Floyd killing: Calmer streets, largely peaceful protests on 8th night

But there was a marked quiet compared with the unrest of the past few nights, which included fires and shootings in some cities

Protests were largely peaceful and the nation's streets were calmer than they were in days since the killing of George Floyd set off demonstrations, which at times, brought violence and destruction along with pleas to stop police brutality and injustice against African-Americans.

9,000 arrested across US
There were scattered reports of looting in New York City overnight, and as of Wednesday morning, there had been over 9,000 arrests nationwide since the unrest began following Floyd's death on May 25 in Minneapolis. But there was a marked quiet compared with the unrest of the past few nights, which included fires and shootings in some cities.

People raise their fists and shout slogans as they demonstrate at the makeshift memorial in honour of Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Tuesday. Pics/AFP

The calmer night came as many cities intensified their curfews, with authorities in NY and Washington ordering people off streets while it was still daylight. Protesters faced law enforcement personnel who stood behind a black chain-link fence that was put up overnight to block access to the park.

Pastors at the church prayed with protesters and handed out water bottles. The crowd remained in place after the 7 pm curfew passed, defying warnings that the response from cops could be even more forceful. But, the crowd was peaceful, even polite. At one point, the crowd booed when a protester climbed a light post and took down a street sign. A chant went up: "Peaceful protest!"

Protests also passed across the US, including in Los Angeles, Miami, St. Paul, Minnesota, Columbia, South Carolina and Houston, where the police chief talked to peaceful demonstrators, vowing reforms.

NY cops abuse journalists
New York City police officers surrounded, shoved and yelled expletives at two AP journalists covering protests in Manhattan on Tuesday. An officer, using an expletive, orders journalists to go home. When a journalist explain to them that the press are considered "essential workers" and are allowed to be on the streets, an officer responds "I don't give a s"-." Another tells him "get the f"- out of here you piece of s"-."

May 25
Day George Floyd was killed by a cop

Retd cop killed protecting friend's store

A retired police captain died during a night of violent protests while trying to protect his friend's pawn shop, his widow said. David Dorn was killed by people, who had broken into Lee's Pawn & Jewellery, and his body was found on the sidewalk around 2.30 am on Tuesday. No arrests have been made. Dorn was a friend of the pawn shop's owner and frequently checked on the business when alarms went off, his wife said. Dorn served 38 years on the St. Louis police force until 2007.

Trump backs off troops threat

A day after threatening states that he would dispatch the military to quell protests, President Donald Trump appeared to be privately backing off his threat to deploy troops, with White House officials saying this week's response to protests indicated that local governments should be able to restore order themselves.

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