US President Donald Trump is not planning to attend the funeral of George Floyd who was killed by a policemen, Bloomberg reported Friday morning.
Floyd, an African-American man, was killed two weeks ago in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by police officer Derek Chauvin. A video circulating on social media and news showed Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for some eight minutes while the latter was saying he could not breathe.
Other officers were preventing the man's evacuation. Floyd was later pronounced dead at the hospital. The man was reportedly arrested by police for attempting to use a fake $20 bill.
According to Bloomberg, a memorial service for Floyd was held in Minneapolis on Thursday, with another service expected over the weekend in North Carolina. With Floyd's funeral scheduled for Tuesday in Houston, Texas, the president reportedly does not plan on attending either of the events.
The Floyd family's representative reportedly told Bloomberg the Democratic Party's expected presidential nominee Joe Biden requested permission to attend the man's funeral. The permission was reportedly granted but Biden has yet to have confirmed whether he would attend the service.
Demonstrations broke out following the man's death, engulfing the Twin Cities vicinity and later spreading across the United States. Riots broke out following several days of protests, with Minneapolis' Third Police Precinct being set on fire by rioters who had occupied the surrounding neighborhood.
US President Donald Trump said Friday morning on Twitter he could not "stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis," calling the riots a result of a "total lack of leadership."
....These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020
The president added that "either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right."
He continued, saying "these THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way."
Trump added that live fire at rioters is acceptable, saying "any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!" The president's last tweet was later taken off for violating Twitter's community standards by "glorifying violence." He later denied suggesting police shoot protesters.
Five days ago, Trump himself was rushed to an underground bunker at the White House as protesters gathered by the building, clashing with law enforcement. Following the incident, the president said on twitter "nobody came close to breaching the fence."
He continued, saying had the protesters managed to breach the fence, "they would have been greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons, I have ever seen. That’s when people would have been really badly hurt, at least. Many Secret Service agents just waiting for action."
....have been greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons, I have ever seen. That’s when people would have been really badly hurt, at least. Many Secret Service agents just waiting for action. “We put the young ones on the front line, sir, they love it, and....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2020
The president later called on Democrat representatives to crack down on the demonstrators. "Get tough Democrat Mayors and Governors. These people are ANARCHISTS. Call in our National Guard NOW," he tweeted.
Get tough Democrat Mayors and Governors. These people are ANARCHISTS. Call in our National Guard NOW. The World is watching and laughing at you and Sleepy Joe. Is this what America wants? NO!!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2020
"The World is watching and laughing at you and Sleepy Joe. Is this what America wants? NO!" The president later said on Twitter the "United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization."
The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2020
Short for Anti-Fascist, the unorganized far-left movement made headlines during the riots that followed Trump's inauguration, gaining popularity after clashing with alt-right marchers during the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.