Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson condemns George Floyd death as a 'lynching in broad daylight' and calls for Minneapolis Police Department to 'cleanse itself, inside and out'
- Jesse Jackson, 78, travelled to Minneapolis to speak about George Floyd's death
- Ahead of speech he said Minneapolis police should 'cleanse itself, inside and out'
- White police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for eight minutes
Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson condemned the killing of unarmed black man George Floyd as a 'lynching in broad daylight'.
Mr Jackson, 78, yesterday travelled to Minneapolis to speak about the death of Floyd, 46, ahead of the third consecutive night of protests.
White police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for eight minutes until he passed out and later died earlier this week.
His death sparked outrage and protests across various states, including in Minnesota where Floyd died.
Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson (pictured yesterday condemned the killing of unarmed black man George Floyd a 'lynching in broad daylight'
Mr Jackson, 78, yesterday travelled to Minneapolis to speak about the death of Floyd, 46, ahead of the third consecutive night of protests. Pictured: Mr Jackson at Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church yesterday
Baptist minister and activist Mr Jackson told CBS ahead of his speech that Minneapolis Police department need to 'cleanse itself, inside and out.'
Speaking at the Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church yesterday, Mr Jackson said: 'We told the governor you must call murder a murder.'
Last night, rioters broke into Minneapolis Third Police Precinct and torched it.
White police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for eight minutes until he passed out and later died earlier this week. Pictured: Floyd
Shocking footage showed flames billowing out of the precinct just hours after prosecutors warned there is 'evidence that does not support criminal charges' in the case of the four cops accused of killing Floyd, sparking fears that they will continue to walk free.
Break-off protests over Floyd's death are building across several states, with disturbing footage showing the driver of a black SUV appear to deliberately mow down a Black Lives Matter protester in Denver - where panic also erupted when shots were fired during a march on the Colorado State Capitol.
In New York City, NYPD officers were seen brawling on the ground with protesters as at least 70 people were arrested in the Big Apple.
Protesters in Ohio smashed the windows of the statehouse in downtown Columbus and raided the building and demonstrators damaged a police cruiser in downtown Los Angeles.
Minneapolis, Minnesota: Flames billowed out of the Minneapolis Third Police Precinct Thursday night after rioters stormed it
Minneapolis, Minnesota: The police building is engulfed in flames as rioters took over the building and set it alight
A viral video captured the moment Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd's neck while the handcuffed suspect repeatedly cried out that he couldn't breathe and ultimately suffocated
Minneapolis, Minnesota: A mob descended upon Minneapolis Third Precinct, smashing windows before setting the building on fire during the second night of violent protests
Minneapolis, Minnesota: A crowd of protesters stand near the Third Police Precinct late last night as authorities warned the building could explode
White police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for eight minutes until he passed out and later died earlier this week. Pictured: Protests in Minneapolis yesterday
His death sparked outrage and protests across various states, including in Minnesota where Floyd died (pictured yesterday)
Over in Kentucky, seven people were shot in downtown Louisville during a protest demanding justice for black woman Breonna Taylor who was shot dead by cops back in March, as the Floyd case reignited tensions between cops and the African-American community.
President Trump waded in on the escalating violence in Minneapolis in the early hours of Friday as he warned he would step in and take over if officials fail to bring the rioting under control.
He blasted the 'Radical Left Mayor' Frey saying he needs to 'get his act together' while slamming protesters for 'dishonoring the memory' of Floyd and warning 'when the looting starts, the shooting starts'.
'I can't stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. 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.....,' the president tweeted.
A group of protesters gathered outside the home of Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman yesterday as part of protests against the death of George Floyd
Protesters also took to the streets to march in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota yesterday
'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!'
Speaking in the early hours of this morning, Mayor Frey fired back at the president and said: 'Donald Trump knows nothing about the strength of Minneapolis.'
'Weakness is refusing to take responsibility for your own actions. Weakness is pointing your finger at someone else during a time of crisis,' he said.
'Is this a difficult time period? Yes, but you'd better be damn sure that we're going to get through this.'
Frey said he understood the 'pain and anger right now in our city', but added that 'what we have seen over the last several hours and the past couple of nights in terms of looting is unacceptable'.
The mayor revealed it was him who had decided to evacuate the Third Precinct after determining that there were 'imminent threats to both officers and public'.
'The symbolism of a building cannot outweigh the importance of life, of our officers or the public. We could not risk serious injury to anyone,' he said. 'Brick and mortar is not as important as life.'
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