Big Time News Blog: 06/02/20

Tuesday, June 2, 2020

It’s not just big cities seeing protests

By BY HAMILTON BOARDMAN from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/2XquvnB

America, We Break It, It’s Gone

By BY THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN from NYT Opinion https://ift.tt/2U6zwj8

15 West Point Cadets Test Positive for Coronavirus

By BY JENNY GROSS from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/30434C2

Protesters gather in Hollywood and face off with the police

By BY ADAM POPESCU from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/302EEZF

March Peacefully or ‘Take the Streets’? Protesters Debate What Comes Next

By BY KIM BARKER AND CAITLIN DICKERSON from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/2ZZVTe0

Tensions rise in Manhattan as curfew looms

By BY SARAH MASLIN NIR from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/2XT3JmV

Feds Charge Two for Firebombing Minnesota Building During Protests

They’re bringing in the big guns now.The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) made its first known intervention on Monday into the spiraling crisis in Minnesota, following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin. The federal agency charged two men with firebombing a county building in the town of Apple Valley on Friday, and with possessing Molotov cocktails “not registered to them in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer.” The criminal complaint, brought against Garrett Ziegler and Fornandous Henderson, coincided with warnings from President Donald Trump and U.S. Attorney General William Barr of increased federal involvement in local law enforcement efforts to counter the violence that has wracked multiple American cities.Washington’s Hottest Hoax Trend Is DCBlackoutThe ATF’s deposition leans heavily on the findings of the Apple Valley Police Department, which arrested Ziegler and Henderson early on May 29, moments after an explosion at the Dakota County Western Service Center. The center contains mostly local judicial facilities and municipal offices. But the ATF complaint notes that it also houses a passport office and provides voter registration assistance and serves as a polling place—which the agency asserted makes it a site of “interstate or foreign commerce,” thus justifying federal intervention. Further, the ATF claims at least one tenant of the building receives federal funding. The local cops reported picking up Ziegler’s dropped car keys in the parking lot shortly after responding to a fire alarm at the county building, then encountering the pair as they walked along the road just blocks away. After an unsuccessful alleged escape attempt by the two men, police took them into custody. Police described the pair as sooty, and on opening Ziegler’s car said they discovered bottles of lighter fluid and rubbing alcohol, an empty box for Mason jars, removed price tags for bandanas, and a receipt for nail polish.The ATF cites an analysis it conducted, and another by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which determined these materials were similar to those used in the Molotov cocktails that hit the Dakota County Western Service Center. It also notes that Henderson related to the AVPD that he and Ziegler had attended protests in Minneapolis near the site of Floyd’s killing, although the agent involved described elements of his story as “implausible.”Besides accusing Ziegler and Henderson of aiding and abetting one another and damaging the building, the ATF noted that a Molotov cocktail “is a destructive device and a firearm.”“As such, Molotov cocktails must be registered on the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR), which is maintained by the ATF,” the deposition reads, adding that a query of the database did not turn up any Molotov cocktails licensed to either man.Efforts to reach Ziegler and Henderson were not immediately successful. The complaint identifies the former as an employee of the Minnetonka Target store where several of the items in his car were purchased. The deposition alludes to “several individuals,” all unnamed, whom it alleges participated in similar attacks on public and private buildings.The Sun-Thisweek, a local outlet, reported on the damage to the building shortly after the incident occurred, and the subsequent arrests. But the perpetrators’ names and the involvement of federal authorities and of the ATF in particular, have not been previously revealed.Apple Valley sits due south of the Twin Cities, and is home to 55,135 people and the Minnesota Zoo.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2U4LQQY

The head of the Minneapolis police union called protests a 'terrorist movement' and blamed politicians for unrest in a leaked email

Bob Kroll called Black Lives Matter a "terrorist organization" in 2016. In a new email, he said current protests were part of a "terrorist movement."

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2yUrgLP

WHO pushes to keep ties with 'generous' U.S. despite Trump's exit move

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday praised the United States' "immense" and "generous" contribution to global health in a push to salvage relations after President Donald Trump said he was severing ties with the U.N. agency. Accusing it of pandering to China and overlooking an initially secretive response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Trump said on Friday he was ending Washington's relationship with the WHO. "The United States' contribution and generosity towards global health over many decades has been immense, and it has made a great difference in public health all around the world," he said.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2MgThQQ

Louisville cop in fatal shooting of David McAtee had mocked protester on Facebook

LMPD Officer Katie Crews celebrated a protester getting hit by pepper balls amid demonstrations over the death of Breonna Taylor.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2AyqVig

Tear gas is banned from war — but police still shoot it at protesters, who cough and bleed as a result. At least one has lost an eye.

Tear gas canisters can cause permanent injuries, and all the coughing and sneezing that tear gas prompts is bad news for coronavirus spread too.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2yW6Y4A

Australia relaxes lockdown further, intensifies economic recovery efforts

Several Australian states eased social distancing restrictions further on Monday, allowing restaurants to host more people and public attractions to reopen, as the government moves to revive an ailing economy through accelerated infrastructure spending. Australia has recorded about 7,200 coronavirus cases and 103 deaths. In Australia's most populous state, New South Wales (NSW), a maximum of 50 people are now allowed to sit down for a meal in a cafe or restaurants, while 20 can attend a funeral.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/36LDqTI

Pakistani girl dies of her injuries from Karachi plane crash

A Pakistani girl who was critically injured on the ground last month when a passenger plane went down in a crowded neighborhood of the port city of Karachi has died at a hospital, her relatives and a doctor said Tuesday. Meanwhile, the plane's black box flight recorders were sent to France, where their data was downloaded Tuesday. The Airbus A320 crash killed 97 passengers and crew members; two passengers survived the crash.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2XYt5Qi

George Floyd: Anonymous hackers re-emerge amid US unrest

As the US is engulfed in civil unrest, the masked hackers are being credited with new action.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3gOua6b

Massive Hollywood protest scheduled for Tuesday

Another protest in Hollywood is slated for Tuesday afternoon after more than 100 people were arrested the day before amid looting and civil unrest.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2XpeRZU

Thanks To Coronavirus, Tensions Are Rising In The South China Sea

Japan and Taiwan could be at risk.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2ZXTGzA

Eastern Libyan forces say they retook town, relieving pressure on stronghold

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2MitBn1

Virginia county pulls officers from DC after Trump photo-op

A county in northern Virginia pulled its officers out of the District of Columbia Monday night after they played a supporting role in clearing protesters from a park outside the White House so the president could walk to a church for a photo opportunity. The Arlington County Board issued a statement Monday night saying its officers were used “for a purpose not worthy of our mutual aid obligations.”

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2U49soP

Wuhan doctor at whistleblower's hospital dies from coronavirus

A Wuhan doctor who worked with coronavirus whistleblower Li Wenliang died of the virus on Tuesday, state media reported, becoming China's first COVID-19 fatality in weeks. Hu Weifeng, a urologist at Wuhan Central Hospital, passed away after being treated for COVID-19 and allied issues for more than four months, state broadcaster CCTV said.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3eEOSDj

Cops Beaten, Shot, Rammed by SUVs as George Floyd Protests Boil Over

Violent factions attacked police officers across the U.S. over the last 24 hours as demonstrations against the death of an unarmed black man in police custody have spiraled out of control.George Floyd, 46, died after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was caught on video kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes while he was handcuffed on Memorial Day. Chauvin has been arrested and charged with third-degree murder, but three other officers who also took part in the brutality or watched on have been fired but not arrested for their role, prompting anger among the demonstrators.In Las Vegas, an officer responding to a looting incident was reportedly shot in the head early Tuesday after exchanging gunfire with an angry mob, according to several Nevada news sources. County Sheriff Joe Lombardo told the Las Vegas Review Journal that the officer survived. “He is in extremely critical condition on life support,” Lombardo said “This is a sad night for our LVMPD family and a tragic night for our community.”Two police officers in Richmond, Virginia, and a third person were reportedly shot during clashes early Tuesday morning. Their condition is unclear. Late Monday night, video of a police officer apparently being run over by an SUV in the Bronx went viral. In the video, which has not been verified by The Daily Beast, an officer is struck by a speeding SUV and left in the middle of an intersection. Moments later, a New York City Police Department vehicle arrives and puts the officer, whose condition is unknown, in the back. In Buffalo, two officers were deliberately targeted by a car in front of the E District police station. New York State Police confirmed to the media that one was a trooper and the other a Buffalo Police officer. Both were taken to the Erie County Medical Center. Both have serious injuries and are in stable condition, according to WTHR News. Posts on social media also captured a fallen officer on Madison Avenue in New York. Details and the circumstances of that officer’s condition are unknown. The New York City Sergeant’s Benevolent Association tweeted a photo of an officer being attacked by two looters in the Bronx late Monday night. The officer survived that incident and pulled his weapon after the perpetrators ran off, but did not appear to retaliate. Early Monday morning, another officer was rammed by an SUV as he tried to make an arrest after giving chase to looters. Video of that incident posted by New York Daily News shows an SUV with Wisconsin license plates speeding away after the hit and run. That officer was taken to Bellevue Hospital and remains in stable condition.Elsewhere, four police officers were shot in downtown St. Louis after a gunfight erupted as they tried to disperse violent crowds with tear gas and flash bangs. Largely peaceful protests have been held in all 50 states, but violent rioters and looters have moved in as night falls even as curfews are in effect. Thousands of National Guard soldiers who have been called up to bolster local law enforcement have also been involved in skirmishes. In some cases, police have acted aggressively towards peaceful protesters. Over the weekend, a New York City Police Department squad vehicle rammed into a group and on Monday, law enforcement in Washington, D.C. used teargas to scatter peaceful protesters to clear a space for President Donald Trump to take a photo in front of a defaced church.Police have also marched with peaceful protesters and in cities including New York, Portland and Philadelphia, where many have taken a knee against police brutality. On Tuesday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that New York City will be subject to an 8 p.m. curfew throughout the week. He said 700 people were arrested Monday night—the highest numbers since the protests started last week.“We will not tolerate violence of any kind. We will not tolerate attacks on police officers. We will not tolerate hatred being created,” de Blasio said. “We saw vicious attacks on police officers. That is wholly unacceptable. That does not represent the people of this city. Anyone who attacks a police officer attacks all of us.”Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.