Washington, D.C., is preparing for a third night of protests with increased protections after 17 arrests were made, and 11 local officers were injured on Saturday.
Washington, D.C., is one of the major metropolitan areas that has been rocked by violent protests after the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in Minneapolis police custody last week. After the protests escalated over the weekend, local leaders and business owners are readying for more chaos to come.
“We do not want our city to be destroyed,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said at a press conference on Sunday.
Protests have broken out across the country over Floyd’s death after he was pinned to the ground by a white Minneapolis police officer who placed his knee on the back of Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes. In a viral video of the incident, Floyd can be heard pleading with the officer saying he can’t breathe. The officer, identified as Derek Chauvin, has been fired and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter on Friday. Three other officers involved with Floyd’s detainment were fired but not yet charged.
Washington, D.C., has not issued a curfew as other locations have, but business owners have boarded up some stores in the area to prevent looters during Sunday night’s anticipated demonstrations. Luxury stores in the D.C.-area also boarded up their windows after mass looting on Saturday.
D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham said the city’s expectations are that people will peacefully assemble on Sunday night. On Saturday, the 17 arrests were largely made among local residents. Among those arrested, 14 were charged with rioting, two with burglary, and one with simple assault. Eleven D.C. police officers sustained injuries, with one officer scheduled for surgery on Sunday for a leg fracture after being hit by a brick.
Looting at Moncler store front in NW. pic.twitter.com/Q2WMDZfwcR
— Philip Wegmann (@PhilipWegmann) May 31, 2020
Rioters just tried breaking into the Gucci Store in DC but couldn’t break in before the cops showed up. pic.twitter.com/lDedf0bWOd
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) May 31, 2020
Scenes near the White House also escalated Saturday night with protesters looting several nearby businesses and more than 1,000 demonstrators gathering along Pennsylvania Avenue, throwing bricks and rocks. Around 3 a.m., Secret Service began to fire chemical agents, according to the Washington Post. More than 60 Secret Service members were injured, and 11 were transported to hospitals for nonlife-threatening injuries.
“The Secret Service respects the right to assemble, and we ask that individuals do so peacefully for the safety of all,” the Secret Service said in a statement.
Emily Larsen contributed to this report.
