- Floyd family’s lawyer, Benjamin Crump says ‘pandemic of racism and discrimination killed George Floyd’
- Rev Jesse Jackson among invitees
- Barr claims evidence ‘antifa’ instigating violence
- Is it safe to protest during a pandemic?
- US police have a history of violence against black people. Will it stop?
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Updated
Photograph: Julio Cortez/AP
22:54
Cuomo: “If you were at a protest, go get a test”
21:51
Troops moving away from Washington – reports
20:07
Floyd family members speak at memorial service
20:03
Curfews lifted in California
19:49
Barr claims evidence ‘Antifa’ instigating violence
19:12
Former White House chief of staff Kelly supports Mattis, hits out at Trump
18:05
Today so far
22:54
Cuomo: “If you were at a protest, go get a test”
There are a lot of sizeable protests going on around the US today. In New York City, for example, after a memorial service for George Floyd in Brooklyn, hundreds of marchers have been crossing the Brooklyn Bridge:
CeFaan Kim
(@CeFaanKim)5,000 or so protesters for #blacklifematters #GeorgeFloydprotest marching across Brooklyn Bridge to Foley Square. pic.twitter.com/l49XgswLu4
June 4, 2020
Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York state, is worried about what such protests might mean for the coronavirus pandemic, which lest anyone forget has killed more than 107,000 people in the US, more than 24,000 of them in New York.
“If you were at a protest, go get a test, please,” Cuomo said at his daily briefing. “The protesters have a civic duty here also. Be responsible, get a test.”
An estimated 20,000 people have demonstrated in New York City alone, the governor said, adding: “New York City had the highest number of protesters. We have to be smart.”
Here’s Jessica Glenza, our health reporter, on the subject of protests and the coronavirus:
22:43
Earlier today, Virginia governor Ralph Northam (yes, him) confirmed that a statue of Gen Robert E Lee will be removed as soon as possible from Monument Avenue in Richmond, the capital of the old Confederacy.
“You see, in Virginia, we no longer preach a false version of history,” Northam, a Democrat, said. “One that pretends the civil war was about ‘state rights’ and not the evils of slavery. No one believes that any longer.”
Some people do and they will be cross. The state Republican party doesn’t necessarily believe it but it did say in a statement the decision “is not in the best interests of Virginia. Attempts to eradicate instead of contextualizing history invariably fail”.
But in the words of the Associated Press, “Northam made the decision, which has been widely praised by black leaders and activists, after days of angry protests in Richmond and across the country over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white police officer pressed a knee into his neck while he pleaded for air. The decision also came a day after Richmond’s mayor, Levar Stoney, announced he will seek to remove the four other Confederate statues along Monument Avenue.”
Such moves were not pursued after the deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in August 2017.
The AP again: “In part, local governments were hamstrung by a state law that protects memorials to war veterans. That law was amended earlier this year by the new Democratic majority at the statehouse and signed by Northam. When the changes go into effect on 1 July, localities will be able to decide the monuments’ fate.”
“…The statues on Monument Avenue are among the most prominent collection of tributes to the Confederacy in the nation. Lee’s 21ft sculpture rises atop a pedestal nearly twice that tall on a grassy circle 200ft in diameter.
‘We put things on pedestals when we want people to look up,’ Northam said. ‘Think about the message that this sends to people coming from around the world to visit the capital city of one of the largest states in our country. Or to young children.’
“Elsewhere on the broad avenue lined with mansions and tony apartments are statues to Confederate president Jefferson Davis, generals JEB Stuart and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson and naval officer Matthew Maury. A statue of black tennis hero Arthur Ashe, a Richmond native, was erected in 1996.
“A descendant of Lee’s brother, the Rev Robert W Lee IV, said at the press conference that his line of the family “wholeheartedly” commends the governor’s decision.
“Friends, the world may be burning and the world is about to turn because we are going to let justice roll down, and this is the start of something incredible,” he said.
22:33
Senator Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, announced on Thursday that he will block the confirmation of Donald Trump’s nominees until the White House provides Congress with “adequate explanations” for the firing of two inspector generals in recent months.
It is rare for a president to remove an inspector general, a role created in the aftermath of Watergate. But in the last few months, Trump has carried out a purge of such government watchdogs who he deemed as insufficiently loyal, among them intelligence community inspector general Michael Atkinson, state department inspector general Steve Linick, acting Pentagon inspector Glenn Fine, and acting Health and Human Services inspector Christi Grimm.
By law, the administration is supposed to serve notice to Congress at least 30 days before the removal of an inspector general.
Grassley served notice on Twitter.
ChuckGrassley
(@ChuckGrassley)Im placing holds on 2 Trump Admin noms until I get reasons 4firing 2 agency watchdogs as required by law Not 1st time ive raised alarm when admins flout IG protection law Obama did same& got same earfull from me All I want is a reason 4 firing these ppl CHECKS&BALANCES
June 4, 2020
Grassley’s move is a rare break from the president. But the former judiciary committee chairman, who has long considered himself an advocate for inspectors general, has led the charge calling on the administration to provide an explanation for the removals.
He raised similar concerns in 2009, when Barack Obama ousted Americorps inspector general Gerald Walpin.
22:21
Lego fans were alarmed this week, when the toy industry giant stopped advertising a number of sets featuring police officers and equipment.
Lego acted in light of protests against police brutality and racism following the death in Minneapolis of George Floyd, which have led to the worst civil unrest in the US in more than 50 years.
The toy giant also paused advertising for an adult building set of the White House, home to President Donald Trump and the scene of extraordinary confrontations between law enforcement and protesters, some peaceful but still gassed and shot at with rubber bullets, over the past few days.
With fans worried by reports that the sets had been removed from sale altogether, Lego was moved to say that was never the case.
Toybook.com, an industry news site, first reported the move, saying it had obtained a copy of an email to marketers which requested the “removal of product listings and features for more than 30 Lego building sets, Minifigures, and accessories that include representation of police officers, firefighters, criminals, emergency vehicles, and buildings”.
Sets affected included the Lego City Police Station, Police Dog Unit, Patrol Car, Mobile Command Center and Police Highway Arrest. The Donut Shop Opening set was also listed, as it includes a police officer Minifigure and a “crook”.
Reports of Lego’s move caused consternation and confusion among Lego fans, one Lego social media account asking the company to explain: “We all firmly believe #BlackLivesMatter. For decades Lego police & fire rescue have been the very best example how to protect and rescue fellow minifigs and kids playing. What kind of message are you making here??”
Lego did explain, in an email to Toybook.
“We requested that our affiliate partners refrain from posting promotional Lego content as part of our decision to respect #BlackOutTuesday,” it said, “and pause posting content on our social media channels in response to the tragic events in the US.”
Black Out Tuesday saw major institutions around the world post black squares and stop online activity in solidarity with the George Floyd protests.
“We regret any misunderstanding and will ensure that we are clearer about our intentions in the future,” Lego said.
On Wednesday, the toy giant’s own Twitter account posted a clear statement.
“We stand with the black community against racism and inequality,” it said. “There is much to do. We will donate $4m to organisations dedicated to supporting black children and all children about racial inequality.”
22:10
With protests over police brutality and the death of George Flloyd continuing around the US today, a short report from our voting rights editor on events this afternoon in Brooklyn, New York City:
Thousands of protestors converged on Brooklyn’s Cadman Plaza today for a memorial for George Floyd. The event was attended by Floyd’s brother, Terrence, who addressed the crowd with calls for solidarity and peaceful protest in memory of his brother.
“I’m proud of the protests,” he said. “I’m not proud of the destruction.”
The crowd sprawled across Downtown Brooklyn and was charged with energy and anger after a peaceful protest in the same spot on Wednesday night ended with police bearing down on the crowd, pushing protesters to the ground and beating them with batons.
New York mayor Bill de Blasio also attempted to address the crowd, calling for change and denouncing white supremacy. But he was booed and met with chants of “No Justice, No Peace” and “traitor” so loud most could not hear his speech.
Joshua James
(@mrjoshjames)Emotional and heartfelt speech from George’s Floyd’s brother Terrence today at the memorial in Cadman Plaza. #blacklivesmatter #powertothepeople #georgefloyd pic.twitter.com/UpE5J6euor
June 4, 2020
22:00
Rev Al Sharpton also used his eulogy at the memorial service for George Floyd to announce that, with the Floyd family, he would organise a march on Washington on 28 August to demand reform of the criminal justice system.
It will be held 57 years to the day since Martin Luther King’s March on DC.
“We’re going back to Washington,” he said, turning to Martin Luther King III, the eldest son of MLK.
”That’s where your father stood in the shadows of the Lincoln Memorial and said ‘I have a dream.’ Well, we’re going back this 28 August to restore and recommit that dream, to stand up.”
21:51
Troops moving away from Washington – reports
21:33
Our reporter in Minneapolis writes:
The service drew to a close with the mourners asked to stand for eight minutes and 47 seconds, the time that Derek Chauvin kept his knee on George Floyd’s neck.
Sharpton said was told before the service that would be a long time to ask people to stand in silence. It was indeed, he said. And a reminder of just how long Chauvin had to pull his knee away or for one of the other police officers with him to intervene and save Floyd’s life.
As the seconds ticked by, family members and other mourners clung to each other, weeping or staring up at brightly lit replica of the street mural of Floyd hanging behind his coffin, which was piled high with flowers.
Others took in a portrait of Floyd next to the casket in what looks to be a selfie as he stares into the camera, wearing a black and gold striped hoodie.
21:17
More from our reporter at the memorial service…
But Sharpton also had words of hope.
“I’m more hopeful today than ever,” he said. “When I looked this time and saw marchers were in some cases young whites outnumbering the black marchers, I know that it is a different time and a different season.
“When I looked and saw people in Germany marching for George Floyd, it’s a different time and different season. When they went in front of the parliament in London, England and said it’s a different time and a different season, I come to tell you, America this is the time of building accountability in the criminal justice system.”
Sharpton said he remembered going to a march years ago and being confronted by a white woman who looked him in the face and said: “Nigger, go home.”
This week, he said, he came face to face with a young white girl.
“I braced myself and she looked at me and said: “No justice, no peace,” Sharpton recalled, to a roar from the mourners.
“This is the time,” he said. “We won’t stop. We’ll keep going until we change the whole system of justice.”
20:57
More from our reporter at the memorial service for George Floyd:
Rev Al Sharpton, in a blue suit and wearing black gloves, gave a powerful eulogy that took a swipe at Donald Trump but mostly directed his anger more broadly.
“George Floyd should not be among the deceased,” the civil rights campaigner said. “He did not die of common health conditions. He died of a common American criminal justice malfunction. So it not a normal funeral. It is not normal circumstances. But it is too common and we need to deal with it.”
Sharpton took a stab at Trump’s photo op with a bible outside St John’s church in Washington earlier this week.
“Held the Bible in his hand. I’ve been preaching since I was a little boy. I never seen anyone hold a Bible like that,” he quipped. “I would like him to open that Bible and I’d like him to read Ecclesiastes 3, to every season there is a time and a purpose and I think that it is our job to let the world when we see what is going on in the streets of this country and in Europe, and around the world, that you need to know what time it is.
“First of all, we cannot use bibles as a prop. And for those of you who have agendas that are not about justice, his family will not let you use George as a prop.”
Sharpton said people have accused him of being publicity hungry. He said that is exactly what he is, because he wants to shed light on injustice. He said he grew up with cockroaches in his home.
“One of the things I found out about roaches is that if you keep the lights off, if you are in the dark, a roach will pull up at your dinner table and have a five-course meal,” he said. Put the light on, he added, and they scuttle away.
“I’ve spent all my life chasing roaches all over this country,” he said.
The police officer with his knee on Floyd’s neck, Sharpton said, represented America’s treatment of its black citizens for hundreds of years.
“The reason we could never be who we wanted and dreamed of being is you kept your knee on our neck,” he said. “We were smarter than the underfunded schools you put us in but you had your knee on our neck. We could run corporations and not hustle in the street but you had your knee on our neck. We had creative skills. We could do whatever anyone else could do. But we couldn’t get your knee off our neck.
“What happened to Floyd happens every day in this country in education and health services and in every area of American life. It’s time for us to stand up in George’s name and say, ‘Get your knee off our necks.’”
20:33
Updated
20:21
Source: US Politics - theguardian.com
