Guard to maintain order in cities ravaged by riots. The riots began as protests in response to the death of unarmed black man George Floyd in Minnesota.

George Floyd Death Ignites Outrage

Last week, an unarmed black man was arrested in Minnesota for paying with a counterfeit bill. He died in police custody after heavy-handed treatment by arresting officers. A video emerged of an officer kneeling on Floyd’s neck, while Floyd told him “Officer, I can’t breathe.”

A video that showed Floyd comply with police they handcuffed him disproved the officers’ claim that Floyd resisted arrest. Derek Chauvin, the officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck, has been fired from the Minneapolis Police Department. He was charged with murder and manslaughter just four days after the incident occurred.

Chauvin’s arrest was not enough to quell public anger over Floyd’s death. Across the nation, riots have erupted from protests over police treatment of minorities, especially black men. Activists groups, such as Antifa and Black Lives Matter, have mobilized throughout the country. In many cities, the protests have also devolved into looting, vandalism, and other destructive acts.

National Guard Moves In

As many cities lose control over the riots, they are calling on their states’ National Guard to restore order. From San Francisco to Boston, major metropolises are descending into destructive chaos, looting stores in broad daylight and destroying property.

National Guard troops now number over 60,000 deployed across the country. The threat to public safety is amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is likely to see a surge in cases as people gather in massive crowds in oft destructive demonstrations. The National Guard then expects these numbers to grow as cities call in military support to help quell the riots.

Protestors did not spare the nation’s capital. The public’s anger even reached the steps of the highest office. People launched bricks and wooden blocks at the White House, breaking several windows. Other public buildings in DC, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, have been damaged as well. Across the country, much of the damage seems random and aimless, often targeting minority store-owners in a sad irony frequently seen during race riots.

Trump: When the Looting Starts, the Shooting Starts

President Trump initially expressed anger at Floyd’s treatment, calling it “very sad and tragic”. In his initial response, he said,
“! want to express our nation’s deepest condolences and most heartfelt sympathies to the family of George Floyd. Terrible event. Terrible, terrible thing that happened. I’ve asked that the Department of Justice expedite the federal investigation into his death and do it immediately, do it as quickly as absolutely possible.”

Trump’s early response showed a departure from his usual support for police in these cases, indicating that he felt Floyd’s death was indeed unjust, if not criminal. However, as social unrest has turned to instability in much of the country, the president has grown angry with rioters. He has said many of the protesters are “thugs”, and also warned that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts”, eliciting reproach from the left.

The president has been heavily critical of democratic leaders for not cracking down on the riots in their states. He has pointed out the fact that while left-leaning states have kept stricter quarantine measures, they’ve failed to enforce these measures in during the protests, implying that destruction of property is a higher priority than economic reopening.

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