George Floyd protests: What's happening in Mid-Atlantic states
Protesters are taking to the streets across the U.S. to call for reforms after the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in police custody on Memorial Day in Minneapolis.
Here's a city by city look at what's happening in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Washington
As protesters gathered near the White House on Sunday night, flames were seen at the Washington, D.C., landmark that bills itself as "the church of the presidents."
The fire, apparently an act of arson, was in the basement of St. John's Church, across from the White House, The Washington Post reported, and was extinguished.
It occurred as a demonstration was taking place outside. The gathering had attracted as many as 1,000 Sunday, who faced off against officers in riot gear.
More:Trump briefly taken to underground bunker as protests grew outside White House
Om Monday, plywood covered the windows of several shuttered businesses along one heavily traveled street leading to the White House, but a McDonald’s that Bill Clinton frequented as president remained open, albeit with plywood structures reinforcing its street-facing windows.
Attorney General William Barr has deployed federal riot teams to Washington, D.C., and Miami in an attempt to quell violent clashes between protesters and police.
Riot teams are being sent from the federal Bureau of Prisons, while the FBI also has directed its elite Hostage Rescue Unit to help in D.C., a senior Justice Department official said Monday.
— USA Today
Baltimore
Baltimore Mayor Bernard “Jack” Young decided against imposing a citywide curfew as a large group of people marched through downtown peacefully Sunday and the city did not see the kind of destruction and violence seen in other protests around the country.
The Baltimore Sun reports that police and city leaders said they remained vigilant as protests over the death of George Floyd continue across the country.
“If you’re coming to Baltimore to protest peacefully, we welcome you. But if you’re coming to Baltimore to throw bricks at storefront windows or destroy police vehicles, you’re going to find yourself in a jail cell. That’s a promise,” Young said.
On Saturday, cellphone videos captured demonstrators reprimanding agitators in the crowd who threw water bottles at police. On Sunday, a crowd chased away a man who started to cause damage along the streets.
— Associated Press
Dover
Dover officials declared a state of emergency and issued a curfew Sunday that will be in effect from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. daily until further notice.
This occurred after protests turned violent in the state's capital.
People gathered peacefully at Legislative Hall before moving through the city with the assistance of Dover Police, eventually to Route 13 and the parking lot of the Dover Mall.
As the sun began to set, the looting began.
"I can confirm we did have a looting incident occur at the mall," Master Cpl. Mark Hoffman told Delaware Online/The News Journal. "We have since secured that area and are dealing with large crowds in the area of North DuPont Highway."
Forever 21 could be seen being looted on several Facebook Live videos. A video of the aftermath showed a broken window and scattered merchandise.
Some protesters continued to Delaware State Police Headquarters, just north of the mall. On their way, protesters were blocking traffic on Route 13 and throwing rocks at passing cars.
— The News Journal
Wilmington
On Saturday, as the late spring sun beat down on Wilmington, protesters took to city streets to demand justice for George Floyd.
The march, which was organized by Food Not Bombs Wilmington and the city's Black Lives Matter movement, was one of dozens across the country protesting Floyd's death.
More:Wilmington assesses damage inflicted by George Floyd protests Saturday night
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Though the four Minneapolis officers involved were fired almost immediately after video of Floyd's death surfaced on social media and prosecutors charged Officer Derek Chauvin, the man who knelt on Floyd's neck, with manslaughter and third degree murder, protestors say it's not enough — that more has to be done for Floyd.
Wilmington's protest, which drew more than 1,000 people at its height, remained mostly peaceful Saturday afternoon — something organizers and attendees said they had hoped for.
— The News Journal
Philadelphia
Street protests gave way to looting Sunday, with at least one police vehicle set on fire.
Looters were running out of stores in the northeastern section of the city with armloads of merchandise. In the downtown, workers and volunteers swept up broken glass from windows shattered during riots the previous day. Graffiti was being removed.
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Mayor Jim Kenney said the mayhem “saddened and disappointed me beyond words, and I’m sure it saddened every Philadelphian who takes pride in their city.” He said those responsible “not only desecrated private businesses, they also desecrated the important message that was heard in the earlier peaceful protests.”
— USA Today