Demonstrators confront secret service police and Park police officers outside of the White House on May 30, 2020 in Washington DC, during a protest over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, who died after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for several minutes.
Eric Baradat | AFP | Getty Images
Protesters and police clashed in cities across America as demonstrations in response to the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, at the hands of Minneapolis police descended into violence again. Mayors of major cities imposed curfews and governors mobilized state National Guard in an effort to keep the peace overnight to little avail.
Derek Chauvin, the officer filmed kneeling on Floyd’s neck, was arrested and charged with murder and manslaughter.
This is CNBC’s live blog covering all the latest news on the demonstrations gripping the U.S. This blog will be updated throughout the day as the news breaks.
St. Paul mayor calls for police accountability
Law enforcement officers take position during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., May 30, 2020. Picture taken May 30, 2020.
Lucas Jackson | Reuters
10:10 a.m. ET — Melvin Carter, mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota, said on CNN’s “State of the Union” that proof of progress on police reform would be more helpful to quelling the protests in his city than additional help from the National Guard.
“The thing that I think would help us more than military support is some assurance across our country that we possess a legal and judicial system that has the capacity and the capability to hold someone accountable when something this blatant, something this disgusting, something this well-documented happens in plain view for all of us to see,” Carter said.
Carter said laws and police union contracts are among the things that need to change to hold police accountable. The mayor also said that he wanted to see the other officers involved in George Floyd’s death to be held accountable, but he did not say if he thought they should be charged with murder.
Over 170 businesses have been damaged in the city during the demonstrations so far. Carter said that while many protestors were there to push for change after Floyd’s death, others were there to be destructive.
“There are folks in our streets who are there to burn down our black-owned barbershops, to burn down our family-owned businesses, our immigrant-owned restaurants,” Carter said. “And it is very clear to me that those people are not driven by a love for our community, and there’s no way you can argue that those actions are designed to create a better future for our community, quite the opposite.”
Atlanta mayor: Trump is ‘just making it worse’
A protester is detained by police officers during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Atlanta, U.S., May 30, 2020.
Shannon Stapelton | Reuters
10:05 a.m. ET — Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms condemned President Donald Trump’s calls for the federal government to step up military action against protesters.
“This is like Charlottesville all over again,” Bottoms told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union.” “He speaks and he makes it worse.”
Crowds gathered outside the White House Friday and Saturday night in protest of George Floyd’s death. Trump tweeted Saturday that had the protesters breached barriers set up by the U.S. Secret Service, they would “have been greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons.”
Later on Saturday, Trump called for states to “get MUCH tougher” or the federal government would step in and “do what has to be done,” including “using the unlimited power of our military.”
Trump has no plans to federalize National Guard right now, White House says
National Guard members walk at the area in the aftermath of a protest after a white police officer was caught on a bystander’s video pressing his knee into the neck of African-American man George Floyd, who later died at a hospital, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., May 29, 2020.
Carlos Barria | Reuters
9:59 a.m. ET — White House National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien told reporters that the U.S. will not federalize the National Guard amid nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd.
“We’re not going to federalize the Guard at this time,” O’Brien said. “If the governors need it, we’re there as a reserve and we’ll do whatever they need to keep control of their cities.
“We want governors to take control of their cities,” O’Brien continued. “We’d like to keep this a law enforcement matter, that’s our preference,” he added. “But if a situation gets out of control there are military that can be deployed. But we hope that doesn’t happen.”
On Saturday night, Minnesota National Guard members were firing tear gas and rubber bullets at demonstrators who were out past curfew. Governors have mobilized National Guard in California, Georgia, Kentucky, Washington and Tennessee among others in response to rioting.
At least 30 businesses and buildings damaged in Nashville
5:25 a.m. ET — In Nashville, 28 protesters were arrested Saturday night after the 10 p.m. curfew, according to the Nashville Police Department.
Governor Bill Lee authorized the National Guard to mobilize in response to protests, which he said took a “violent, unlawful turn.”
Protesters damaged at least 30 businesses and buildings in the city, including the Nashville courthouse, which was set on fire. No officers were injured, according to the police department.
Target temporarily closes 175 stores nationwide
A dumpster is lit on fire infront of a Target store in Oakland California on May 30, 2020, over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes.
JOSH EDELSON
4:36 a.m. ET — Target has temporarily closed 175 stores across the country amid ongoing protests, the company announced late Saturday.
“Our focus will remain on our team members’ safety and helping our community heal,” the company said.
Target closed 71 stores in Minnesota, which has been gripped by demonstrations and rioting following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, after a white officer pressed a knee into his neck while taking him into custody.
At least a dozen stores are closed in California and New York. Any Target employees impacted by store closures will be paid for up to 14 days of scheduled hours, including COVID-19 premium pay, the company said.
Employees can also work at other nearby Target locations that remain open. Some businesses have been looted and vandalized in cities across the U.S. as protests turned violent, including a Target store in Minneapolis.
Seattle police arrest at least 27 after crowds set fire to cars
Protesters riot in the streets following a peaceful rally expressing outrage over the death of George Floyd on May 30, 2020 in Seattle, Washington.
Karen Ducey
4:15 am ET — More than 20 people were arrested in Seattle during Saturday’s protest, Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best said in a statement early Sunday morning. Best said that “multiple officers and civilians have been injured” but did not give further details about those injuries.
The protests in Seattle were peaceful for more than two hours before escalating, and some of the demonstrators set fire to police and private vehicles, according to the statement. Mayor Jenny Durkan ordered a curfew from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. At the time of the statement, the Seattle police and the National Guard were still working to remove people from the city’s downtown core.
More than 100 arrested, 13 police officers injured in Philadelphia
Police handle an arrested African-American male as protesters clash with police near City Hall, in Philadelphia, PA on May 30, 2020. Cities around the nation see thousands take to the streets to protest police brutality after the murder of George Floyd.
Bastiaan Slabbers | NurPhoto | Getty Images
2:35 a.m. ET — The Philadelphia Police Department said on Twitter that 13 of its officers were injured, including 7 with chemical burns to their faces, as officers made more than 100 arrests during Saturday’s protests.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney imposed a curfew last night from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. That curfew is set to repeat on Sunday night. Curfew violations accounted for 52 of the arrests, while another 43 were for looting or burglary, according to the department. There was one arrest for assaulting an officer.
Los Angeles under state of emergency, National Guard activated, coronavirus testing centers closed
Firefighters battle a structure fire on Melrose Avenue in the Fairfax District during demonstrations following the death of George Floyd on May 30, 2020 in Los Angeles, California.
David McNew | Getty Images
2:16 a.m. ET — California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles and approved the city’s request to deploy the National Guard to help deal with escalating protests.
Coronavirus testing centers in Los Angeles are also temporarily closed as a result of the unrest. Mark Ridley-Thomas, Los Angeles County supervisor, said the closing of the testing sites was a “troubling consequence of social breakdown prompted by excessive use of force resulting in the death of another unarmed African American man.”
