U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday declared himself the “president of law and order” and said he would mobilize every available federal force both “civilian and military” as he vowed to put an immediate end to violent protests that have swept the nation for days.
In a brief statement delivered from the Rose Garden of the White House as law enforcement forces deployed tear gas and cleared out protesters just on the opposite side of Pennsylvania Avenue, Trump ordered governors and mayors to establish “an overwhelming law enforcement presence” until the protests have been quelled, and he threatened to send in the U.S. military to “quickly solve the problem for them.”
As Trump spoke, police also fired rubber bullets at protesters gathered peacefully on the edge of Lafayette Square directly in front of the White House. After his speech and with the square cleared, the president walked across the street for a photo op in front of the the historic St. John’s Episcopal Church, where he held up a Bible.
Lockdown in Dhaka: where social distancing is an illusion
Peaceful demonstrations began in Minneapolis last week following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after being pinned down by a police officer’s knee to the neck for nearly nine minutes. But the protests descended into violence at times and quickly spread from coast to coast, with participants setting fire to and looting businesses, and clashing with law enforcement officers dressed in riot gear.
For the past three days, the uproar has lasted well into the night despite local leaders’ imposing curfews, and has teetered on the president’s front yard and the surrounding areas. Dozens of state leaders have called in the National Guard to restore order, a move Trump cheered and urged other governors to replicate.
“Today, I have strongly recommended to every governor to deploy the National Guard in sufficient numbers that we dominate the streets,” he said from the White House, warning that he would step in if a city or state “refuses to take the actions that are necessary to defend the life and property of their residents.”
Trump on Monday denounced the violence as “domestic acts of terror,” accusing far-left anti-fascist groups of being responsible for the chaos as he threatened to use military force to bring them to a halt.
