May 30 George Floyd protests news

In a bizarre four-tweet thread, President Trump thanked the Secret Service for their handling of protests in Lafayette Park Friday night. 

The President tweeted that the protesters “would have been greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons, I have ever seen,” had they breached the fence at the White House.

Trump also attacked DC mayor Muriel Bowser, claiming she “wouldn’t let the D.C. Police get involved.”

DC Police were on scene last night, in addition to several other agencies.

Read Trump's tweets:

A group of protesters gathered in front of the White House overnight following the death of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis police. 

For more than five hours overnight, protesters confronted Secret Service officers at barriers in front of the White House. At times, the crowd removed the metal barriers and began pushing up against the riot shields and the Secret Service officers. The protesters pushed hard enough that some officers walked away with minor injuries. 

At least one time, the agents responded to aggressive pushing and yelling by spraying pepper spray at the protesters. 

Throughout the night protesters could be heard chanting their support for Floyd and their dislike of President Trump. At one point, a different camera crew was chased off by the protesters who could be seen trying to grab their equipment. 

In addition to pushing and yelling, protesters could be seen throwing water bottles and other objects toward the line of officers. Those officers were continually bringing in new metal barriers throughout the night as protesters wrestled them away and tried to break through. 

The protest began about 10 p.m. Friday night and the scene mostly quieted down by 3:30 a.m. Saturday.

The crowd thinned out and Secret Service Officers were able to expand their perimeter and barriers around Lafayette Park across from the White House. This was the second time that protesters gathered outside of the White House during the evening and early morning hours.

Here's what happened before that: Protesters began gathering in Washington, DC, around 7 p.m. and the White House was initially locked down as the protesters began to move toward that location.

At 8 p.m. the Secret Service tweeted, “Secret Service personnel are currently assisting other law enforcement agencies during a demonstration in Lafayette Park. In the interest of public safety we encourage all to remain peaceful.”

The lockdown was lifted just before 8:30 p.m. as protesters marched to different parts of the city, before returning to the White House later in the evening and into the early morning. 

Friday evening the Secret Service said it was “currently assisting other law enforcement agencies during a demonstration in Lafayette Park.”

A later request for comment about the overnight confrontations has not been answered. CNN also has an inquiry into the DC Police Department.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has declared a state of emergency in light of the unrest in the city and an overnight curfew has been put into place, according to the mayor’s office.

The curfew is effective until 6 a.m. PT Saturday and resumes Saturday evening until Sunday morning, according to a tweet from Wheeler.

Wheeler urged his city's residents early Saturday to halt the unrest over George Floyd's death.

Wheeler earlier tweeted that he was coming back to the city after being out of town because his mother was dying.

“ENOUGH. I had to leave Portland today because my mother is dying. I am with family to prepare for her final moments. This is hard, this is personal, but so is watching my city get destroyed. I’m coming back NOW. You will be hearing from me, @PortlandPolice, community leaders,” Wheeler said.

“Portland, this is NOT us. When you destroy our city, you are destroying our community. When you act in violence against each other, you are hurting all of us. How does this honor the legacy of George Floyd? Protest, speak truth, but don’t tear your city apart in the process."

Read Wheeler's tweet:

Following a night of fires and outrage over the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has called for calm.

Walz said the state is continuing to coordinate efforts at the state and local level to deal with protests that have broken out throughout Minnesota and in cities all across the US.

The governor ended his tweet with a plea: “I urge for peace at this time.”

Protesters who gathered in cities across the United States told CNN of their frustration over George Floyd's death in Minneapolis.

"There needs to be change, officers need to be trained better," one protester who was arrested in Atlanta told CNN's Nick Valencia as he was being detained by police.

A lack of change and police reform are just some of the reasons people are enraged.

Chelsea Peterson, in Portland, Oregon, told CNN she demonstrated Friday night to "show my solidarity with my black brothers and sisters" as they face injustice.

Peterson said it was "not enough to simply share a post or use a hashtag" to insist that black lives matter.

"It was important for me as a white person to actually show up because it is our responsibility to dismantle the systems of oppression that we have created."

In Minneapolis, Alicia Smith, a community organizer, told CNN: "There are no words in the English language that will convey the despair that I felt watching that man's life leave his body and him scream out for his mother. I heard my son saying, 'Mama, save me.'

Another protester, Craig Maxwell, in Charlotte, North Carolina, told CNN he turned out to demonstrate because he felt the need to step up his advocacy.

"I’ve been talking to several of my black friends the last day or two and hearing what they’re going through," he said. "A lot of introspection and recognizing that I don’t put my money where my mouth is enough.

"Basically, I was there because they were there, if that makes sense."

Mackenzie Slagle, in Oakland, California, said it was time for police brutality to stop.

"I don’t agree with breaking into all of the businesses, but I can understand the outrage after repeated incidents. We’ve peacefully protested all of those. It wasn’t until Minneapolis got violent they finally arrested a police officer.

Protesters took to the streets across the US on Friday night into early Saturday morning to express their concern and anger over the death of George Floyd while in police custody. 

Some of the protests have been peaceful while others turned destructive. Here are the cities where people gathered:

California: Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Sacramento, San Jose, Oakland, San Francisco 

Colorado: Denver  

Georgia: Atlanta

Illinois: Chicago

Iowa: Des Moines

Indiana: Indianapolis, Fort Wayne 

Kentucky: Louisville (Related to the death of Breonna Taylor), Bowling Green

Louisiana: New Orleans

Nebraska: Lincoln

New York: New York City 

Massachusetts: Boston

Michigan: Detroit

Minnesota: Minneapolis

Missouri: Kansas City

Nevada: Las Vegas

North Carolina: Charlotte 

Ohio: Columbus, Cincinnati, Canton

Oregon: Portland

Texas: Dallas, Houston

Virginia: Richmond

Washington: Seattle

Wisconsin: Milwaukee

Washington, DC

The New York City Police Department told CNN that its officers arrested “dozens” during the protests that took place across the city. 

“Most of the incidents/damage/arrests took place between Manhattan and Brooklyn,” the NYPD said, adding that the protests have now subsided. 

More specific details will be released by police later today.

Two Federal Protective Service officers suffered gunshot wounds amid protests Friday night in Oakland, California, police said.

One of the officers died from his injury.

At least 7,500 protesters took to the streets of the city to demonstrate over the death of George Floyd, the Oakland Police Department told CNN.

Protesters caused damage across the city. There were reports of vandalism, theft of businesses, fires set and assaults on police officers, according to the police statement.

While arrests were made, police were unable to provide specifics. 

Police are investigating.

The Federal Protective Service, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, provides security and law enforcement services at US government facilities.

Protests over the death of George Floyd continued early Saturday morning in Lincoln, Nebraska, according to the police. 

“The gathering at 25th and O is no longer a peaceful protest. Arrests have been made and will continue to be made for those who continue to break the law. Neighbors in the area please shelter in place,” the Lincoln Police Department tweeted.