Military Deployment Announced 28 Years After LA Riots
US Joint Chiefs Chairman Visits Washington DC Protest Site
Trump Calls Governors "Weak" and "Fools"
Suppresses Protesters and Makes Unexpected Visit to Church Near White House
Looting Spreads in New York City as Well
[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to deploy regular troops to suppress violent protests stemming from the death of Black man George Floyd. Despite demands from various sectors to prevent division in American society, he declared a tough response policy. If President Trump deploys regular troops, it will be the first time in 28 years since the 1992 Los Angeles riots.
On the 1st (local time), President Trump issued an emergency statement from the White House Rose Garden, saying, "We cannot allow angry mobs to swallow peaceful protesters," and announced, "We will mobilize all federal assets, civilians, and military forces available to crack down on riots and looting." He also urged, "I recommend all governors deploy their state National Guard," and warned that if appropriate measures are not taken, "the military (regular troops) will be deployed."
AP News reported, citing a Department of Defense official, that 600 to 800 National Guard troops from five states have been sent to Washington DC and that they have either already arrived or will all arrive by midnight.
President Trump's statement came after a video conference with governors. He criticized the governors harshly, calling them "weak" and saying they would be "treated like fools." He strongly expressed dissatisfaction with the governors' powerless response to protests across the United States. Because of this, the emergency statement is interpreted as aiming to portray governors as forces tolerating protests while he positions himself as the national protector taking a tough stance. He said, "As president, my top priority is to protect this great nation and the American people." Regarding the recent intensification of Floyd protests, he fiercely condemned them as "violent groups."
Unlike usual, President Trump focused on delivering a brief and concise tough response policy toward the protests for about ten minutes. Then, without taking questions, he said, "I will visit a very special place," left the press conference, leaving reporters puzzled.
Afterward, President Trump walked outside the White House to St. John's Church, held up a Bible, posed for the press, and said, "I will come back stronger." This was a surprise event to demonstrate his strong will to crack down on violent protests. Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Attorney General William Barr, and White House National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien accompanied President Trump's sudden movement.
On the 30th of last month, President Trump also warned that if governors do not take a tough stance, the federal government would intervene, saying, "This includes utilizing the unlimited power of our military and large-scale arrests," warning of federal troop deployment.
The New York Times, citing a Department of Defense official, reported that President Trump ordered the Army to deploy military police to suppress protests. The duties of military police include protest suppression. Military police were seen at the protest site in front of the White House that day.
Meanwhile, in Washington DC, protests continued until near midnight despite the implementation of a nighttime curfew. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley appeared at the protest site to assess the situation, and an Army helicopter was seen flying at very low altitude, demanding the crowd disperse.
According to Fox News and Twitter, Macy's department store and many other stores in New York City were reportedly looted again.
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