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Saturday, 20 April 2024

Shattered glass outside White House after nationwide protests

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Shattered glass outside White House after nationwide protests
Shattered glass outside White House after nationwide protests

Residents and business owners in cities across the United States swept up broken glass, took stock of looted goods and surveyed the damage after a sixth straight night of violent protests over racial inequities and excessive police force.

This report produced by Zachary Goelman.

Cleanup crews hit the streets on Monday, trying to scrub away the messages scrawled across America's capital city by protesters demonstrating against police brutality.

A day earlier, crowds clashed with police, who deployed tear gas in the streets of Washington D.C., within sight of the White House.

The debris and shattered glass strewing the sidewalks here show the extent of public outrage nationwide after video showed a white Minnesota cop pressing his knee into the back of George Floyd, an African-American, during an arrest.

Floyd died.

The arresting officer was fired, and five days later charged with third degree murder.

But a wave of protests continued through the weekend in dozens of U.S. cities, reigniting the Black Lives Matter movement.

Dozens of cities across the United States faced curfews at a level not seen since the riots following the 1968 assassination of civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. Many rallies were non-violent.

In Minnesota, peaceful protesters were arrested after blocking traffic.

Some activists took the opportunity to speak with the very state troopers who arrested him.

"At the end of the day, we're human.

He's got a family, he's got friends.

I've got a family, I've got friends.

At the end of the day we just want to go home to the people we love." In Atlanta, one man clasped hands with police officers and urged demonstrators against violent confrontation with cops protecting their right to protest.

"Tell your friends, tell your brothers and sisters.

We will not win this fight with guns.

It's not going to happen.

We've got to be peaceful." In Portland, both police and protesters used bullhorns to hold a dialogue across a chain link fence.

"Will you start with investigating your own police shootings?" "I can tell you that the police bureau's command staff is listening to what's being stated out here.

They are hearing you." But peaceful urges didn't prevail everywhere.

A Los Angeles police vehicle appeared to ram into protesters who approached the car.

Some then try to smash the car's windows before the cruiser reversed and drove away.

In Santa Monica, shops were looted.

Aerial footage showed people raiding stores in Long Beach.

Some shops were set ablaze.

The owner of this liquor store told local TV he came out with some friends, a rifle, and a handgun, to protect the business.

He believed the deterrent worked.

UPSOUND "Once they seen the gun the AR-15 and .9 mm they just, you know, we don't want none of that." The U.S. National Guard said it had dispersed in 23 states and Washington, D.C.

In Louisville, Kentucky, a man was shot and killed after guardsmen said they returned fire while trying to disperse a crowd.

A White House spokesperson on Monday called for "law and order," and blamed political agitators for the violence and unrest.

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