TEXAS -- Dozens of fires were set in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Thursday. Nearly 200 businesses were damaged or looted in reaction to the death of George Floyd. President Donald Trump reacted with a stern tweet.
What You Need To Know
- Twitter placed another warning on president's tweet
- President called protesters "thugs"
- Tweet reads "when the looting starts, the shooting starts"
- Gatherings planned in San Antonio and Austin on Saturday
Trump threatened to bring Minneapolis “under control,” calling the protesters “thugs” and tweeting that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.” The tweet drew another warning from Twitter, which said the comment violated the platform’s rules pertaining to the glorification of violence, but the company did not remove it.
Protests have spread across the U.S., fueled by outrage over Floyd’s death, and years of violence against black people involving police brutality. Those protests are expected in Central Texas beginnign this weekend. Demonstrators are expected to gather in San Antonio and Austin to remember those who have died.
The gathering in Austin is planned for noon on Saturday in front of the Austin Police Department headquarters, while organizers in San Antonio plan to demonstrate in Travis Park in the downtown area and march in solidarity.
READ MORE | Texas Police Chiefs Condemn Actions Prior to Death of Houston Native George Floyd
Protests first erupted Tuesday, a day after Floyd’s death in a confrontation with police captured on widely seen citizen video. In the footage, Floyd can be seen pleading as officer Derek Chauvin presses his knee against his neck. As minutes pass, Floyd slowly stops talking and moving.
The city on Thursday released a transcript of the 911 call that brought police to the grocery store where Floyd was arrested. The caller described someone paying with a counterfeit bill, with workers rushing outside to find the man sitting on a van. The caller described the man as “awfully drunk” and said he was “not in control of himself.”
Asked by the 911 operator whether the man was “under the influence of something,” the caller said: “Something like that, yes. He is not acting right.” Police said Floyd matched the caller’s description of the suspect.
State and federal authorities are investigating Floyd’s death.
Chauvin, the officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck, was fired Tuesday, along with three other officers involved in the arrest. Chauvin was arrested for third-degree murder and manslaughter on Friday.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.