Amid reports that President Donald Trump was literally rushed into a White House bunker — look for a lot of new “Downfall” parodies on YouTube — American cities were reeling from protests over the videoed death of Floyd George at the hands of Minneapolis policemen.
Newsapers covered it extensively, cable news channels ran long live-from-the-scene reports and brought in commentators. And Twitter was offering compelling, tragic and alarming coverage. Yes, many Tweets came from a point of view but as we’ve seen in past major news stories taken together it revealed a detailed tapestry of a country in the throes of chaos.
Here’s a cross-section:
BREAKING: NYPD have taken a knee in solidarity with protestors. #nycprotests pic.twitter.com/SxBCivigXR
— Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) June 1, 2020
Lights that usually illuminate exterior of the WH have been turned off. pic.twitter.com/mHfUEhT4Xd
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) June 1, 2020
I’ve never seen so many incidents with police and reporters simultaneously in different cities. Tension between cops and reporters is nothing new. Aggression on reporters in multiple locations nationally at same time is something different. https://t.co/SA5s1Wy3DP
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) June 1, 2020
Video from FOX 11 in Los Angeles shows officer ramming into protestors. They say it’s near the Pershing Square area. pic.twitter.com/XXUw0nB3ca
— Tom Dreisbach (@TomDreisbach) June 1, 2020
Lost my glasses and my ankle is in searing pain after NYPD hit me in the face multiple times with riot shields and pushed me to the ground. I was backing away as request, with my hands up. My NYPD-issued press badge was clearly visible. I’m just sitting here crying. This sucks.
— Tyler Blint- Welsh (@tylergabriel_) June 1, 2020
WATCH: Two BPD offices take a knee infront of protestors, engaging in a peaceful dialogue about the chaos. After the convo, they shook hands with everyone. State police maintained formation continue to tell protestors to leave #BostonProtests #protests2020 pic.twitter.com/6ORWvI039C
— Jake Epstein (@jakepstein97) June 1, 2020
BREAKING: 20 minutes after Trump retweeted an account associated with an organization on the FBI’s domestic terrorism watchlist, Twitter has suspended the account. pic.twitter.com/IdFVW7Pcc7
— Biden War Room (Text UNITED to 30330) (@BidenWarRoom) May 31, 2020
BREAKING: Specialized Investigations Division detectives & SWAT officers moments ago arrested Wesley Somers, 25, on charges of felony arson, vandalism, & disorderly conduct for setting fire to Nashville's Historic Courthouse Saturday night. pic.twitter.com/tg0AFrU3OP
— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) June 1, 2020
The Parish House of St. John’s Church is on fire – we just completed a 6 million renovation of it last year. This is unconscionable. WHERE IS THE DC FIRE DEPARTMENT.
— Brian W. Schoeneman (@BrianSchoeneman) June 1, 2020
Police moving protesters up 16th st. I just got hit in the head with a rubber bullet. My press credentials are out. I’m fine. pic.twitter.com/x6PVf1MnDS
— Todd Zwillich (@toddzwillich) June 1, 2020
Incredibly powerful image in Des Moines tonight as law enforcement takes a knee with peaceful protesters downtown. pic.twitter.com/GmG5nRsseJ
— Amber Alexander (@AmberAwx) June 1, 2020
Santa Monica: pic from friend.
They are standing on top of a very large jewelery safe. They loaded it into their SUV and drove away. There's probably several hundred thousand dollars worth of jewelery in there. They broke into Rolex and Neiman Marcus.
Dishonors George Floyd. pic.twitter.com/5Gz8H2PPsg
— Spiro Agnew’s Ghost (@SpiroAgnewGhost) June 1, 2020
BREAKING: Man who thinks a mask makes him look weak is now hiding in a bunker.
— Randi Mayem Singer (@rmayemsinger) June 1, 2020
JUST IN: 2 Atlanta officers fired, 3 others placed on desk duty following arrest of 2 college students Sat. night; video showed one of the students getting dragged from car, while the driver, who remained behind the wheel, was tased and then pulled out. https://t.co/JFhbCpPhwt
— Greg ??? Esq (@GSarafan) June 1, 2020
Protestors set fire to a building that had a child inside and then attempted to block the fire engine from getting there to put the fire out.
Thankfully firefighters were able to save the family, but the people that did this are absolute monsters.https://t.co/Dgfxex5pdO
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) May 31, 2020
Not #Antifa but #ProudBoys dressed like Antifa. Is @realDonaldTrump stupid enough to fall for it or is he part of it? https://t.co/P3u7aOrE3n
— Fata Morgana (@maladamus) May 31, 2020
A bunch of Nazis from ND came down to Sioux Falls and have started vandalizing stuff, they're trying to break into the mall right now where my niece is at. My mom is watching a live stream of it right now. It was a peaceful protest until the Nazis came
— Sam ? (@SambieCos) June 1, 2020
Birmingham where confederate monument was just taken down pic.twitter.com/nXXiNZ3rfr
— Daniel Uhlfelder (@DWUhlfelderLaw) June 1, 2020
Birmingham where confederate monument was just taken down pic.twitter.com/nXXiNZ3rfr
— Daniel Uhlfelder (@DWUhlfelderLaw) June 1, 2020
BREAKING: Protesters lit another fire. US Park Police are pushing them back with OC spray, “flash bangs.” Some protesters are clashing with police. They say the death of #GeorgeFloyd is “the straw that broke the camels back.” @nbcwashington @MSNBC pic.twitter.com/IQEafLw9An
— Shomari Stone (@shomaristone) June 1, 2020
Personally, I'm tired of all the winning. https://t.co/HOZNbGYrWH
— Walter Shapiro (@MrWalterShapiro) June 1, 2020
US Press Freedom Tracker says that they have so far documented at least 100 different “incidents of aggression” against the media over the weekend, but more from today have yet to be counted. There have been more than 60 assaults of journalists, per the group.
— Ted Johnson (@tedstew) June 1, 2020
We were peacefully marching in Long Beach when the Swat team tried boxing us in. Then they started moving towards us & everyone screamed to run. They started shooting though I’m not sure what. We made it out in the nick of time & we’re safe now.
— Stephanie Mendez (@stephwritestuff) June 1, 2020
. @AFLCIO building is on fire. Lobby engulfed.
— Kate Bennett (@KateBennett_DC) June 1, 2020
SIEGE https://t.co/Mg42WyldUm
— Anti Zionist Network (@network_anti) June 1, 2020
They literally can’t help themselves! pic.twitter.com/L4IgrvHx7K
— Albert MacGloan ? (@AlbertMacGloan) May 31, 2020
I just got hit by a rubber bullet near the bottom of my throat. I had just interviewed a man with my phone at 3rd and Pine and a police officer aimed and shot me in the throat, I saw the bullet bounce onto the street @LAist @kpcc OK, that’s one way to stop me, for a while pic.twitter.com/9C2u5KmscG
— Adolfo Guzman-Lopez (@AGuzmanLopez) June 1, 2020
Progress. Police officers in Des Moines, Iowa all take a knee, and the crowds clap and cheer! Thank you. pic.twitter.com/9TqIkLdxKH
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) June 1, 2020
KC Police take their masks off and take a knee. Protestors erupt into applause. @41actionnews pic.twitter.com/LDD0xEUIFl
— Dan Cohen (@DanCohenTV) May 31, 2020
Black Police Officers at DC protest take a knee pic.twitter.com/a4TtlVnHGi
— NewsTalk New York (@newstalknyc) June 1, 2020
Whoopsies! So much for makin' fun of Joe Biden "hidin' in his basement".https://t.co/lyWurFxIIV
— Tea Pain (@TeaPainUSA) June 1, 2020
The president and his family have been shaken by the size and venom of the crowds.
Trump has told advisers he worries about his safety, while both privately and publicly praising the work of the Secret Service. https://t.co/3O8TvUz4GQ
— Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) June 1, 2020
Quite the contrast today: Biden risked his life during a pandemic to visit a protest. Meanwhile, Trump was evacuated to the White House bunker because there were protesters outside. https://t.co/WfXoXXQ98m pic.twitter.com/d5DVrT1iKs
— (((Yair Rosenberg))) (@Yair_Rosenberg) June 1, 2020
Midtown Sacramento right now with tear gas in the air #Sacramento #SacramentoProtest #Sacramentoprotests @shireen_sahami pic.twitter.com/Mo0FGAo6uT
— parivash (@pari_fa_sho) June 1, 2020
The protest in Long Beach was calm until looters came. There was protesters lining up trying to prevent people from looting the pike saying “we do not need to loot, we need peace”.
— erika quintero (@erikamquintero) June 1, 2020
Here’s my dispatch from this weekend’s protests in San Diego: a heated night in sleepy La Mesa after cops shot up protesters with rubber bullets and tear gas; a peaceful day in San Diego that cops are currently escalating quickly. https://t.co/eGwFA3xA5H
— Alex ? Sammon (@alex_sammon) June 1, 2020
Curfew is now in place in San Diego. Deputies are urging protesters to disperse. pic.twitter.com/1t4spT4ISL
— Chloe Salsameda (@ChloeSalsameda) June 1, 2020
Police deploy tear gas on protesters gathered outside the San Diego county administration building. pic.twitter.com/oVebrVwKwt
— Chloe Salsameda (@ChloeSalsameda) June 1, 2020
Beautiful display of understanding between protesters and police in San Diego. This group has remained completely peaceful and even got the police to put down their batons. #blacklivesmatter #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd #SanDiego pic.twitter.com/wMegnuFxu0
— Austin Buccowich (@ausbucco) May 31, 2020
Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay
Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay