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Protestors would have met 'vicious dogs' had White House fence been breached: Trump

WION Web Team
New York, New York, United States of AmericaUpdated: May 30, 2020, 09:53 PM IST
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Photograph:(AFP)

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The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Monday has sparked demonstrations, some of them violent, in many cities across the nation, including one in Washington on Friday. The White House was temporarily locked down as hundreds of people gathered in the afternoon across the street in Lafayette Square.

United States President Donald Trump on Saturday said demonstrators protesting the death of a black man who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck would have been "greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons" he had ever seen had they breached the White House fence.

The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Monday has sparked demonstrations, some of them violent, in many cities across the nation, including one in Washington on Friday. The White House was temporarily locked down as hundreds of people gathered in the afternoon across the street in Lafayette Square.

After marching away, demonstrators assembled again later and videos showed pushing-and-shoving matches between officers and protesters, who dispersed early Saturday morning.

In a series of Twitter posts, Trump praised the US Secret Service officers who guard the White House as "very cool". 

"I was inside, watched every move, and couldn't have felt more safe," he said, adding, "big crowd, professionally organised, but nobody came close to breaching the fence. If they had they would have been greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons," he said. "Many Secret Service agents just waiting for action."

Trump also appeared to call his supporters to rally outside the executive mansion on Saturday evening, saying, "TONIGHT, I UNDERSTAND IS MAGA NIGHT AT THE WHITE HOUSE???" 

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MAGA stands for Trump's slogan "Make America Great Again."

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On Friday, Trump drew a warning from Twitter and condemnation from Democrats after posting a comment that "looting leads to shooting," suggesting protesters who turned to looting could be fired upon.

Trump also accused Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser of refusing to send police to help the US Secret Service, although the Washington Post reported that city officers did help control the later gathering.

Meanwhile, protests spread across the United States over the killing of George Floyd.

From Louisville to Atlanta, the demonstrators continue to argue about police brutality with police officers in riot gear, who occasionally lunged into crowds to pluck people out for arrest.

Police made scores of arrests at Friday's massive demonstration in Brooklyn, while a diverse group of protestors at a "We can't breathe" vigil and rally in lower Manhattan pressed for legislation outlawing the police "chokehold" used by a city police officer in the 2014 death of Eric Garner, who was also black.

A 19-year-old man protesting in Detroit was shot dead on Friday night by a suspect who pulled up to demonstrators in a sport utility vehicle and fired gunshots into the crowd, then fled.