During a press conference held today, Mayor Lori Lightfoot lashed out at President Donald Trump for his tweet which promoted violence against Minneapolis protestors angered over the killing of George Floyd.
The Mayor, who is never one to hold back said, “I will code what I really want to say to Donald Trump. It’s two words. It begins with F and it ends with U.”
Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died after pleading for help as officer Derek Chauvin viciously used his knee on Floyd’s neck to pin him — unarmed and handcuffed — to the ground.
His death sparked outrage and protests across the country. In Minneapolis, hundreds of people gathered outside the police departments Third Precinct. Some protesters brought signs and some threw rocks. A temporary fence in front of the station was knocked over. Police responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and bean bags fired at rock throwers.
President Trump reacted over Twitter, tweeting, “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!”
His phrase “when the looting starts, the shooting starts,” mirrors language used by a Miami police chief in the late 1960s in the wake of riots. His tweet has since been flagged for promoting violence.
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The mayor has addressed the racially charged death of Floyd over the last couple of days. Understanding the outrage, the Mayor sympathetically acknowledged the upcoming demonstrations, while still urging protesters to take precautions against spreading COVID-19.
“Folks, please march, exercise your rights, but wear face coverings. Bring hand sanitizers,” Lightfoot said. “Ensure distance between one another even as you’re marching. If you feel sick, please, stay home. And remember that you could also be COVID-positive and be asymptomatic.
Meanwhile, news has just broken that the President delivered a speech in the Rose Garden announcing he intends to suspend the United States’ relationship with the World Health Organization — accusing the global body of covering up the coronavirus crisis with China.
The mayor says she continues to pray for the family of Floyd.
SOURCE: WGN News
