Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser imposed a city wide curfew on Sunday as protests against the death of black man George Floyd in Minneapolis intensified. Bowser also announced that she is activating the DC National Guard to support the Metropolitan Police Department.The Mayor made the announcement following the third day of protests demanding action be taken against the police officers responsible for the murder of Floyd.
Mayor Bowser is ordering a citywide curfew for the District of Columbia from 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, until 6:00 a.m. on Monday, June 1. She has also activated the DC National Guard to support the Metropolitan Police Department.
— Mayor Muriel Bowser #StayHomeDC Lite (@MayorBowser) May 31, 2020
Massive protests erupted near White House with hundreds of protesters coming out on the streets making it tough for the law enforcement officials to maintain law and order in the city.
In a related development, US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that the anti-fascist group Antifa will be designated as a terrorist organization by the government. Antifa is a left-wing, anti-fascist political activist movement in the US. It is made up of autonomous activist groups that aim to achieve their political objectives through the use of direct action.
The announcement, which is sparked a controversy, comes amid violent nationwide protests about police brutality following the death of Floyd who was seen on video finding it tough to breathe as a police officer in Minneapolis put his knee on Floyd's neck.
US Attorney General William Barr condemned the nationwide protests claiming that "outside radicals and agitators" have hijacked protests in US cities over the killing.
"Groups of outside radicals and agitators are exploiting the situation to pursue their own separate and violent agenda," Barr was quoted as saying by Reuters. Notably, it is still unclear how many protesters participating in demonstrations across the US are from Antifa.
Meanwhile, four police officers in Minneapolis have been sacked for their involvement in Floyd's death. The incident took place on Monday (May 25) when the officers responded to a call about an alleged forgery and found the suspect sitting inside a car.
Floyd was spotted by two officers, who claimed that the suspect "physically resisted" them when they asked him to get out. According to police, officers handcuffed Floyd, who "appeared to be suffering medical distress." Police added that the man died at a hospital after few hours.
