PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has ordered the city’s police not to use a type of tear gas except as a last resort in life-threatening situations.

Wheeler issued a statement Saturday saying he shares community concerns about the use of CS gas, especially during a respiratory-illness pandemic.

Critics have called on the Portland Police Bureau to permanently ban the use of CS gas on protesters.

The announcement came a day after the mayor said police would no longer use a “long-range acoustical device,” or LRAD, to disperse protesters. The device can emit high-pitched, loud frequencies and can cause hearing damage.

Seattle sees ninth straight day of protests against racism and police brutality

SEATTLE — A ninth consecutive day of protests over the death of George Floyd is underway in Seattle, with a large crowd of medical workers demonstrating against racism and police brutality.

Thousands of doctors, nurses and others marched from Harborview Medical Center to City Hall on Saturday morning. Many wore lab coats and scrubs.

The recent demonstrations in Seattle have been among the largest the city has seen in years.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said Saturday she is encouraging protesters to be tested for COVID-19 after the city and King County public health departments expanded testing criteria to cover asymptomatic people who have attended large protests.

Free of curfew, Atlanta protests turn jovial

ATLANTA — Protests downtown assumed an almost festive feel at times on Saturday, with Atlanta’s curfew lifted and police and National Guard presence somewhat out of view.

A group of black college band alumni were serenading one main protest area with a tuba-heavy mix of tunes from atop a parking garage.

Students from historically black colleges and other young people marched to City Hall to demand more action on police violence. Jauan Durbin said he began organizing protests after two fellow college students were pulled from their car and shocked with a stun gun last Saturday by police in downtown Atlanta. The incident was caught on video by WGCL-TV and six officers were fired and then criminally charged.

Durbin said youth protesters are calling for increased financial assistance for black businesses from Atlanta’s city government and increased funding for the city’s public school system.

Kentucky protesters hold vigil for Breonna Taylor, demand justice

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Hundreds of people marched against police brutality on Saturday, while many more joined a vigil for Breonna Taylor, a black woman shot and killed by police nearly three months ago.

News outlets reported marchers stopped to kneel in a symbolic memorial of the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on his neck while he pleaded for air while handcuffed.

Protesters have been demanding justice for Taylor, who was killed in her Louisville home in mid-March. The 26-year-old EMT was shot eight times by narcotics detectives who knocked down her front door as they attempted to enforce a search warrant. No drugs were found.

After the morning march, hundreds met at Metro Hall to remember Taylor’s life and release blue, purple and white balloons in her honor.

Thousands demonstrate again in New York City

NEW YORK — Demonstrations over the death of George Floyd continued in New York City on Saturday, with thousands taking to the streets and parks to protest police brutality.

Protesters crossed the Brooklyn Bridge into lower Manhattan, where other groups marched or gathered in places like Foley Square, home to state and federal court buildings, and Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village.

Police erected barriers to all but close off Times Square to vehicle and foot traffic as the city continued to enforce an 8 p.m. curfew that has created tensions between protesters and police.

Protesters fill City Park in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS — Hundreds of people marched Saturday through City Park as part of a continuing movement of protests against racial injustice and police brutality in America.

With chants of “No Justice, No Peace,” the crowd marched before leaving the park in the early afternoon under gray skies and a light drizzle.

The rally came a day after thousands gathered in the French Quarter for an hours-long protest over the death of George Floyd and others at the hands of police. The crowd filled much of the square in front of St. Louis Cathedral and spilled onto the main thoroughfare, which had been closed to traffic by police.

Nevada police department pushes new use-of-force policy

RENO, Nev. — The Reno Police Department has updated its use-of-force policy as police departments across the country come under scrutiny for excessive force following the death of George Floyd.

The changes will take effect immediately. They include new guidelines on de-escalation and peer intervention, prohibiting techniques that restrict breathing, increasing supervisor and internal affairs oversight, and providing other warning options before resorting to deadly force, department officials said in a statement.

Acting Police Chief Tom Robinson said the force is committed to transparency.

Police, protesters clash at French protests

MARSEILLE, France — Police have fired tear gas and pepper spray in skirmishes with protesters who hurled bottles and rocks at what had otherwise been an emotional but peaceful demonstration in the French southern port city of Marseille against police abuses and racism in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

Protesters took a knee in front of riot officers, gave speeches and chanted before setting off on a march through the city. But the tail end of the march finished in chaos with clashes between police and protesters.

The rally drew more than 2,000 people.

Jesse Jackson calls on Congress to pass anti-lynching law

LOUISVILLE, KY. — The Rev. Jesse Jackson is calling for Congress to pass an anti-lynching law and eliminate protections for police officers from lawsuits.

Jackson made the plea Saturday during a news conference in Louisville, Kentucky, where he was to meet with Mayor Greg Fischer and the family of the late Breonna Taylor.

The 26-year-old African-American woman, an emergency room technician, was shot at least eight times in her home after a brief confrontation with police who were there to serve a warrant in mid-March.

Thousands demonstrate across California, hundreds at Golden Gate Bridge

SAN FRANCISCO — Thousands of demonstrators filled the streets in San Francisco, Sacramento, Simi Valley, San Diego and other locations across California on Saturday, continuing more than a week of protest marches expressing outrage over the death of George Floyd.

Forty-nine-year-old Roderick Sweeney, who is black, said he was overwhelmed to see the large turnout of white protesters waving signs that said “Black Lives Matter” as hundreds gathered in San Francisco at the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center for a march across the famous span.

Floyd died on Memorial Day after a white Minneapolis police officer put his knee on the black man’s neck for nearly nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed and lying face-down on the ground.

George Floyd honored with memorial service near his North Carolina hometown

RAEFORD, N.C. — A private memorial service for George Floyd was underway Saturday afternoon at a Baptist church in Raeford, North Carolina.

Several hundred celebrants were in attendance. Worshipers sang along with a choir as a large photo of Floyd and a portrait of him adorned with an angel’s wings and halo sat at the front of the chapel.

Hoke County Sheriff Hubert Peterkin, who is African American, told congregants that police officers around the country must be able to admit to themselves, “I am part of the problem.”

“We as law enforcement officers don’t have the authority to bully, push people around and kill them just because we have a badge and a gun,” Peterkin said as the congregation cheered.

Floyd died after a Minneapolis police officer placed a knee on his neck for several minutes on Memorial Day. His death has resulted in protests around the world against police brutality and racism.

Thousands march in Chicago, Philadelphia

CHICAGO — Thousands of people marched through the streets of Chicago on Saturday, chanting and waving signs to protest the death of George Floyd and the police mistreatment of people of color.

Like many protests held elsewhere, the ones in Chicago toward the end of the week were peaceful and police also reported fewer arrests related to unrest. Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she was hopeful that would continue through the weekend, but a nightly curfew remained in effect. The city also hired three private security firms to protect shops, grocery stores and pharmacies.

Meanwhile, in Philadelphia thousands of people demanding justice for Floyd marched peacefully through the city chanting “No justice, no peace!” Demonstrators gathered near the Philadelphia Museum of Art and its famous “Rocky” steps, then set off for City Hall where they chanted at police officers and National Guard members.

Smaller groups also marched in other Pennsylvania cities, including several in the Pittsburgh area.

Dallas lifts curfew on protests

DALLAS — Officials in Dallas on Saturday lifted a nighttime curfew that had been put in place after several days of violent demonstrations.

The curfew was lifted after consultation with Dallas Police Chief U. Reneé Hall and City Council.

Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax said Dallas city residents were safer staying at home due to the coronavirus pandemic. The curfew was announced May 31 after violent protests took place in downtown Dallas and other areas over the death of George Floyd and the treatment of black people by police.

Thousands in London protest racial injustice

LONDON — Thousands of demonstrators protested in rainy central London against police violence and racial injustice following the killing of George Floyd.

Gathering in Parliament Square, a traditional venue for protests, the demonstrators “took the knee” in silence and then chanted Floyd’s name before applauding his memory.

The demonstrators have ignored advice from the government and police to avoid attending because of the coronavirus. In England, gatherings are limited to groups of six, provided people observe the social distancing guidelines to remain 2 meters (6.5 feet) apart.

Though social distancing was not possible given the numbers attending, many protesters wore face coverings.

Many held banners aloft, including one that read “Racism is a Pandemic.”

Demonstrations supporting the Black Lives Matter movement also are taking place in Manchester, Cardiff in Wales and other U.K. cities. A rally is scheduled for Sunday in front of the U.S. Embassy in London.

Authorities expect large demonstration in D.C.

WASHINGTON— Authorities in the nation’s capital are expecting Saturday to be the largest demonstration against police brutality in the city since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Washington has featured daily protests for the past week and they have largely been peaceful, with people marching back and forth from the White House to the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial.

Those numbers are expected to swell. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told reporters Friday that local officials were projecting between 100,000 and 200,000 protesters.

Metropolitan Police Department Chief Peter Newsham wouldn’t commit to a number but predicted it would be smaller than the 1 million people who attended the Women’s March in 2017.

It comes as authorities have sought to reduce tensions by having National Guard troops not carry weapons.

There were zero arrests during demonstrations on Thursday and Friday and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser canceled the curfew that had been in place since Monday. She said she will decide on Saturday morning if it will be reinstated.

A number of D.C. churches and theaters have said they will open their lobbies so people can cool off.

Mourners pay respects to George Floyd near his hometown

RAEFORD, N.C. — Mourners from around North Carolina are waiting in a quickly moving line outside a church in the small town of Raeford where a memorial service and public viewing for George Floyd is being held.

The line includes families with young children and teenagers. One young woman wore a graduation cap and gown as she walked beside her parents outside the church, about 22 miles (34 kilometers) from Floyd’s hometown of Fayetteville.

Several mourners told WRAL-TV that they felt drawn to attend because of Floyd’s death and the protests in response represent a historic or momentous moment.

Atlanta mayor lifts planned curfew after no arrests

ATLANTA — Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms says she is lifting what had been a planned 8 p.m. curfew on Saturday in Atlanta after no arrests were reported Friday in Georgia’s largest city.

The city had been under a nightly curfew since the previous Friday, when a downtown protest dissolved into window-smashing, arson and looting.

More than 20 protests are scheduled Saturday across the Atlanta metro area. Bottoms says she will monitor the situation before deciding whether to reimpose a curfew on Sunday night.

Prosecutors: 2 Buffalo police officers charged with assault

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Prosecutors say two Buffalo police officers have been charged with assault after a video showed them shoving a 75-year-old protester to the sidewalk.

Both pleaded not guilty to second-degree assault Saturday. The two officers were suspended without pay Friday after a TV crew captured the confrontation the night before near the end of protests over the death of George Floyd.

The footage shows a man identified as Martin Gugino approaching a line of helmeted officers holding batons as they clear demonstrators from Niagara Square. Two officers push Gugino backward, and he hits his head on the pavement. Blood spills from head as officers walk past.

Read the rest of this story here.

Federal judge restrains police from using tear gas, rubber bullets in Denver

DENVER — A federal judge is limiting police use of tear gas, rubber bullets and other non-lethal weapons against people protesting police brutality in Denver.

In a temporary restraining order issued late Friday, U.S. District Judge Brooke Jackson says the four people who sued the city had made a strong case the police had used excessive force. He says an on-scene supervisor with the rank of captain or above must approve the use of any chemical weapons and projectiles. They also must wear body cameras.

Denver police say they would comply with the order but would ask for some changes given the limitations of staffing and cameras.

Hundreds gather at U.S. consulate in Naples to protest

ROME — Several hundred people protested peacefully in front of the U.S. consulate in Naples, shouting “I can’t breathe” to denounce the police killing of George Floyd.

In English and Italian, protesters chanted “Freedom!” and “No Justice, No Peace” and carried handmade signs. It’s one of the first protests in Italy in solidarity with Floyd and anti-racism efforts.

Police in riot gear enforced the perimeter around the protest, which was held along the seafront promenade opposite the U.S. consulate. There were no immediate signs of clashes. Most protesters wore facemasks and organizers urged them to keep their distance from each other because of the coronavirus.

There’s been an influx of migrants from Africa in recent years and racial incidents have been on the rise in Italy. Derogatory slurs directed at black soccer players make headlines, resulting in fines and sanctions for clubs.

More protests are planned this weekend in other cities.

Thousands in Berlin march in Black Lives Matter protest

BERLIN — Thousands of mostly young people, many dressed in black and wearing face masks, joined a Black Lives Matter protest in Berlin’s Alexander Square.

Some held up placards with slogans such as “Be the change,” I can’t breathe” and “Germany is not innocent.”

Amina Koss of Berlin says she’d taken part in Black Lives Matters protests before George Floyd’s death. She says she’s concerned some politicians, including in Germany, are making racism acceptable again.

Koss says, “we as a society don’t tolerate racism.”

Al Sharpton plans march on Washington for MLK anniversary

Rev. Al Sharpton said the Washington rally he announced this week was being planned for Aug. 28, the anniversary of the day MLK gave his “I Have a Dream” speech.

He said the August event would be a way of maintaining momentum as the legal process against the men charged in Floyd’s death is underway.

“It’s going to be months, if not a year before you even go to trial. So you can’t let this peter out … otherwise you’ll end up in a year and people will go on to another story, and you will not have the public notice and pressure that you need.”

And from August, he said, “It gives you a push into November, not in a partisan way, in a protecting the vote, because we’ve got to educate people on mail-in voting. We’ve got to educate people in terms of turnout.”

He said, “One of the things King’s dream was about was voting rights and gives us like 90 days before the election and a great emphasis on that, which you’re going to, in order to change laws, you’ve got to impact lawmakers and they get elected in November. … Otherwise it’s for nothing.”

Curfew lifted in Minneapolis, St. Paul

MINNEAPOLIS — Residents of Minneapolis and St. Paul were no longer under a curfew Friday night and the state is planning to start sending state troopers and National Guard members back home.

Minneapolis and St. Paul saw violent protests and store break-ins late last week following George Floyd’s death after being arrested by Minneapolis police. The city has seen peaceful protests for nearly a week, including some 1,000 protesters in St. Paul on Friday and hundreds more near U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

Gov. Tim Walz credited peaceful protests for helping achieve rapid change on Minneapolis Police Department policy. On Friday, the city agreed to ban chokeholds and neck restraints as a civil rights investigation of the department begins.

Floyd, a handcuffed black man, died after a white police officer pressed his knee against his neck, ignoring his “I can’t breathe” cries even after Floyd eventually grew still. Bystander video sparked outrage over Floyd’s death and protests, some violent, that spread across the U.S. and beyond.

Family of unarmed man shot by Arizona trooper want federal investigation

PHOENIX — The family of an unarmed man shot and killed by an Arizona state trooper the same day George Floyd died want a federal investigation.

Dion Johnson’s mother, Erma, said Friday she has not heard from Phoenix Police, who are overseeing the investigation of the Memorial Day shooting. Family members expressed growing frustration that the trooper, who is on paid administrative leave, has not been identified to them.

Democratic state Rep. Reginald Bolding said he has sent a letter requesting the U.S. Justice Department review the case for possible civil rights violations.

The family is particularly bothered that Johnson, 28, was deprived of emergency medical aid for several minutes after he was shot and cuffed.

Seattle mayor bans tear gas for 30 days

SEATTLE — Seattle’s mayor has banned the police use of one type of tear gas as protests continue over the killing of George Floyd.

Mayor Jenny Durkan said at a news conference Friday that the ban on CS gas would last for 30 days.

The move came hours after three civilian police watchdog groups urged city leaders to do so. Police Chief Carmen Best says officials will review police crowd control policies.

Local health officials had also expressed concerns over the use of the gas and other respiratory irritants based on the potential to increase spread of the coronavirus.

The groups said the move would build public trust and should remain in place until the department adopts policies and training for use of the chemical agent.

 

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