Secret Service agents wounded outside White House, car bombs feared; official says Trump was taken to bunker

A senior official in the direct chain of command for defending Washington D.C. told Fox News that more than 50 Secret Service officers have been injured Sunday night so far, and that some rioters are throwing bottles and Molotov cocktails.
As observed in New York City and elsewhere, groups in D.C. are planting cars filled with incendiary materials for future use, Fox News is told.
U.S. Marshals and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents have been deployed to the streets of D.C. in an extraordinary move to beef up security alongside local police and Homeland Security agents, including the Secret Service, the Justice Department confirmed late Sunday. Fox News has learned U.S. Attorney for D.C. Mike Sherwin is heavily involved in the operation.
Lights that normally illuminate the exterior of the White House were disabled early Monday morning, reportedly so that the Secret Service could use night-vision equipment to monitor protesters.
Additionally, the entire Washington, D.C. National Guard is being called in to help with the response to protests outside the White House and elsewhere in the nation’s capital, according to two Defense Department officials. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said Sunday that she had requested 500 DC Guardsman to assist local law enforcement. Later on Sunday, as the protests escalated, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy ordered the rest of the Guardsman — roughly 1,200 soldiers — to report.
As authorities clashed with demonstrators for the third straight night, the parish house connected to the historic St. John’s Episcopal Church across the street from the White House was set on fire late Sunday. The parish house contains offices and parlors for gatherings. The basement, which was also torched, is used for childcare during church services, and had recently undergone renovations.

Police stand near a overturned vehicle and a fire as demonstrators protest the death of George Floyd, Sunday, May 31, 2020, near the White House in Washington. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The church says every president beginning with James Madison, “until the present,” has attended a service at the church, giving it the nickname, “the church of presidents.” The first services at the church were held in 1816, according to its website.
Before the blaze, church officials had said they were thankful that the previous day of protests hadn't significantly damaged the structure.
"We are fortunate that the damage to the buildings is limited," Rev. Rob Fisher, the rector of the church, said in a statement earlier Sunday, several hours before the fire was set.
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) building was also set ablaze near the White House. The AFL-CIO is the nation's largest pro-union group.
An hour before the 11 p.m. ET curfew in D.C., police fired a major barrage of tear gas stun grenades into the crowd of more than 1,000 people, largely clearing Lafayette Park across the street from the White House and scattering protesters into the street.

Demonstrators protest the death of George Floyd, Sunday, May 31, 2020, near the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Police stage in Lafayette Park as demonstrators gather to protest the death of George Floyd, Sunday, May 31, 2020, near the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Protesters piled up road signs and plastic barriers and lit a raging fire in the middle of H Street. Some pulled an American flag from a nearby building and threw it into the blaze. Others added branches pulled from trees. A cinder block structure, on the north side of the park, that had bathrooms and a maintenance office, was engulfed in flames.
Several miles north, a separate protest broke out in Northwest D.C., near the Maryland border. The Metropolitan Police Department says there were break-ins at a Target and a shopping center that houses Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue Men’s Store, T.J. Maxx, a movie theater and specialty stores. Police say several individuals have been detained.

Police form a line on H Street as demonstrators gather to protest the death of George Floyd, Sunday, May 31, 2020, near the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Separately on Sunday, Twitter suspended the account of Antifa, the left-wing group that Trump branded a terrorist organization earlier in the day. The suspension came after Antifa urged members to go into "white hoods" and "take what's ours." Twitter and President Trump have sparred in recent days over censorship.
The developments came as it emerged that the Secret Service took President Trump to the White House's underground bunker on Friday night, when protests outside the complex intensified.
A senior administration official confirmed the information to Fox News after The New York Times first reported the story.
“Wasn’t long. But he went," the official said Sunday.
The White House declined to comment.
“The White House does not comment on security protocols and decisions,” White House spokesman Judd Deere said.
Trump's precise position Sunday night was not immediately clear. Trump traveled to Florida on Saturday to view the first manned space launch from the U.S. in nearly a decade. He returned to a White House under virtual siege, with protesters — some violent — gathered just a few hundred yards away through much of the night.

Demonstrators start a fire as they protest the death of George Floyd, Sunday, May 31, 2020, near the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Demonstrators protest the death of George Floyd, Sunday, May 31, 2020, near the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The D.C. demonstration Sunday was one of several around the country responding to the death of Floyd, a black man who died in police custody.
Four officers have been fired in the Floyd case, and one has been arrested and charged. A video showed the arrested officer kneeling on Floyd for several minutes as he screamed that he could not breathe, although an initial medical examiner's report found "no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation" -- and cited Floyd's "underlying health conditions including coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease," as well as the "potential intoxicants" in his system.
The scale of the coast-to-coast protests rivaled the historic demonstrations of the civil rights and Vietnam War eras.
In Birmingham, Alabama, footage appeared to show demonstrators violently attacking journalists on Sunday.
Iowa Law School professor Andy Grewal tweeted: "Friend in Chicago called 911. Phone rang 10 times. He explained that the building across the street was being broken into and looted and the dispatcher then hung up on him."
In Minnesota, a semitrailer sped toward a crowd of protesters, in a scene caught on harrowing video. Police announced the unidentified driver was arrested and taken to Hennepin Healthcare with non-life threatening injuries after the protesters dragged him from his truck and apparently attacked him. Remarkably, DPS officials said it appeared none of the protesters was seriously injured.
Protesters in Philadelphia hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at police, officials said, while masked crowds broke into upscale stores in a San Francisco suburb, fleeing with bags of merchandise.
In Austin, Texas, video showed protesters appearing to cheer as a homeless man's belongings were set on fire.
Looting was rampant in California, even in the well-to-do Bay Area suburb of Walnut Creek. In one bizarre episode caught on tape, looters there appeared to loot other looters.
In Brooklyn, two attorneys, including a New York University School of Law graduate, were charged with throwing a Molotov cocktail at an NYPD cruiser. Colinford Mattis, 32, worked at the Times Square law firm Pryor Cashman, but his profile was removed from the firm's website after the news broke.
In Denver, police fired tear gas and projectiles at demonstrators defying a curfew following a day of peaceful marching and chants of “Don’t shoot” alongside boarded-up businesses that had been vandalized the night before.
Dozens of demonstrators, some throwing fireworks, taunted police and pushed dumpsters onto Colfax Avenue, a major artery, in the sporadic confrontations that occurred east of downtown. 83 had been arrested in the area on Saturday night.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock called the behavior of unruly protesters “reckless, inexcusable and unacceptable.”
Curfews were imposed in major cities around the U.S., including Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. About 5,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen were activated in 15 states and Washington, D.C.
At least 4,100 people have been arrested over days of protests, according to a tally compiled by The Associated Press. Arrests ranged from looting and blocking highways to breaking curfew.
The scene on Sunday was similar to the episode outside the White House two days earlier. Around the time Trump headed to the safety Friday night, multiple agents were being "assaulted with bricks, rocks, bottles, fireworks and other items" -- injuring a number of uniformed division officers and special agents, according to the Secret Service.
The extent of the injuries was unclear. No one reportedly made it over the White House fence, but the agency determined that the situation warranted immediate action.
Trump has said he had “watched every move” from inside the executive mansion during Friday's protest and “couldn't have felt more safe” as the Secret Service let the protesters carry on, “but whenever someone ... got too frisky or out of line, they would quickly come down on then, hard — didn't know what hit them.”
On Saturday morning, Trump praised the Secret Service for its protection of the White House the previous night, calling them “very cool & very professional” -- and warned that any protesters who breached the fence would have met by "vicious dogs" and "ominous weapons."

Demonstrators gather to protest the death of George Floyd, Sunday, May 31, 2020, near the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

"The President doesn’t make the call to move to the bunker," Dan Bongino, a former lead Secret Service agent in the presidential protective detail and a Fox News contributor, wrote on Sunday. "The trained professionals of the Secret Service do."
While unusual, it isn't unprecedented for protectees to be taken to the underground bunker when there are aerial intrusions or other threats to the White House. Top White House officials, including then-Vice President Dick Cheney, were whisked to the bunker after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
The mob outside the White House had also turned its rage on a Fox News crew early Saturday, chasing and pummeling the journalists in a harrowing scene captured on video.

Police in riot gear stand in front of the White House as demonstrators gather to protest the death of George Floyd, Saturday, May 30, 2020. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Veteran reporter Leland Vittert was covering protests in Lafayette Park just before1 a.m. with three crewmembers when as many as a dozen masked protesters surrounded them, in footage caught by the Daily Caller.
After a protester lunged at Vittert while he was reporting on-air, the team made a beeline out of the park, with the hostile and growing crowd in pursuit.
Vittert and the crew were punched and hit with projectiles as they fled, and a Fox News camera was broken when a member of the mob tried to grab it.
Police fired pepper spray at demonstrators near the White House and the D.C. National Guard was called in this weekend, as the scene outside the White House seemed fraught again on Sunday night.
The Secret Service tweeted late Sunday: "In an effort to ensure public safety, pedestrians and motorists are encouraged to avoid streets and parks near the White House complex."
Hundreds of people converged on the White House and marched along the National Mall, chanting “Black Lives Matter,” “I can't breathe” and “No justice, no peace.”
Protesters threw water bottles, traffic cones, scooters, even tear gas cans at police lines. They set fire to a car and a trash bin and smashed windows, including at Bay Atlantic University. “What are you doing? That's a school,” one man yelled.
An American flag hanging at the Export-Import Bank was taken down, burned and replaced with a Black Lives Matter banner.

Law enforcement officers from Calvert County Maryland Sheriff's Office standing on the Ellipse, area just south of the White House in Washington, as they watch demonstrators protest the death of George Floyd, Sunday, May 31, 2020. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Trump appeared to cheer on the tougher tactics being used by law enforcement to disperse protesters Saturday night. He commended National Guard troops deployed in Minneapolis, declaring “No games!” and he also said police in New York City “must be allowed to do their job!”
“Let New York’s Finest be New York’s Finest,” Trump said on Twitter after returning to the White House from Florida, where he watched the launch of a SpaceX rocket. He did not talk to reporters upon his return and it was not clear if he could hear the protest over the sound of his helicopter. But for at least part of the flight, televisions on Air Force One were turned to Fox News and its coverage of the protests.
Earlier in the day, he had belittled the protesters and pledged to “stop mob violence.”
“I stand before you as a friend and ally to every American seeking justice and peace, and I stand before you in firm opposition to anyone exploiting this tragedy to loot, rob, attack and menace,” the president said after watching the launch of a SpaceX rocket. “Healing, not hatred, justice, not chaos, are the missions at hand.”
Police were in tactical gear. The D.C. National Guard was activated at the direction of the secretary of the Army and at the request of the Park Police to help maintain order near the White House, Commanding Gen. William J. Walker said in a post on the Guard's Facebook page.

A firework explodes by a police line as demonstrators gather to protest the death of George Floyd, Saturday, May 30, 2020, near the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

While some protesters stayed near the White House, others marched through the streets chanting, “No justice and no peace.” and “Say his name: George Floyd.” The mood was angry and several speakers implored marchers to remain peaceful.
The march paused between the Washington Monument and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Demonstrators sat down in the street for a moment of silence lasting for the eight minutes or more that the Minneapolis police officer reportedly knelt on Floyd's neck.

Police in riot gear stand in front of the White House as demonstrators gather to protest the death of George Floyd, Saturday, May 30, 2020, outside the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

At the Lincoln Memorial, one organizer spoke over a megaphone. “Look to the left and to the right and thank that person. We can't hug anybody because of COVID, but I love you anyway.” Many of the protesters wore masks, but did not socially distance themselves.
Another group circled through the Capitol Hill neighborhood for at least an hour in cars, honking. A helicopter hovered overhead.
In a series of tweets earlier Saturday, Trump doubted protesters' allegiance to Floyd’s memory, saying they were “professionally managed.”
Trump later rejected the suggestion that he was stoking a potential conflict between protesters and his supporters. “I was just asking. But I have no idea if they are going to be here," he said. “MAGA is Make America Great Again. By the way, they love African American people. They love black people.”
At Saturday's demonstration, there was no evidence of a counter-move by Trump supporters.

Demonstrators gather to protest the death of George Floyd, Saturday, May 30, 2020, near the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The president also criticized the mayors of Washington and Minneapolis.
Trump said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey “is probably a very good person, but he’s a radical, left mayor.” He then described how he watched as a police station in the city was overrun. “For that police station to be abandoned and taken over, I’ve never seen anything so horrible and stupid in my life," Trump said when speaking briefly to reporters at the White House.
He said Minnesota officials have to get tougher with rioters, and that by doing so they would be honoring the memory of Floyd.
 

Demonstrators gather to protest the death of George Floyd, Saturday, May 30, 2020, near the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The Secret Service said in a statement Saturday that six protesters were arrested in Washington and “multiple” officers were injured. There were no details on the charges or nature of the injuries. A spokesman for U.S. Park Police said their officers made no arrests, but several suffered minor injuries and one was taken to a hospital after being struck in the helmet by a projectile.
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf on Saturday called the protesters “criminals” who committed “acts of violence while hiding behind their First Amendment right of lawful protest.”
Late Saturday and early Sunday, protesters vented their rage by breaking into tony shops of Georgetown, on the western edge of the District, and in downtown Washington, breaking windows and glass doors of many stores and looting some of them.
In his tweeting, Trump claimed that many Secret Service agents were “just waiting for action” and ready to unleash “the most vicious dogs, and the most ominous weapons, I have ever seen." His reference to “vicious dogs” potentially being sicced on protesters revisits images from the civil rights movement when marchers faced snarling police dogs and high-pressure fire hoses.

May 2020 Townhall Cartoons

China, Iran mock US amid ongoing riots: 'I can't breathe'

China fired back at the United States' concerns with Hong Kong's freedom by pointing directly at the racial unrest that has exploded in America, simply tweeting, "I can't breathe".

Tweets from Hua Chunying, a foreign ministry spokesperson, came as the U.S. struggles with nationwide riots that have erupted in response to George Floyd's death in Minneapolis.
Her "I can't breathe" attack touched a nerve as both Floyd and Eric Garner -- both unarmed black men -- uttered that expression moments before they died, while facing what many believe was excessive force by police.
State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortegus had castigated China for the way it treated Hong Kong protesters. "Freedom-loving people around the world must stand with the rule of law and hold to account the Chinese Communist Party, which has flagrantly broken its promises to the people of Hong Kong," Ortagus said.
That tweet was just the latest in an apparent strategy of China accusing the U.S. government of hypocrisy as it faced criticism for the way it countered pro-Democracy protests in Hong Kong. Most recently, President Trump has announced that he would block Hong Kong's trading privileges after China's ceremonial parliament voted to bypass the semi-autonomous territory in enacting national security legislation.
In another tweet, Hua posted a segment from RT, which is funded by the Russian government, blasting the U.S. for supporting violent protests in Hong Kong while denouncing rioters as "thugs."

Iran similarly attacked the U.S., tweeting an altered press release in which the State Department attacked Iran amid ongoing protests in 2018.
"Some don't think #BlackLivesMatter," Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said. "To those of us who do: it is long overdue for the entire world to wage war against racism. Time for a #WorldAgainstRacism."
Hua also suggested the U.S. employed similar regulations and likened Hong Kong to China's "hand."
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo set the stage for Trump’s announcement by notifying Congress on Wednesday that Hong Kong no longer has the high degree of autonomy that it is guaranteed under the “one country, two systems” framework.
Trump said Friday that his administration would begin eliminating the “full range” of agreements that had given Hong Kong a relationship with the U.S. that mainland China lacked, including exemptions from controls on certain exports.
“China has replaced its promised formula of one country, two systems, with one country, one system,” he said, echoing statements by pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong.

A Hong Kong government statement accused Trump and his administration of smearing and demonizing the government’s duty to safeguard national security and called allegations that the security law would undermine individual freedoms “simply fallacious.”
“President Trump’s claim that Hong Kong now operated under ‘one country, one system’ was completely false and ignored the facts on the ground,” the statement said.
Separately, Hong Kong Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng told reporters that it was “completely false and wrong” to say the territory was losing its autonomy.

National Guard activated in nearly a dozen states amid unrest over George Floyd death

Governors in nearly a dozen states plus the District of Columbia have now activated the National Guard amid protests and riots that have broken out in response to George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody earlier this week.

States calling for Guard asistance were California, Georgia, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Washington state.
"Based on circumstances going on in Reno and at the request of local leaders, I have activated members of the @nvnationalguard to secure government buildings," Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak tweeted early Sunday, Eastern time.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee also activated the National Guard, at the request of the mayor of Nashville.
"I am authorizing the National Guard to mobilize in response to protests that have now taken a violent, unlawful turn in Nashville," he tweeted. "The threat to both peace and property is unacceptable and we will work with local law enforcement and community leaders to restore safety and order. This is not a reflection of our state or the fundamental American right to peaceful protest."
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, after discussions with state and local leaders, also signed an order "authorizing the activation of up to 3,000 National Guard troops statewide ahead of several planned protests on Sunday, May 31."
"These highly trained citizen soldiers will partner will law enforcement to preserve peace and protect Georgians in every corner of our great state," he added.

Kemp's move comes amid protests in Atlanta, and across the state Saturday.
Earlier in the night, Abbott announced he was activating the National Guard, saying: “Texans have every right to exercise their first amendment rights, but violence and looting will not be tolerated.”
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson also activated the National Guard late Saturday, and the Missouri Highway Patrol. Parson also declared "that a State of Emergency exists in Missouri due to civil unrest."
Kemp and Abbott and Parson joined Utah, Ohio and Washington state in bringing in the National Guard to aid law enforcement.
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, on Saturday night, tweeted that Utah “condemns violence and looting.”
“I have activated the National Guard to help control the escalating situation in downtown Salt Lake City,” Herbert tweeted. “I once again call on all who are protesting to do so peacefully.”

Earlier Saturday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine also called to service the Ohio National Guard “to help protect the citizens of Ohio.”
Protests erupted in Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati, Ohio Saturday. Ohio Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, attended a protest earlier in the day Saturday and was sprayed with pepper spray by law enforcement officers.
"In this time of deep anger, sadness, and frustration, we stand with those who are expressing their First Amendment rights, but we will not stand for those who wish to inflict pain and cause destruction," DeWine tweeted.
Meanwhile, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee “activated 200 members” at the request of Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan.
"They will be unarmed and assist with infrastructure protection and crowd movement," Inslee said in a statement Saturday. "They will only be utilized if absolutely necessary and we appreciate their efforts to help in this important work."
The District of Columbia National Guard also was activated Saturday night “at the direction of the Secretary of the Army in response to a request for assistance from the U.S. Park Police to help maintain order during protests in the vicinity of the White House,” D.C. National Guard Commanding General MG William J. Walker said in a statement.

“The DCNG, the Nation’s only Federal National Guard, reports to the President of the United States through the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Army,” Walker said. “The DCNG is always ready to assist District and Federal agencies to protect human life and property.”
Meanwhile, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said late Saturday night that he had asked California Gov. Gavin Newsom to send the National Guard to the county.
"This is no longer a protest,” Garcetti told local media Saturday night. “This is destruction. This is vandalism.”
The activation of the National Guard in states across the nation comes after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz already announced early Saturday that he authorized the “full mobilization” of the state’s National Guard in response to violent riots in the state.
Minnesota’s National Guard is composed of more than 13,000 soldiers, according to the Guard’s 2019 annual report.
Floyd’s death Monday has sparked unrest across the U.S., from New York City to Washington, D.C., to Chicago to Los Angeles. Four Minneapolis police officers were fired Tuesday, while the officer seen kneeling on Floyd's neck for several minutes before he eventually died, Derek Chauvin, has been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Fox News’ Barnini Chakraborty, Dom Calicchio, Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

LA Mayor Garcetti calls for National Guard help: 'This is no longer a protest. This is destruction'

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said the California National Guard is being deployed to Los Angeles overnight Saturday as the nation's second-largest city faces another night of rioting in response to the death of George Floyd.

"The California National Guard is being deployed to Los Angeles overnight to support our local response to maintain peace and safety on the streets of our city," Garcetti tweeted late Saturday night.
Garcetti, earlier Saturday, was dismissive of seeking National Guard aid, but as the protests intensified Saturday, requested that California Gov. Gavin Newsom activate the force.
“This is no longer a protest,” Garcetti told local media Saturday night. “This is destruction. This is vandalism.”
Garcetti’s comments came just after he imposed a citywide curfew, requiring residents of Los Angeles to “stay indoors” starting at 8 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. Sunday.
“I will always protect Angelenos’ right to make their voices heard — and we can lead the movement against racism without fear of violence or vandalism,” Garcetti said in a statement Saturday.
“The vast majority of people taking to the streets are doing it peacefully, powerfully, and with reverence for the sacred cause they’re fighting for,” he continued. “This curfew is in place to protect their safety — and the safety of all who live and work in our city.”

Garcetti’s decision came amid large protests in Los Angeles on Saturday, and following rioting earlier in the week.
In L.A., rioters on Wednesday night at one point were seen burning an upside-down American flag.
The protests and riots broke out across the nation after Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody Monday.
An employee at a grocery store called police and accused Floyd of trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill. Floyd, who is black, was then arrested and handcuffed by Officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, and pushed to the ground.
Chauvin and three other officers were fired Tuesday in connection with Floyd's death, then Chauvin was arrested Friday on murder and manslaughter charges.

A cell phone video shows Floyd’s head is turned to the side and he does not appear to be resisting. Chauvin had his knee pressed to the back of Floyd’s neck for several minutes as Floyd is seen gasping for air and begging Chauvin to stop. He does not. Bystanders say they also heard shouting at Chauvin to take his knee off of Floyd’s neck.
Floyd, 46, died in police custody Monday night.
Chauvin was charged Friday with third-degree murder and manslaughter in Minnesota.
Fox News' Lee Ross and Barnini Chakraborty contributed to this report. 

Biden campaign staffers donate to group that bails out jailed Minneapolis protesters: report

At least 13 members of Joe Biden’s campaign staff have made donations to a group that helps Minneapolis protesters get out of jail on bail, according to a report.
The staffers posted on Twitter that they contributed money to a group called the Minnesota Freedom Fund, which opposes the practice of making people who are arrested pay money to avoid pre-trial imprisonment, Reuters reported.
Biden himself opposes cash bail, comparing it to a “modern day debtors prison,” campaign spokesman Andrew Bates told Reuters.
But the campaign would not comment on whether the staffers’ donations were made in coordination with the former vice president’s campaign, the report said.
Following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Monday, the Minnesota Freedom Fund raised about $20 million over four days, Forbes reported.
Prior to Floyd’s death, the group had raised only about $75,000 to $80,000 so far in 2020, the report said.
Celebrities who’ve helped spread the word about the group include singer and actress Janelle Monae and actor Seth Rogan, both of whom have pledged to match donations, Forbes reported. But the group has since announced it is no longer soliciting donations and urges people to instead donate to Floyd’s family or African-American community organizations in the Twin Cities area.
Responding to Reuters about the Biden staffers, the Trump 2020 Campaign said it was “disturbing” that Biden’s staff “would financially support the mayhem that is hurting innocent people and destroying what good people spent their lives building.”
In a statement Saturday, Biden called protests following the death of Floyd “an utterly American response,” saying such actions were “right and necessary” given the circumstances of Floyd’s death in police custody.
But Biden spoke against the violence and looting that has accompanied the protests.
“Protesting such brutality is right and necessary. It’s an utterly American response,” he said. “But burning down communities and needless destruction is not. Violence that endangers lives is not. Violence that guts and shutters businesses that serve the community is not.”
Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this story.

Rioting and Looting Cartoons

CNN

Blast from the Past?

CNN headquarters in Atlanta vandalized by protesters after George Floyd death

Rapper Killer Mike pleads to CNN: 'Stop feeding fear and anger every day'

A protest erupted outside CNN's headquarters in Atlanta on Friday amid nationwide demonstrations following the death of Minneapolis man George Floyd, with many of the protesters seen vandalizing the entrance of the building in videos posted to social media.
A crowd gathered in front of the CNN Center and grew over the course of several hours, initially breaking windows and spray-painting the CNN sign, and later throwing objects -- including what appeared to be a firecracker that exploded -- and reportedly shooting BB guns into the lobby.
The iconic CNN sign, a popular tourist destination in the downtown area, was covered with graffiti and others were seen jumping on top of the structure.
A CNN journalist captured footage of a window being shattered by the crowd, which can be heard sparking cheers.
Law enforcement eventually cleared the area, pushing the crowd further down the street.
Reporting from CNN correspondent Nick Valencia showed multiple police cars that were set ablaze and Georgia State Police entering the scene.
"This is terrible to witness, it's terrible to witness," Valencia told CNN anchor Anderson Cooper.
Valencia later reported live from the lobby of the CNN Center, where police officers were seen lined up inside the headquarters guarding the entrance. Demonstrators outside were throwing objects, including a smoke grenade that went off in the lobby, which was immediately kicked back out by one of the officers.
The crowd later approached the entrance to the lobby, and a small explosion can be seen going off after someone threw what appeared to be a firecracker into the building.
Earlier in the day, CNN reporter Omar Jimenez and his team were taken into custody around 5:10 a.m. local time as they were reporting live outside a liquor store that had been set ablaze in the demonstrations. An hour and a half later, the network reported their release.
“A CNN reporter & his production team were arrested this morning in Minneapolis for doing their jobs, despite identifying themselves -- a clear violation of their First Amendment rights,” the network said in a statement. “The authorities in Minnesota, including the Governor, must release the 3 CNN employees immediately.”

Demonstrators paint on the CNN logo during a protest, Friday, May 29, 2020, in Atlanta, in response to the death of George Floyd in police custody on Memorial Day in Minneapolis. The protest started peacefully earlier in the day before demonstrators clashed with police. (Associated Press)

Police reportedly claimed Jimenez and the crew were taken into custody because they were told to move and didn’t listen. CNN said Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz “deeply apologizes” for the incident and had been working to have the three employees freed.
The protests in the Twin Cities were sparked by the death of 46-year-old George Floyd, a black man who died Monday after a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeled on his neck for several minutes as he was being arrested on suspicion of forgery.
Video footage that went viral after the arrest showed Floyd telling the police officer "I can't breathe" as passersby begged the officers to get off him. Moments later, Floyd became nonresponsive and was pronounced dead a short time later at a local hospital.
Chauvin was arrested Friday and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. The other three officers involved with the arrest have been fired amid calls for their arrest.
Fox News Greg Norman and Brian Flood contributed to this report.