US: Protests continue in Washington, D.C. June 2 /update 2

Event

Protesters gathered in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, June 2, and continued into Wednesday, June 3, in response to unrest over the police-related death of George Floyd. Approximately 200-250 demonstrators gathered in Lafayette Square despite the current overnight curfew in place between 19:00 to 06:00 (local time) in Washington, D.C. The National Guard has been fully activated to assist the police with enforcing the curfew and reports suggest a new fence has been erected around the park located close to the White House. Protesters were seen gathered still at 01:00 on Wednesday morning. Reports indicate that they threw projectiles at the security forces, who responded by firing pepper spray in attempts to disperse the demonstrators.

Further protests and unrest are likely in the area in the near term, and clashes between security forces and protesters cannot be ruled out.

Context

George Floyd died while being arrested by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. The four arresting police officers were subsequently fired, and one has since been charged with murder. Black Lives Matter (BLM) supporters gathered on May 26 to denounce the death and actions of the police officers. Clashes ensued between protesters and riot police; with demonstrators throwing bricks and projectiles at police and police property, and police responding with tear gas and rubber bullets as they attempted to disperse the crowds. Protests have since spread to a number of cities across the US.

Advice

Individuals in Washington, D.C. and across metropolitan areas in the US are advised to monitor developments, avoid all protests as a precaution, and adhere to all instructions issued by local authorities.