US cities order curfews

Special Desk

In an attempt to control the violence between protesters and police over the death of George Floyd, curfew has been imposed in cities across the US, as reports came on Sunday morning.

Riot police is using tear gas and rubber bullets after their vehicles were set on fire in about 30 cities. The US President Donald Trump blamed “looters and anarchists” for the violence. Floyd, a 46-year-old African American, was killed while in police custody in Minneapolis earlier on Monday.

Former policeman Derek Chauvin, 44 and white, has been charged with his murder and is due to appear in court on Monday next. In a footage that went viral, Chauvin can be seen kneeling on Floyd’s neck for several minutes. Floyd repeatedly says that he is unable to breathe.

In Chicago, protesters threw stones at riot officers, who responded by launching tear gas canisters. Several people were arrested on Saturday.

Police in Los Angeles fired rubber bullets as they tried to disperse crowds who threw bottles and set fire to their squad cars. Images later showed people standing on police vehicles that had been damaged. For the second day running, a large crowd converged on the White House in Washington, DC.

In Atlanta, Georgia, where buildings were vandalised on Friday, a state of emergency was declared for some areas to protect people and property. Thousands of people also marched through the streets of Minneapolis, New York, Miami, Atlanta and Philadelphia. They held placards saying I cant breathe.

Protesters in several cities continue to defy the curfews and widespread looting has been taking place.