Trump took shelter in White House bunker as protests raged

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secret Service agents rushed President Donald Trump to a White House bunker on Friday night as hundreds of protesters gathered outside the executive mansion, some of them throwing rocks and tugging at police barricades.

Trump spent nearly an hour in the bunker, which was designed for use in emergencies like terrorist attacks, according to a Republican close to the White House who was not authorized to publicly discuss private matters and spoke on condition of anonymity. The account was confirmed by an administration official who also on condition of anonymity.

READ MORE: George Floyd’s brother says Trump wouldn’t let him speak during phone call

U.S. President Doanld Trump speaks after the successful launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the manned Crew Dragon spacecraft at the Kennedy Space Center on May 30, 2020 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. (Photo by Saul Martinez/Getty Images)

The abrupt decision by the agents underscored the rattled mood inside the White House, where the chants from protesters in Lafayette Park could be heard all weekend and Secret Service agents and law enforcement officers struggled to contain the crowds.

Friday’s protests were triggered by the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died after he was pinned at the neck by a white Minneapolis police officer. The demonstrations in Washington turned violent and appeared to catch officers by surprise. They sparked one of the highest alerts on the White House complex since the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001.

“The White House does not comment on security protocols and decisions,” said White House spokesman Judd Deere. The Secret Service said it does not discuss the means and methods of its protective operations. The president’s move to the bunker was first reported by The New York Times.

Members of the U.S. Secret Service hold a perimeter near the White House as demonstrators gather to protest the killing of George Floyd on May 30, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

The president and his family have been shaken by the size and venom of the crowds, according to the Republican. It was not immediately clear if first lady Melania Trump and the couple’s 14-year-old son, Barron, joined the president in the bunker. Secret Service protocol would have called for all those under the agency’s protection to be in the underground shelter.

Trump has told advisers he worries about his safety, while both privately and publicly praising the work of the Secret Service.

Trump traveled to Florida on Saturday to view the first manned space launch from the U.S. in nearly a decade. He returned to a White House under virtual siege, with protesters — some violent — gathered just a few hundred yards away through much of the night.

READ MORE: Trump threatens DC protesters with ‘vicious dogs’ and ‘ominous weapons’ should they cross a line

Demonstrators returned Sunday afternoon, facing off against police at Lafayette Park into the evening.

Trump continued his effort to project strength, using a series of inflammatory tweets and delivering partisan attacks during a time of national crisis.

As cities burned night after night and images of violence dominated television coverage, Trump’s advisers discussed the prospect of an Oval Office address in an attempt to ease tensions. The notion was quickly scrapped for lack of policy proposals and the president’s own seeming disinterest in delivering a message of unity.

Trump did not appear in public on Sunday. Instead, a White House official who was not authorized to discuss the plans ahead of time said Trump was expected in the coming days to draw distinctions between the legitimate anger of peaceful protesters and the unacceptable actions of violent agitators.

On Sunday, Trump retweeted a message from a conservative commentator encouraging authorities to respond with greater force.

READ MORE: Trump on George Floyd’s death: ‘I feel very, very badly’

“This isn’t going to stop until the good guys are willing to use overwhelming force against the bad guys,” Buck Sexton wrote in a message amplified by the president.

In recent days security at the White House has been reinforced by the National Guard and additional personnel from the Secret Service and the U.S. Park Police.

On Sunday, the Justice Department deployed members of the U.S. Marshals Service and agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration to supplement National Guard troops outside the White House, according to a senior Justice Department official. The official could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

___

Lemire reported from New York. Associated Press writer Michael Balsamo contributed to this report.

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Jay-Z speaks on George Floyd, calls on prosecution to ‘fullest extent of the law’

Rapper Jay-Z spoke out on the police killing of George Floyd Sunday night, endorsing the Minnesota governor’s announcement earlier that day that the state’s attorney general would take the lead on any charges brought against the officers involved.

In a statement posted to Twitter, the “Hard Knock Life” rapper said he had a “human conversation” with Gov. Tim Walz as a “dad and a Black man in pain.” He applauded Walz’s move to appoint Attorney General Keith Ellison, the first African American and the first Muslim American elected to statewide office in Minnesota, to prosecute the murder case. He will work alongside Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman who brought the charges against fired Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.

Jay-Z makes an announcement of the launch of Dream Chasers record label in joint venture with Roc Nation, at the Roc Nation headquarters on Tuesday, July 23, 2019, in New York. (Photo by Greg Allen/Invision/AP)

Chauvin was the officer seen pressing his knee into Floyd’s neck for almost 9 minutes until his death in a widespread video. Freeman on Friday charged Chauvin with murder in the 3rd degree and manslaughter.

READ MORE: Beyonce promotes George Floyd petition, says justice is ‘far from being achieved’

“Yes, I am human, a father and a Black man in pain and I am not the only one,” said Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter. “Now I, along with an entire country in pain, call upon AG Ellison to do the right thing and prosecute all those responsible for the murder of George Floyd to the fullest extent of the law.”

The statement was publicized through REFORM Alliance, the criminal justice reform advocacy group Jay-Z founded with Meek Mill more than a year ago. The statement did not mention racism, police brutality, or the nationwide protests that followed the 46-year-old man’s homicide.

#JusticeForGeorgeFloyd @GovTimWalz pic.twitter.com/0606dwrbzt

— REFORM Alliance (@REFORM) June 1, 2020

Ellison, who is in his first term, was added to the prosecution team after activists, a number of Minneapolis City Council members and a civil rights group called on his selection to strengthen the quest for justice, according to The Associated Press. The state’s top lawyer helped put together a working group with the goal to reduce police violence.

U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) speaks during a news conference in front of the Capitol February 1, 2017 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

A Detroit native, Ellison previously completed six terms representing Minnesota in the U.S. House and was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus.

READ MORE: Minneapolis police chief declares other officers ‘complicit’ in George Floyd death

Jay-Z said he is determined to fight for justice against his “would-be oppressors” and urged that every politician, prosecutor and officer across the country “have the courage to do what is right.”

“Have the courage to look at us as humans, dads, brothers, sisters and mothers in pain and look at yourselves,” he said.

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Vanessa Bryant shares timely photo of Kobe Bryant in ‘I Can’t Breathe’ shirt

Vanessa Bryant took to social media to share a powerful message about the murder of George Floyd and the resulting demonstrations going on across the world.

The widow of beloved NBA great, Kobe Bryant, shared a photo of her late husband wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with “I Can’t Breathe.”

READ MORE: Vanessa Bryant saved last letter from Kobe to read on her birthday

“My husband wore this shirt years ago and yet here we are again. #ICANTBREATHE (repost/photo credit unknown) plz tag 📷 Life is so fragile. Life is so unpredictable. Life is too short. Let’s share and embrace the beautiful qualities and similarities we all share as people,” Bryant posted.

“Drive out hate. Teach respect and love for all at home and school. Spread LOVE. Fight for change- register to VOTE. Do not use innocent lives lost as an excuse to loot. BE AN EXAMPLE OF THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE. #BLACKLIVESMATTER.” 

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My husband wore this shirt years ago and yet here we are again.💔#ICANTBREATHE (repost/photo credit unknown) plz tag 📷 Life is so fragile. Life is so unpredictable. Life is too short. Let’s share and embrace the beautiful qualities and similarities we all share as people. Drive out hate. Teach respect and love for all at home and school. Spread LOVE. Fight for change- register to VOTE. Do not use innocent lives lost as an excuse to loot. BE AN EXAMPLE OF THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE. #BLACKLIVESMATTER ❤️

A post shared by Vanessa Bryant 🦋 (@vanessabryant) on May 30, 2020 at 10:19pm PDT

READ MORE: Vanessa Bryant sues LA County Sheriff’s Department over unauthorized photos of Kobe Bryant’s crash site

She followed it up with another post that encourages people to start important conversations to dismantle racism within themselves and in their own homes.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Vanessa Bryant 🦋 (@vanessabryant) on May 30, 2020 at 11:18pm PDT

Kobe Bryant remains an influential icon even after his death and it’s likely that Vanessa’s reminder to his fans that his loyalties lied with the fight for justice for all people is a powerful one in these turbulent times.

On Sunday, Michael Jordan shared his thoughts on the issues facing our country. “I am deeply saddened, truly pained and plain angry,” Jordan said in a statement. “I stand with those who are calling out the ingrained racism and violence toward people of color in our country. We have had enough.”

He didn’t stop there.

“I don’t have the answers, but our collective voices show strength and the inability to be divided by others,” he said.

“We must listen to each other, show compassion and empathy and never turn our backs on senseless brutality. We need to continue peaceful expressions against injustice and demand accountability. Our unified voice needs to put pressure on our leaders to change our laws, or else we need to use our vote to create systemic change. Every one of us needs to be part of the solution, and we must work together to ensure justice for all.”

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Minnesota governor announces AG Ellison as lead on George Floyd case

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced the appointment of Attorney General Keith Ellison as the lead on the prosecution of former officer Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd.

In a press conference Sunday, he gave a statement in the hopes that his constituency will see evidence of transparency and fairness. He knew that many in the Black community did not trust the process or those involved.

n this Dec. 2, 2016 file photo, U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., listens during a forum on the future of the Democratic Party, in Denver. Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, filed papers Tuesday, June 5, 2018, to run for Minnesota attorney general. Ellison, also the vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee, filed just hours ahead of a deadline. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

READ MORE: Minnesota AG Keith Ellison expects more charges after Chauvin arrest in George Floyd death

Walz, a Democrat said, “They don’t believe justice can be served and their frustrations are that they believe that time and time again the system works perfectly well as it was designed to deny those rights and to deny justice to communities of color.”

“We have to make that process work for people.”

During the week, several rallies were held in the Minneapolis expressing their distrust. While civil rights leaders like Rev. Al Sharpton, attorney Ben Crump, and Tameka Mallory have come to the city to support the local voices like Councilwoman Andrea Jenkins, it was the thousands of protesters in the street that best spoke to the communities lack of trust.

The governor contends that conversations with these leaders, celebrity and local influencers & activists alike, have helped him arrive at the decision of appointing AG Ellison on the case immediately.

Ellison’s reputation regarding his work as a civil rights leader is well respected. Moreover, many believe that he will push for the fairest trial possible.

READ MORE: Minnesota protester calls out looters on CNN: ‘Something’s wrong with you’

On Memorial Day, Floyd died while being arrested by the Minneapolis police, led by Chauvin and three other officers. After a week of civil unrest and the boisterous outcry of disbelief, pain, and exhaustion, activists waterfalled over the city. They demanded that the officers be arrested. On Friday, Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

The family has gone on record asking for the other officers to be arrested and charged, and that Chauvin’s charge be bumped up to first-degree murder.

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Minneapolis police chief declares other officers ‘complicit’ in George Floyd death

Derek Chauvin was arrested for George Floyd’s death but the other officers involved are “complicit” as well according to the Minneapolis police chief.

There was a memorial held for Floyd Sunday at the place where he was killed at 38^th and Chicago earlier in the week and Minneapolis police chief Medaria Arradondo attended. Arradondo shared that he’d grown up a block from the tragedy and wanted to offer his condolences.

Flowers, signs and balloons are left near a makeshift memorial to George Floyd near the spot where he died while in custody of the Minneapolis police, on May 29, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Kerem Yucel / AFP) (Photo by KEREM YUCEL/AFP via Getty Images)

READ MORE: Michael Jordan issues statement about George Floyd: ‘I am plain angry’

“I came to pay my respects to Mr. Floyd and I came to just offer prayer for his loved ones, his family and our community that’s hurting,” the chief said told CNN’s Sara Sidner.

He added the need to be one with those gathered during this time of unrest.

“I wanted to be in a space of how do we heal and how do we move from this and so , it’s going to take time …and everyone here is trying to do the best that they can to offer what they’re feeling and those are all valid but I just needed to be here in this space today and offer my respects.”

Moving forward, he wanted the community to know that law enforcement was not an institution that would mean them harm. He did not want any doubt left in their minds.

“At the end of the day, our community members need to know that the men and women that put this badge on, that they are doing so in service to them and they should not have to doubt the integrity and if they’re going to be treated in a professional and compassionate way.”

He stated that Floyd’s death was not a representation of that.

“There are absolute truths in life. We need air to breathe. The killing of Mr. Floyd was an absolute truth and so I did not need days or weeks or months, or processes or bureaucracies to tell me what occurred out here last Monday. It was wrong,” he said.

READ MORE: Philando Castile’s mother speaks out on George Floyd: ‘Why no one is being held accountable?’

 

All four officers involved in the death of George Floyd were “complicit," including the three who haven't been arrested, says Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo, responding to a question asked by @sarasidnerCNN on behalf of Floyd’s brother. https://t.co/JiE3Mx8xF2 pic.twitter.com/yalvaWfpDV

— CNN (@CNN) June 1, 2020

He shared his disgust at seeing Floyd on the ground with Chauvin’s knee on his neck for more than seven minutes. He said there was a visceral reaction and reached out to Black leaders and repeated once more his decision of firing the officers involved for their conduct.

“In my mind, this was a violation of humanity. This was a violation of the oath that the majority of the men and women that put this uniform on, this goes absolutely against it. This is contrary to what we believe in … Again what occurred to me, it was an absolute truth it was wrong. Period,” the chief said.

Arradondo expressed his sympathy to the Floyd family who was watching the interview live. He wished that they were not enduring this loss and wished he had the ability to turn back time.

“I would say to the Floyd family that I am absolutely devastatingly sorry for their loss. If I could do anything to bring Mr. Floyd back, I would do that. I would move heaven and Earth to do that. So I’m very sorry,” he said.

Arradondo also told Sidner three other officers involved in Floyd’s death were “complicit” because they did not stop Chauvin from placing his knee on Floyd’s neck or try to intervene. They just looked on as the unarmed, 46-year old pleaded for his life as Chauvin applied pressure. Arradondo cited their inaction as one of the primary reasons why he fired them so quickly.

Lee Merritt, a civil rights attorney who has been in Minneapolis for the last week, has declared that he is not leaving town until all four officers involved are charged. Thus far, only Chauvin was arrested for third-degree murder. Merritt took Arradondo’s comments as potential evidence.

“I was hoping the police chief would put on his hat and go arrest the officers that helped murder #GeorgeFloyd but I appreciate he gave statements that they are all complicit which can be used at trial,” he tweeted.

I was hoping the police chief would put on his hat and go arrest the officers that helped murder #GeorgeFloyd but I appreciate he gave statements that they are all complicit which can be used at trial. https://t.co/2Ps8QEQ6c0

— S. Lee Merritt, Esq. (@MeritLaw) June 1, 2020

 

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