May 31 George Floyd protest news

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10:58 p.m. ET, May 31, 2020

There are fires raging and tear gas fired in Washington D.C., as city approaches curfew

Demonstrators protest the death of George Floyd on May 31 near the White House in Washington.
Demonstrators protest the death of George Floyd on May 31 near the White House in Washington. Alex Brandon/AP

Anger is erupting in Washington D.C., with large fires near Lafayette Park and police firing tear gas and pepper spray.

Protests are focused in the center of the US capital, just a few blocks away from the White House.

There are several fires happening, one near the historic St. John's Church, and another at a public facilities building at the edge of the park. People are throwing branches and fireworks into the fires -- there's even a wooden park bench in the doorframe of the park building, feeding the flames.

Police are now working to clear the area, advancing forward in a line and pushing back the crowds.

The city is supposed to go under curfew in just 10 minutes or so, at 11 p.m. local time. It will be lifted Monday morning at 6 a.m., said Mayor Muriel Bowser.

WATCH:

10:48 p.m. ET, May 31, 2020

Washington governor activates National Guard to respond to looting in Bellevue

Washington Governor Jay Inslee has activated 200 additional members of the state's National Guard to respond to looting in Bellevue, east of Seattle, Inslee said in a tweet.

Inslee said he activated the additional members at the request of King County to help protect property, manage crowds and traffic, and respond to looting. 

Guard personnel will be unarmed, the governor tweeted.

10:47 p.m. ET, May 31, 2020

Australia PM says he is "disturbed" by US protests and looting

From CNN's Angus Watson in Sydney 

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he was “disturbed” by images of protests in the United States, and that he would "welcome" an invitation from President Donald Trump to join the upcoming G7 summit.

Speaking to Sydney radio station 2GB on Monday morning local time, Morrison said the death of George Floyd was "upsetting and terrible."

Morrison, who is the leader of the ruling Liberal Party, a center-right political party, added, “Martin Luther King (Jr.) didn't change anything by burning anything down or looting shops."

He also commented on a Black Lives Matter solidarity protest scheduled in Sydney on Tuesday, saying, "The United States is going through a difficult time ... (but) there is no need to import things that are happening in other countries into Australia."

The G7 summit: Morrison told 2GB that he would “welcome” an invitation from Trump to join the G7 summit.

"We are expecting an invitation there," Morrison said. "We welcome that and it's a good opportunity to deal with likeminded countries."

10:43 p.m. ET, May 31, 2020

Tennessee governor authorizes deployment of National Guard to Murfreesboro 

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has authorized the deployment of the National Guard to Murfreesboro, where protests are still ongoing even as night falls.

"The protests in Murfreesboro are no longer peaceful demonstrations but have escalated to overt threats to public safety and property," he tweeted. "I support Mayor McFarland’s 7 p.m. curfew and have authorized both the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the National Guard to provide support on the ground in restoring order for the safety of our citizens."

10:40 p.m. ET, May 31, 2020

Protesters face off with police in New York City

It's 10:30 p.m. in New York, but the streets are still packed with protesters.

A large group of protesters came over the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan earlier in the day, moving north through Soho, where several arrests were made.

Then they arrived in Union Square. A car was set on fire near 12th street, and protesters faced off with riot police in full gear. Tensions are high, with protesters chanting "Shame" and other slogans at the police.

Stores around Manhattan are boarded up today, after the destruction of the past few days. A bank near Union Square has had its windows smashed, said CNN crime correspondent Shimon Prokupecz, reporting from the scene.

"I've covered protests in New York City. I covered it during the Eric Garner (protests). I covered occupy Wall Street. You never saw the elements that we're seeing here," he said.

10:33 p.m. ET, May 31, 2020

Trump and his family were taken to the White House underground bunker on Friday night

From CNN's Kristen Holmes, Kate Bennett, Kaitlan Collins and Noah Gray

Law enforcement officers from Calvert County Maryland Sheriff's Office stand near the White House on May 31 in Washington.
Law enforcement officers from Calvert County Maryland Sheriff's Office stand near the White House on May 31 in Washington. Alex Brandon/AP

As protesters gathered outside the White House Friday night in Washington, President Trump was briefly taken to the White House underground bunker for a period of time, according to a White House official and a law enforcement source.

He was there for a little under an hour before being brought upstairs.

A law enforcement source and another source familiar with the matter told CNN that Melania and Barron Trump were also taken to the bunker.

The law enforcement source familiar with protocol said that if authorities moved Trump they would move all protectees, meaning Melania and Barron.

The separate source said, “If the condition at the White House is elevated to RED and the President is moved to the EOC (Emergency Operations Center, below the East Wing), Melania Trump, Barron Trump and any other first family members would be moved as well.”

Trump has repeatedly praised the Secret Service for its handling of the protests outside the White House Friday night. 

10:38 p.m. ET, May 31, 2020

Bill de Blasio's daughter was arrested alongside protesters for "unlawful assembly" Saturday night 

Demonstrators protest on May 31 in the Manhattan borough of New York City.
Demonstrators protest on May 31 in the Manhattan borough of New York City. Joel Marklund/BILDBYRÅN/Reuters

Chiara de Blasio, the daughter of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, was arrested on Saturday night alongside protesters, according to police sources.

She was arrested near Greenwich Village for unlawful assembly and was later released, police sources said.

CNN has reached out to NYC Mayor de Blasio’s office for comment.

10:16 p.m. ET, May 31, 2020

NBA Commissioner says league will work to address racial inequity in every NBA community

 Stacy Revere/Getty Images
 Stacy Revere/Getty Images

National Basketball Association commissioner Adam Silver addressed the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, as well as the nationwide protests, in a memo sent to NBA league office employees.

"Just as we are fighting a pandemic, which is impacting communities and people of color more than anyone else, we are being reminded that there are wounds in our country that have never healed," he wrote in the memo, obtained by CNN Sports.
"Racism, police brutality and racial injustice remain part of everyday life in America and cannot be ignored. At the same time, those who serve and protect our communities honorably and heroically are again left to answer for those who don’t."

He praised members of the NBA and WNBA who have spoken out to demand justice and peaceful protest, and pledged to continue efforts to promote inclusion and address racial inequity.

"We have to reach out, listen to each other and work together to be part of the solution. And as an organization, we need to do everything in our power to make a meaningful difference," he wrote.

Basketball icons speak out: A number of famous players have spoken out to demand justice for the death of George Floyd over the past week, including Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, NBA superstar LeBron James, and basketball legend Michael Jordan.

10:17 p.m. ET, May 31, 2020

Chaos erupts in New York as hundreds run from car fire

From CNN's Shimon Prokupecz

CNN
CNN

A car was up in flames in New York City Sunday as protesters scrambled to get away from the flames.

New York City police and fire responded to the blaze as protesters stood on top of cars and recorded the flames.

CNN is on the scene: