npr--2020-06-05--As America Struggles To Return To Work, Staggering Unemployment Numbers Loom

As America Struggles To Return To Work , Staggering Unemployment Numbers Loom Pandemic layoffs have slowed in recent weeks .
But a report card from the Labor Department Friday is still expected to show millions of jobs were lost in May as the unemployment rate climbed near 20 % — it 's highest level in more than 80 years .
At 20 % , the jobless rate would top April 's astounding 14.7 % rate — and it would be the highest since the nearly 25 % rate at the height of the Great Depression .
That 's on top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that were lost in April , as the U.S. slammed the brakes on its economy in a desperate effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
Forecasters expect to see a smaller drop in employment in May — in the neighborhood of 8 million to 12 million jobs .
Initial claims for unemployment have been falling steadily in recent weeks .
And some people who were idle in April were called back to work last month as business started to reopen .
Hairdresser Megan Hanneken has not been recalled yet , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a few weeks as Michigan relaxes its stay-at-home orders .
Her customers have been getting impatient .
`` I 've never felt so valued as a hairstylist , which is wonderful , '' Hanneken says .
`` But I also want to laugh when people are so upset about their hair .
I 'm like , 'You guys , it 's hair . '
`` Hanneken says she 's prepared to take precautions to avoid spreading the virus , but she 's not looking forward to wearing a mask all day or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I 've seen pictures — during the 1918 flu pandemic — of open-air beauty salons .
People were cutting hair outside , '' she says .
`` How I wish that were the case now .
That would be so preferable to me than being in a hot salon with a mask on . ''
Michigan 's unemployment rate in April was 22.7 % , eight points above the national average and second only to Nevada , where the jobless rate was 28.2 % .
A report from payroll processor ADP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between April and May , suggesting more people were being rehired .
Nevertheless , weekly unemployment claims show more than 37 million Americans are either receiving jobless benefits or applied recently and are awaiting approval .
Bartender Susan McAleer was laid off on St. Patrick 's Day from a restaurant in Philadelphia .
She says the extra $ 600 a week in benefits the federal government authorized during the pandemic has been a critical lifeline .
`` That makes all the bills payable , '' she says .
`` But I also do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after July when they cut if off . ''
McAleer is doubtful about returning to the restaurant , which used to serve a lot of tourists and theatergoers , before those disappeared .
She also wonders how servers will be able to do their jobs while limiting contact in a tight space .
`` You ca n't even have salt-and-pepper shakers , '' she says .
`` Do we have to salt and pepper everybody 's food ? ''
Bars and restaurants accounted for more than a quarter of the total job loss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says many of those jobs will be slow to return .
`` Until there is a vaccine or effective treatment for the coronavirus , this jobs gap is unlikely to close given the high-contact nature of the sector , '' Moody 's analysts wrote in a report .
Other industries , such as health care and manufacturing , could rebound more quickly .
Despite the pandemic , 1.4 million health care jobs were lost in April , as doctors and dentists closed their offices to all but emergency patients .
Sara Goldberg does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ old job as a medical assistant in South Portland , Maine .
The office where she worked has embraced online visits during the pandemic , and Goldberg thinks it may stick .
`` I talked to some friends who said , ' I had my physical via telemedicine and it was great , ' `` Goldberg says .
`` And the thought went through my head , 'Well , there goes my job . '
`` She applied for work at a nearby school district , but the economic crisis has put a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coffers .
`` I found out just yesterday that because of budget constraints , they are n't filling any of the open positions right now , '' Goldberg says .
`` I guess I 'm going to have to get creative . ''

May Surprise: U.S. Adds 2.5 Million Jobs As Unemployment Dips To 13.3%
Updated at 4:13 p.m. ET
The U.S economy rebounded with surprising strength last month as businesses began to reopen from the coronavirus lockdown. U.S. employers added 2.5 million jobs in May, and the unemployment rate fell to 13.3%.
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It was a stunning turnaround from April, when the U.S. lost nearly 20.7 million jobs, slamming on the brakes of the economy in a desperate effort to slow the spread of the pandemic.
"Now we're opening and we're opening with a bang," President Trump said, during a celebratory appearance in the White House Rose Garden. "This is a rocket ship."
May's unemployment rate is still extremely high by historical standards, but much better than forecasters were expecting. It reflects an improvement over April's jobless rate of 14.7%.
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Stocks jumped sharply after Friday's jobs report was released. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended the day up 829 points, more than 3%, and the S&P 500 climbed 2.6%.
The pace of pandemic layoffs has slowed in recent weeks. And some people who were idle in April were called back to work last month as business started to reopen.
Hairdresser Megan Hanneken has not been recalled yet, but she expects to go back to work in a few weeks as Michigan relaxes its stay-at-home orders. Her customers have been getting impatient.
"I've never felt so valued as a hairstylist, which is wonderful," Hanneken says. "But I also want to laugh when people are so upset about their hair. I'm like, 'You guys, it's hair.' "
Hanneken says she's prepared to take precautions to avoid spreading the virus, but she's not looking forward to wearing a mask all day or trying to cut hair with gloves on.
"I've seen pictures — during the 1918 flu pandemic — of open-air beauty salons. People were cutting hair outside," she says. "How I wish that were the case now. That would be so preferable to me than being in a hot salon with a mask on."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jeff Chiu/AP Jeff Chiu/AP
Michigan's unemployment rate in April was eight points above the national average and second only to Nevada.
Black and brown workers continue to see elevated rates of unemployment, underscoring the persistent racial inequalities that have fueled protests in cities throughout the country. The jobless rate for African Americans in May was 16.8% — slightly higher than the April figure. Unemployment for Latinos dropped from 18.9% in April to 17.6% last month.
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Revised figures from the Labor Department show job losses in March and April were even larger than initially reported. Weekly unemployment claims show more than 37 million Americans are either receiving jobless benefits or applied recently and are awaiting approval.
"Although today's report feels like a relief for many, it's important to remember the labor market still faces an unemployment rate at the highest level since the Great Depression with tens of millions of Americans still out of work," said Daniel Zhao, senior economist with the job-search website Glassdoor. "While the labor market may be on the path to recovery, there is still a long way to go until the labor market returns to pre-crisis levels and makes up for lost growth."
Job gains in May reflect a turnaround for some of the industries hardest hit by the lockdown. Bars and restaurants added 1.4 million jobs, after losing 6.1 million in March and April.
Bartender Susan McAleer was laid off on St. Patrick's Day from a restaurant in Philadelphia. She says the extra $600 a week in benefits the federal government authorized during the pandemic has been a critical lifeline.
"That makes all the bills payable," she says. "But I also don't know what's going to happen after July when they cut if off."
McAleer is doubtful about returning to the restaurant, which used to serve a lot of tourists and theatergoers, before those disappeared. She also wonders how servers will be able to do their jobs while limiting contact in a tight space.
"You can't even have salt-and-pepper shakers," she says. "Do we have to salt and pepper everybody's food?"
Retail, construction, and manufacturing also made up some of the ground they lost in March and April. Health care added 312,000 jobs last month as doctors and dentists reopened offices, after shedding 1.5 million jobs in April.
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Sara Goldberg doesn't expect to go back to her old job as a medical assistant in South Portland, Maine. The office where she worked has embraced online visits during the pandemic, and Goldberg thinks it may stick.
"I talked to some friends who said, 'I had my physical via telemedicine and it was great,' " Goldberg says. "And the thought went through my head, 'Well, there goes my job.' "
She applied for work at a nearby school district, but the economic crisis has put a huge dent in state and local government coffers.
"I found out just yesterday that because of budget constraints, they aren't filling any of the open positions right now," Goldberg says. "I guess I'm going to have to get creative."
State and local governments cut another 575,000 jobs last month, after cutting more than 900,000 jobs in April.


npr--2020-06-05--As Trump Heads To Maine, GOP Sen. Susan Collins Won't Be There To Greet Him

As Trump Heads To Maine , GOP Sen. Susan Collins Wo n't Be There To Greet Him President Donald Trump on Friday will visit one of Maine 's least populous towns and its most conservative county when he tours a factory producing medical swabs for coronavirus testing .
Conspicuously absent during the trip will be the state 's only Republican member of Congress , Sen. Susan Collins .
Collins , who faces a tough reelection fight to secure her fifth consecutive term , will remain in Washington , D.C. when the president travels to Puritan Medical Products in Guilford , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maine Public Radio she 'll be working in Washington Friday and that she 'll be holding a virtual fundraiser with South Dakota Republican Sen. John Thune in the afternoon .
Collins visited the Puritan Medical factory in May , but her decision to not tour alongside a president whose electoral fortunes could affect her own has drawn considerable scrutiny .
Trump continues to face withering criticism for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing protests over police violence against African-Americans .
Collins has largely steered clear of commenting on Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joined others in criticizing the administration 's decision to use chemical irritants to forcefully clear peaceful protesters from a square in front of the White House so that the president could pose for pictures in front of a church there .
`` It was painful to watch peaceful protesters be subjected to tear gas in order for the president to go across the street to a church I believe he 's attended only once , '' Collins told reporters at the capitol on Tuesday .
Trump took notice , citing Collins when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservative website that repeated White House claims that tear gas was n't used .
Collins 's announced she would not attend the president 's visit to her home state before the uproar over his handling of the protests .
But her decision continues to draw speculation as other self-identified moderates , including longtime ally Lisa Murkowski , R-Alaska , criticize Trump 's conduct .
On Thursday , Murkowski said she was not sure she can support Trump 's bid for re-election this year .
Collins 's centrist reputation has has long carried her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when Republican presidential candidates have lost , including the 2008 Democratic wave election .
But Trump 's presidency , along with controversial votes Collins has taken in support of his agenda , threatens that brand .
Liberal outside groups have repeatedly blasted her for her votes for the 2017 GOP tax law , as well as her vote to confirm U.S. Supreme Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh .
While Collins declared Trump unfit for the presidency before the 2016 election , she has been criticized by those on the left for not doing enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , staunch Republicans and the president 's most ardent supporters view her suspiciously despite endorsements from conservative firebrands like former Maine Gov .
Paul LePage .
Prior to the Trump presidency , Collins enjoyed high favorability ratings .
But earlier this year , a survey from Morning Consult pegged her as the most unpopular senator in the country , surpassing Senate Leader Mitch McConnell .
While there has been little independent polling of the Maine U.S. Senate race , but there are many indications that Collins is in a tight race with Sara @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is considered the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination .
Senate Democrats are hoping to win the chamber this November by winning four to five GOP-held seats .
Collins ' is one of at least nine seats Democrats are targeting .
The president 's visit to Maine may not help Collins 's chances , regardless of her decision to not attend .
In a conference call with the nation 's governors on Monday , Maine Gov .
Janet Mills told the president that his presence in the state could further inflame tensions that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state 's largest cities .
The president , who swiped a single electoral vote in Maine 's 2nd Congressional District in 2016 , was not persuaded .
He told Mills that he expected a `` tremendous '' crowd when he arrives at Bangor International Airport Friday afternoon .
`` They like their president , '' he told Mills .
Demonstrations against the president — and in his support — are expected on Friday .

As Trump Heads To Maine, GOP Sen. Susan Collins Won't Be There To Greet Him
Enlarge this image toggle caption Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images
President Trump will visit one of Maine's least populous towns and its most conservative county when he tours a factory producing medical swabs for coronavirus testing on Friday.
Conspicuously absent during the trip will be the state's only Republican member of Congress, Sen. Susan Collins.
Collins, who faces a tough reelection fight to secure her fifth consecutive term, will remain in Washington, D.C., when the president travels to Puritan Medical Products in Guilford, Maine.
Earlier this week, Collins told Maine Public Radio that she'll be working in Washington on Friday and that she'll be holding a virtual fundraiser with South Dakota Republican Sen. John Thune in the afternoon.
Collins visited the Puritan Medical factory in May, but her decision to not tour alongside a president whose electoral fortunes could affect her own has drawn considerable scrutiny. Trump continues to face withering criticism for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and for the ongoing protests over police violence against African Americans.
Collins has largely steered clear of commenting on Trump's pandemic response, but did speak out this week as she joined others in criticizing the administration's decision to use chemical irritants to forcefully clear peaceful protesters from a square in front of the White House so that the president could pose for pictures in front of a nearby church.
"It was painful to watch peaceful protesters be subjected to tear gas in order for the president to go across the street to a church I believe he's attended only once," Collins told reporters at the Capitol on Tuesday.
Trump took notice, citing Collins when he shared a column on Twitter from a conservative website that repeated White House claims that tear gas wasn't used.
Collins had announced she would not attend the president's visit to her home state before the uproar over his handling of the protests. But her decision continues to draw speculation as other self-identified moderates, including longtime ally Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, criticize Trump's conduct.
On Thursday, Murkowski said she was not sure she can support Trump's bid for re-election this year.
Collins' centrist reputation has long carried her to resounding reelection victories even in years when Republican presidential candidates have lost, including the 2008 Democratic wave election.
But Trump's presidency, along with controversial votes that Collins has made in support of his agenda, threatens that brand.
Liberal outside groups have repeatedly blasted her for her votes for the 2017 GOP tax law, as well as her vote to confirm U.S. Supreme Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh. While Collins declared Trump unfit for the presidency before the 2016 election, she has been criticized by those on the left for not doing enough to speak out against him. Meanwhile, staunch Republicans and the president's most ardent supporters view her suspiciously despite endorsements from conservative firebrands like former Maine Gov. Paul LePage.
Prior to the Trump presidency, Collins enjoyed high favorability ratings. But earlier this year, a survey from Morning Consult pegged her as the most unpopular senator in the country, surpassing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
While there has been little independent polling of the Maine U.S. Senate race, there are many indications that Collins is in a tight race with Sara Gideon, the Maine House speaker who is considered the front-runner for the Democratic nomination.
Senate Democrats are hoping to win the chamber this November by winning four to five GOP-held seats. Collins' is one of at least nine seats Democrats are targeting.
The president's visit to Maine may not help Collins' chances, regardless of her decision to not attend.
In a conference call with the nation's governors on Monday, Maine Gov. Janet Mills told the president that his presence in the state could further inflame tensions that have led to demonstrations in two of the state's largest cities.
The president, who swiped a single electoral vote in Maine's 2nd Congressional District in 2016, was not persuaded.
He told Mills that he expected a "tremendous" crowd when he arrives at Bangor International Airport Friday afternoon.
"They like their president," he told Mills.
Demonstrations against the president — and in support — are expected.


npr--2020-06-05--Farmers Find Ways To Save Millions Of Pigs From Slaughter

Farmers Find Ways To Save Millions Of Pigs From Slaughter A month ago , America 's pork farmers were in crisis .
About 40 percent of the country 's pork plants were shut down because they had become hot spots of coronavirus infection .
Pork producers who had been shipping , collectively , almost half a million hogs each day to those plants suddenly had no place to send of all their animals , and little space to house the equal number of new piglets that are born every day .
Pork producers and industry analysts said that if factories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be forced to euthanize millions of hogs on their farms .
But that worst case scenario seems to not be happening .
According to estimates of pork producers and officials in the hardest-hit states of Minnesota and Iowa , hog farmers have been forced to kill and dispose of fewer than 200,000 animals so far .
`` Farmers are pretty inventive people , '' says David Preisler , CEO of the Minnesota Pork Producers Association .
He says farmers made some quick adaptations -- they converted older buildings into additional housing for hogs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kept them from gaining weight rapidly , and sent some of their animals to local butcher shops .
Others hogs were shipped halfway across the country , from Minnesota to Pennsylvania or California , to processing plants that could handle them .
Minnesota 's Board of Animal Health acquired two 80-acre sites that could be used to compost truckloads of hogs .
As of May 29 , the sites had accepted 17,058 hog carcasses .
They could handle many more .
Perhaps 100,000 to 150,000 carcasses have been trucked to rendering plants , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grease and protein powder .
In Iowa , the state is offering financial help to farmers who need to euthanize hogs .
Farmers applied for funding to dispose of about 25,000 animals but have not yet told the state how many of them actually were euthanized .
In mid-May , Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig told Iowa Public Radio that farmers in his state had been forced to kill fewer than 5,000 market-ready hogs so far .
Hog industry officials say they 've heard of few cases of euthanized hogs in other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the crisis appears to be ebbing .
Most pork plants have resumed production , but Preisler says `` it 's too early to tell '' whether farmers will be forced to kill more of their pigs .
The plants , he says , are running at about 82 percent of their normal capacity , `` but if we stay there , that 's not good enough '' to handle the backlog of hogs on farms .

Farmers Find Ways To Save Millions Of Pigs From Being Euthanized
Enlarge this image toggle caption Macduff Everton/Getty Images Macduff Everton/Getty Images
A month ago, America's pork farmers were in crisis. About 40 percent of the country's pork plants were shut down because they had become hot spots of coronavirus infection. Pork producers who had been shipping, collectively, almost half a million hogs each day to those plants suddenly had no place to send of all their animals, and little space to house the equal number of new piglets that are born every day.
Pork producers and industry analysts said that if factories didn't re-open quickly, they'd be forced to euthanize millions of hogs on their farms.
But that worst case scenario seems to not be happening. According to estimates of pork producers and officials in the hardest-hit states of Minnesota and Iowa, hog farmers have been forced to kill and dispose of fewer than 200,000 animals so far.
"Farmers are pretty inventive people," says David Preisler, CEO of the Minnesota Pork Producers Association. He says farmers made some quick adaptations--they converted older buildings into additional housing for hogs, fed the animals low-energy rations that kept them from gaining weight rapidly, and sent some of their animals to local butcher shops. Others hogs were shipped halfway across the country, from Minnesota to Pennsylvania or California, to processing plants that could handle them.
Minnesota's Board of Animal Health acquired two 80-acre sites that could be used to compost truckloads of hogs. As of May 29, the sites had accepted 17,058 hog carcasses. They could handle many more. Perhaps 100,000 to 150,000 carcasses have been trucked to rendering plants, which convert them into basic materials like grease and protein powder.
In Iowa, the state is offering financial help to farmers who need to euthanize hogs. Farmers applied for funding to dispose of about 25,000 animals but have not yet told the state how many of them actually were euthanized. In mid-May, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig told Iowa Public Radio that farmers in his state had been forced to kill fewer than 5,000 market-ready hogs so far.
Hog industry officials say they've heard of few cases of euthanized hogs in other major pork-producing states.
At the moment, the crisis appears to be ebbing. Most pork plants have resumed production, but Preisler says "it's too early to tell" whether farmers will be forced to kill more of their pigs. The plants, he says, are running at about 82 percent of their normal capacity, "but if we stay there, that's not good enough" to handle the backlog of hogs on farms.


npr--2020-06-04--Mourners Gather Nationwide After Memorial Service For George Floyd

Updated at 3:00 a.m .
ET Friday Protesters poured into streets again across the nation to honor George Floyd following a memorial service in Minneapolis .
Demonstrations have taken place every day since Floyd 's death last week after a police officer pressed a knee into his neck while detaining him .
`` When I stood at that spot , the reason it got to me is that George Floyd 's story has been the story of black folks , '' the Rev .
Al Sharpton , who delivered Floyd 's eulogy , said .
`` Because ever since 401 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never be who we wanted and dreamed of being is you kept your knee on our neck . ''
Sharpton said he and Floyd 's family will organize a march in the nation 's capital in August to demand equality in policing .
Floyd 's memorial came one day after new charges were brought against Derek Chauvin , the former police officer who was videotaped pinning Floyd to the ground , and three other officers who were present .
Chauvin was charged with second-degree murder .
The other three were charged with aiding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bail at $ 1 million each for the three officers .
In Buffalo , N.Y. , two officers , in a line of dozens walking to clear demonstrators near City Hall after curfew , shoved an unidentified man in an incident caught in a graphic video .
The man lost his balance and fell , hitting his head on the ground and bleeding while officers marched by , until medics took him to an ambulance .
The full extent of the man 's injuries was still unclear on Thursday night .
Erie County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the 75-year-old man , whose name was not released , was in stable condition .
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown issued a statement saying the two officers had been suspended without pay .
The incident took place after an hours-long stand-off in Niagara Square between protesters and police officers in tactical gear ended , according to local reports .
Five people were arrested at the Buffalo demonstration Thursday .
In Brooklyn , Manhattan and the Bronx , peaceful protesters were still demonstrating at the city 's 8 p.m. curfew .
In Manhattan and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night fell , wielding batons and making arrests .
The New York Times reports at least 10 demonstrators were arrested in Manhattan .
A thunderstorm in the nation 's capital deterred some protesters , but many remained on the streets for a seventh consecutive day .
It was the first night since Saturday that a curfew was not imposed on the city .
D.C. Police reported no arrests Thursday evening in relation to the protests .
Two military personnel were taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries after it was reported they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lightning strike , according to a spokesman for D.C. Fire and EMS .
Hundreds of protesters knelt with their fists in the air at the Lincoln Memorial earlier in the day .
Kanye West joined marchers on the city 's South Side as they marched toward Chicago Police Department headquarters .
Photos show the rapper in a black hoodie and mask surrounded by protesters .
The march was led by youth organizers calling for the removal of police from schools .
A representative for the rapper told Variety that West had donated $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arbery , Breonna Taylor and George Floyd and that he has established a college fund for Floyd 's daughter Gianna .
Chicago 's Civilian Office of Police Accountability has launched an investigation after a woman said officers dragged her out of a car and placed a knee on her .
Mia Wright said she and her family were shopping for a birthday party when the incident took place Sunday at Brickyard Mall .
Cook County State 's Attorney Kim Foxx released a statement , saying a `` thorough , independent review '' of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were taking place at the mall on Sunday , according to police .
In a statement to the Chicago Sun-Times , police said Wright `` was observed by responding officers assembled with 3 or more persons for the purpose of using force or violence to disturb the peace . ''
Counties across California including Los Angeles , Oakland and Alameda have lifted curfews as peaceful protests continue .
L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villaneuva cited `` current situational awareness and the recent pattern of peaceful actions by protesters '' behind the agency 's decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could individually enforce curfews .
A large caravan drove through San Francisco in a demonstration against police violence .
One witness said he observed more than 300 cars taking part in the demonstration .

Police Injure Protester In Buffalo As Demonstrations Continue Nationwide
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tyrone Turner/WAMU Tyrone Turner/WAMU
Updated at 3 a.m. ET Friday
Protesters poured into streets again across the nation to honor George Floyd following a memorial service in Minneapolis. Demonstrations have taken place every day since Floyd's death last week after a police officer pressed a knee into his neck while detaining him.
"When I stood at that spot, the reason it got to me is that George Floyd's story has been the story of black folks," the Rev. Al Sharpton, who delivered Floyd's eulogy, said. "Because ever since 401 years ago, the reason we could never be who we wanted and dreamed of being is you kept your knee on our neck."
Sharpton said he and Floyd's family will organize a march in the nation's capital in August to demand equality in policing.
Floyd's memorial came one day after new charges were brought against Derek Chauvin, the now-former police officer who was videotaped pinning Floyd to the ground, and three other officers who were present. Chauvin was charged with second-degree murder. The other three were charged with aiding and abetting murder. A judge set bail at $1 million each for the three officers.
New York
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Minchillo/AP John Minchillo/AP
In Buffalo, two officers, in a line of dozens walking to clear demonstrators near City Hall after curfew, shoved an unidentified man in an incident caught in a graphic video.
The man lost his balance and fell, hitting his head on the ground and bleeding while officers marched by, until medics took him to an ambulance.
The full extent of the man's injuries was still unclear on Thursday night.
Erie County executive Mark Poloncarz said in a tweet that the 75-year-old man, whose name was not released, was in stable condition.
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown issued a statement saying the two officers had been suspended without pay.
The incident took place after an hours-long standoff in Niagara Square between protesters and police officers in tactical gear ended, according to local reports.
Five people were arrested at the Buffalo demonstration Thursday.
In Brooklyn, Manhattan and the Bronx, peaceful protesters were still demonstrating at New York City's 8 p.m. curfew.
In Manhattan and the Bronx, police officers moved aggressively as night fell, wielding batons and making arrests.
The New York Times reports that at least 10 demonstrators were arrested in Manhattan.
Washington, D.C.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tyrone Turner/WAMU Tyrone Turner/WAMU
A thunderstorm in the nation's capital deterred some protesters, but many remained on the streets for a seventh consecutive day.
It was the first night since Saturday that a curfew was not imposed on the city. D.C. Police reported no arrests Thursday evening in relation to the protests.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tyrone Turner/WAMU Tyrone Turner/WAMU
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tyrone Turner/WAMU Tyrone Turner/WAMU
Two military personnel were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after it was reported they "felt the effects" of a lightning strike, according to a spokesman for D.C. Fire and EMS.
Hundreds of protesters knelt with their fists in the air at the Lincoln Memorial earlier in the day.
Chicago
Kanye West joined marchers on the city's South Side as they headed toward Chicago Police Department headquarters. Photos show the rapper in a black hoodie and mask surrounded by protesters. The march was led by youth organizers calling for the removal of police from schools.
A representative for the rapper told Variety that West had donated $2 million to charities associated with Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd and that he has established a college fund for Floyd's daughter, Gianna.
Arbery was followed and fatally shot by white men while jogging in a Georgia neighborhood in February. Taylor was killed in her own apartment by police executing a no-knock warrant in March in Kentucky.
Chicago's Civilian Office of Police Accountability has launched an investigation after a woman said officers dragged her out of a car and placed a knee on her.
Mia Wright said she and her family were shopping for a birthday party when the incident took place Sunday at Brickyard Mall.
Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx released a statement, saying a "thorough, independent review" of the incident was underway.
Nonviolent protests were taking place at the mall on Sunday, according to police. In a statement to the Chicago Sun-Times, police said Wright "was observed by responding officers assembled with 3 or more persons for the purpose of using force or violence to disturb the peace."
California
Enlarge this image toggle caption Gregory Bull/AP Gregory Bull/AP
Counties across California including Los Angeles, Oakland and Alameda have lifted curfews as peaceful protests continue.
L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villaneuva cited "current situational awareness and the recent pattern of peaceful actions by protesters" behind the agency's decision. He said cities within the county could individually enforce curfews.
A large caravan drove through San Francisco in a demonstration against police violence. One witness said he observed more than 300 cars taking part in the demonstration.


npr--2020-06-04--Protesters Came Out Again In Washington, D.C. — And Some Stayed, Despite Thunderstorm

Protesters Came Out Again In Washington , D.C. — And Some Stayed , Despite Thunderstorm A thunderstorm dispersed many demonstrators @ @ @ @ @ killing and police brutality , for a seventh consecutive day , in Washington , D.C. @ @ @ @ @ But some protesters chanted `` We 're not leaving , '' and even danced in @ @ @ @ @ and the 7-foot metal face that surrounds its perimeter , despite heavy rains and lightning @ @ @ @ @ evening the District government did not impose a curfew .
The Washington Post reports that @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday police forces made no arrests , and there were no reports of damage or @ @ @ @ @ of demonstrations .
Again on Thursday , there were no major reports of violence or @ @ @ @ @ Earlier in the day , hundreds knelt at the Lincoln Memorial , and held their @ @ @ @ @ In days before , the memorial had a different look , as National Guard troops @ @ @ @ @ access .

Protesters Came Out Again In Washington, D.C. — And Some Stayed, Despite Thunderstorm
Enlarge this image toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP Evan Vucci/AP
A thunderstorm dispersed many demonstrators protesting against George Floyd's killing and police brutality, for a seventh consecutive day, in Washington, D.C., on Thursday evening.
But some protesters chanted "We're not leaving," and even danced in front of the White House and the 7-foot metal face that surrounds its perimeter, despite heavy rains and lightning.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tyrone Turner/WAMU Tyrone Turner/WAMU
It was the first evening the District government did not impose a curfew. The Washington Post reports that happened in part because on Wednesday police forces made no arrests, and there were no reports of damage or vandalism from that sixth day of demonstrations.
Again on Thursday, there were no major reports of violence or police and protester confrontations.
Earlier in the day, hundreds knelt at the Lincoln Memorial, and held their fists in their air.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tyrone Turner/WAMU Tyrone Turner/WAMU
In days before, the memorial had a different look, as National Guard troops stood across the steps blocking access.


npr--2020-06-04--Civil Rights Groups, Black Lives Matter Sue Trump Administration Over Protest Violence

Civil rights groups , including the American Civil Liberties Union and Lawyers ' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law , filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Trump administration and federal law enforcement agencies , saying they violated the constitutional rights of demonstrators who were violently evacuated out of a park Monday to clear the path for a photo op by President Trump .
Court documents accuse officers of conducting a coordinated and `` unprovoked charge into a crowd of demonstrators '' who had gathered across from the White House in Lafayette Park to protest the killing of George Floyd and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as well as broader systemic injustices perpetrated by law enforcement against black people in the United States .
`` What happened to our members Monday evening , here in the nation 's capital , was an affront to all our rights , '' said April Goggans , Core Organizer of Black Lives Matter D.C. , the lead plaintiff in the case .
As Trump held a press conference in the Rose Garden on Monday afternoon , he threatened to deploy the military to cities he said were besieged by violent protesters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solve the problem for them . ''
At the same time , U.S. Secret Service , U.S. Park Police , D.C. National Guard , and U.S. Military Police who had been stationed across the street , deployed chemical irritants and shot rubber bullets to disperse what had been a peaceful protest .
The confrontation took place well before the Washington , D.C. , curfew of 7 p.m .
ET .
At the conclusion of Trump 's news conference , he walked from the White House to St. John 's Church on the opposite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posed briefly for photographers , holding a Bible .
He was accompanied by Attorney General William Barr among others .
The basement of the historic church was damaged in a fire Sunday night .
The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on behalf of Black Lives Matter D.C. , and individual protesters who were in Lafayette Park on Monday evening .
It seeks an order barring officials , including Barr and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper from repeating the unlawful activities , and damages for the injuries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , law enforcement armed with military weaponry are responding with violence to people who are protesting police brutality , '' said Ben Wizner , director of the ACLU 's Speech , Privacy , and Technology Project .
`` The First Amendment right to protest is under attack , and we will not let this go unanswered .
This is the first of many lawsuits the ACLU intends to file across the country in response to police brutality against protesters , '' Wizner added .
Similar lawsuits are being filed in response to police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country in recent days .

Civil Rights Groups, Black Lives Matter Sue Trump Administration Over Protest Violence
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP Alex Brandon/AP
Civil rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union and Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Trump administration and federal law enforcement agencies, saying they violated the constitutional rights of demonstrators who were violently evacuated out of a park Monday to clear the path for a photo op by President Trump.
Court documents accuse officers of conducting a coordinated and "unprovoked charge into a crowd of demonstrators" who had gathered across from the White House in Lafayette Park to protest the killing of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of police, as well as broader systemic injustices perpetrated by law enforcement against black people in the United States.
"What happened to our members Monday evening, here in the nation's capital, was an affront to all our rights," said April Goggans, Core Organizer of Black Lives Matter D.C., the lead plaintiff in the case.
National Security Former Military Leaders Criticize Trump's Actions With Protesters Former Military Leaders Criticize Trump's Actions With Protesters Listen · 3:41 3:41
As Trump held a press conference in the Rose Garden on Monday afternoon, he threatened to deploy the military to cities he said were besieged by violent protesters, saying the armed forces would "quickly solve the problem for them."
At the same time, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Park Police, D.C. National Guard, and U.S. Military Police who had been stationed across the street, deployed chemical irritants and shot rubber bullets to disperse what had been a peaceful protest. The confrontation took place well before the Washington, D.C., curfew of 7 p.m. ET.
At the conclusion of Trump's news conference, he walked from the White House to St. John's Church on the opposite side of the park, where he posed briefly for photographers, holding a Bible. He was accompanied by Attorney General William Barr among others.
The basement of the historic church was damaged in a fire Sunday night.
The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on behalf of Black Lives Matter D.C., and individual protesters who were in Lafayette Park on Monday evening. It seeks an order barring officials, including Barr and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper from repeating the unlawful activities, and damages for the injuries plaintiffs sustained.
"Across the country, law enforcement armed with military weaponry are responding with violence to people who are protesting police brutality," said Ben Wizner, director of the ACLU's Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project.
"The First Amendment right to protest is under attack, and we will not let this go unanswered. This is the first of many lawsuits the ACLU intends to file across the country in response to police brutality against protesters," Wizner added.
Similar lawsuits are being filed in response to police attacks against journalists covering demonstrations across the country in recent days.


npr--2020-06-04--Facebook Begins Labeling 'State-Controlled' Media

Facebook has begun labeling content produced by media outlets it says are under state control , enacting a policy the social network first announced in October .
Pages and posts from at least 18 outlets including Russia Today , China 's People 's Daily and Iran 's Press TV now carry notices to users that they are `` state-controlled media . ''
Ads from state-controlled publishers will also be labeled starting later this year .
The labels will initially be shown to U.S. Facebook users and roll out to other countries over time .
`` We 're providing greater transparency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influence of a media organization with the strategic backing of a state , and we believe people should know if the news they read is coming from a publication that may be under the influence of a government , '' Nathaniel Gleicher , Facebook 's head of cybersecurity policy , wrote in a blog post .
Facebook will also begin barring state-controlled outlets from buying advertising in the U.S. later this summer .
Gleicher said that decision was `` out of an abundance of caution to provide an extra layer of protection against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public debate '' ahead of the 2020 presidential election .
He noted that these outlets `` rarely '' advertise in the U.S. Facebook is implementing the new policies at a time when it is also facing criticism for a hands-off approach to inflammatory posts by President Trump and reluctance to fact-check political advertising on its platform .
Civil rights groups , Democrats and the company 's own employees have called for CEO Mark Zuckerberg to hold Trump accountable for posts that critics say break Facebook 's rules against inciting violence and spreading false @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contrast , has begun labeling some of the president 's tweets .
In response , Trump last week signed an executive order attempting to strip online platforms of long-standing legal protections .
Facebook 's decision to flag state-controlled media is part of the company 's broader effort to avoid a repeat of 2016 , when the company failed to curb misinformation and foreign interference in the U.S. presidential election .
Gleicher said Facebook uses a number of factors to determine whether a media outlet is under `` wholly or partially under the editorial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ includes who owns it , how it is funded , transparency about sourcing , and governance and accountability processes such as corrections policies and oversight boards .
A publisher could receive government funding but still be deemed by Facebook to be independent .
Media outlets also have the option to appeal Facebook 's label .

Facebook Begins Labeling 'State-Controlled' Media
Enlarge this image toggle caption Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images
Facebook has begun labeling content produced by media outlets it says are under state control, enacting a policy the social network first announced in October.
Pages and posts from at least 18 outlets including Russia Today, China's People's Daily and Iran's Press TV now carry notices to users that they are "state-controlled media." Ads from state-controlled publishers will also be labeled starting later this year. The labels will initially be shown to U.S. Facebook users and roll out to other countries over time.
"We're providing greater transparency into these publishers because they combine the influence of a media organization with the strategic backing of a state, and we believe people should know if the news they read is coming from a publication that may be under the influence of a government," Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook's head of cybersecurity policy, wrote in a blog post.
Facebook will also begin barring state-controlled outlets from buying advertising in the U.S. later this summer. Gleicher said that decision was "out of an abundance of caution to provide an extra layer of protection against various types of foreign influence in the public debate" ahead of the 2020 presidential election. He noted that these outlets "rarely" advertise in the U.S.
Facebook is implementing the new policies at a time when it is also facing criticism for a hands-off approach to inflammatory posts by President Trump and reluctance to fact-check political advertising on its platform.
Civil rights groups, Democrats and the company's own employees have called for CEO Mark Zuckerberg to hold Trump accountable for posts that critics say break Facebook's rules against inciting violence and spreading false information about voting.
Twitter, in contrast, has begun labeling some of the president's tweets. In response, Trump last week signed an executive order attempting to strip online platforms of long-standing legal protections.
Facebook's decision to flag state-controlled media is part of the company's broader effort to avoid a repeat of 2016, when the company failed to curb misinformation and foreign interference in the U.S. presidential election.
Gleicher said Facebook uses a number of factors to determine whether a media outlet is under "wholly or partially under the editorial control of a government." That includes who owns it, how it is funded, transparency about sourcing, and governance and accountability processes such as corrections policies and oversight boards.
A publisher could receive government funding but still be deemed by Facebook to be independent. Media outlets also have the option to appeal Facebook's label.


npr--2020-06-05--Belgians Target Some Royal Monuments In Black Lives Matter Protest

As momentum from the Black Lives Matter movement continues to amplify around the world , activists in Belgium hope the winds of change will be enough to finally topple a controversial monarch off his multiple perches .
Statues of King Leopold II , who oversaw the brutal colonization and exploitation of Congo , have been vandalized in different cities around the country all week .
In Ghent , a bust honoring the man blamed for causing the deaths and disfigurement of millions of Congolese was defaced , splashed in red paint and covered with a hood bearing the now iconic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Efforts have failed in the past to have Leopold II monuments removed .
But this week a petition calling for Brussels to be rid of such royal remembrances is garnering more than 10,000 signatures per day .
It will stay online until June 30 , the 60th anniversary of Congo 's independence from Belgium .
With a Congolese mother , Brända Audimba grew up in the shadow of the Leopold II statues knowing the destruction he had wrought on her own ancestors .
Every time she passes one , she says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30-year-old engineer has taken part in demonstrations before , trying to get the statues removed , but she says they attracted `` really only a few people . ''
Now it 's different .
Audimba is now part of a large group forming an unofficial Black Lives Matter movement made up of several organizations , with a demonstration in honor of George Floyd scheduled for Sunday .
She believes the massive amount of attention racial inequality is getting now may be just what changes authorities ' minds about continuing to honor the legacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ awareness is growing , '' she said , `` and people are not afraid anymore to see how disturbing it is to have a statue of this king who has done so much wrong . ''
Sarah Van Genechten is among those who signed the petition .
Studying history at the University of Leuven , she specialized in Belgium 's colonial past and came to see Leopold II as `` one of the greatest mass murderers in history . ''
Besides hoping the offending statues will be removed , Van Genechten would like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what he did and the consequences it had for the Congolese '' so people are educated about why the statues ' status had to change .
Brända Audimba says she 's looking forward to seeing more public areas named after people she considers heroes , like Patrice Lumumba , who helped lead Congo to independence from Belgium in 1960 .
So far , he 's got a small downtown square in Brussels , dedicated in 2018 .

Belgians Target Some Royal Monuments In Black Lives Matter Protest
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jonas Roosens/Belga/AFP via Getty Images Jonas Roosens/Belga/AFP via Getty Images
As momentum from the Black Lives Matter movement continues to amplify around the world, activists in Belgium hope the winds of change will be enough to finally topple a controversial monarch off his multiple perches.
Statues of King Leopold II, who oversaw the brutal colonization and exploitation of Congo, have been vandalized in different cities around the country all week. In Ghent, a bust honoring the man blamed for causing the deaths and disfigurement of millions of Congolese was defaced, splashed in red paint and covered with a hood bearing the now iconic phrase: "I can't breathe."
Efforts have failed in the past to have Leopold II monuments removed. But this week a petition calling for Brussels to be rid of such royal remembrances is garnering more than 10,000 signatures per day. It will stay online until June 30, the 60th anniversary of Congo's independence from Belgium.
With a Congolese mother, Brända Audimba grew up in the shadow of the Leopold II statues knowing the destruction he had wrought on her own ancestors. Every time she passes one, she says, "it hurts." The 30-year-old engineer has taken part in demonstrations before, trying to get the statues removed, but she says they attracted "really only a few people." Now it's different.
Audimba is now part of a large group forming an unofficial Black Lives Matter movement made up of several organizations, with a demonstration in honor of George Floyd scheduled for Sunday.
She believes the massive amount of attention racial inequality is getting now may be just what changes authorities' minds about continuing to honor the legacy of Leopold II. "I think awareness is growing," she said, "and people are not afraid anymore to see how disturbing it is to have a statue of this king who has done so much wrong."
Sarah Van Genechten is among those who signed the petition. Studying history at the University of Leuven, she specialized in Belgium's colonial past and came to see Leopold II as "one of the greatest mass murderers in history." Besides hoping the offending statues will be removed, Van Genechten would like to see a public reevaluation of "what he did and the consequences it had for the Congolese" so people are educated about why the statues' status had to change.
Brända Audimba says she's looking forward to seeing more public areas named after people she considers heroes, like Patrice Lumumba, who helped lead Congo to independence from Belgium in 1960. So far, he's got a small downtown square in Brussels, dedicated in 2018.


npr--2020-06-05--NFL On Kneeling Players' Protests: 'We Were Wrong,' Commissioner Says

NFL On Kneeling Players ' Protests : 'We Were Wrong , ' Commissioner Says NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Friday the NFL admits that `` we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest . ''
The statement , made in a video over Twitter , comes a day after nearly 20 players called on the NFL to take a stronger stance amid a nationwide protest of police brutality against black people .
`` We , the NFL , condemn racism and the systematic oppression of Black People .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest .
We , the NFL , believe Black Lives Matter , '' the NFL said .
The league 's statement makes no reference to former San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick , who has been the most visible protester within the NFL against police brutality and racial inequality in the United States .
Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem before games in 2016 .
The peaceful protest was intended to focus attention on police violence against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's protests gained momentum , it also drew the ire of President Trump and others , and eventually ended the Super Bowl quarterback 's career the next season .
The issue was thrust into the public spotlight once again this week after one of the NFL 's most high-profile players , New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees , spoke up , saying he did n't support players kneeling during the national anthem .
During an interview Wednesday with Yahoo Finance , Brees said that he will `` never agree with anybody disrespecting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Brees , who is white , discussed patriotism and referred to his grandfathers , who fought in World War II .
He also said standing for the national anthem with a hand over one 's heart shows `` unity and shows we are all in this together . ''
The quarterback 's comments drew swift and rapid condemnation , and he apologized the next day .
Trump weighed in on the backlash Friday morning , slamming Brees for apologizing .
`` He should not have taken back his original stance on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GLORY is to be revered , cherished , and flown high , '' Trump tweeted .

NFL On Kneeling Players' Protests: 'We Were Wrong,' Commissioner Says
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ted S. Warren/AP Ted S. Warren/AP
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Friday the NFL admits that "we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest."
The statement, made in a video over Twitter, comes a day after nearly 20 players called on the NFL to take a stronger stance amid a nationwide protest of police brutality against black people.
"We, the NFL, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of Black People. We, the NFL, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. We, the NFL, believe Black Lives Matter," the NFL said.
The league's statement makes no reference to former San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who has been the most visible protester within the NFL against police brutality and racial inequality in the United States.
Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem before games in 2016. The peaceful protest was intended to focus attention on police violence against minorities and social inequality. As Kaepernick's protests gained momentum, it also drew the ire of President Trump and others, and eventually ended the Super Bowl quarterback's career the next season.
The issue was thrust into the public spotlight once again this week after one of the NFL's most high-profile players, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, spoke up, saying he didn't support players kneeling during the national anthem.
During an interview Wednesday with Yahoo Finance, Brees said that he will "never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America."
Brees, who is white, discussed patriotism and referred to his grandfathers, who fought in World War II. He also said standing for the national anthem with a hand over one's heart shows "unity and shows we are all in this together."
The quarterback's comments drew swift and rapid condemnation, and he apologized the next day.
Trump weighed in on the backlash Friday morning, slamming Brees for apologizing.
"He should not have taken back his original stance on honoring our magnificent American Flag. OLD GLORY is to be revered, cherished, and flown high," Trump tweeted.


npr--2020-06-05--Manhattan D.A. Declines To Prosecute Some Demonstrators Who Violate Curfew

Manhattan D.A .
Declines To Prosecute Some Demonstrators Who Violate Curfew Manhattan 's district attorney will not prosecute protesters arrested for breaking the city 's curfew during the ongoing demonstrations against police brutality and the killing of George Floyd .
District Attorney Cyrus Vance made the announcement Friday , saying the previous policy allowed people to have the low-level offenses dismissed within six months .
But the new plan is `` designed to minimize unnecessary interactions with the criminal justice system , reduce racial disparities and collateral consequences in low-level offense prosecutions . ''
`` The prosecution of protestors charged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between law enforcement and the communities we serve , '' Vance said in a statement .
He added the nation is at a crossroads following Floyd 's death at the hands of law enforcement officers .
`` Our office has a moral imperative to enact public policies which assure all New Yorkers that in our justice system and our society , black lives matter and police violence is a crime , '' he said .
Vance said , `` If evidence emerges that any individuals personally participated in violence against police officers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be charged with appropriate crimes . ''
Hundreds of protesters have been arrested since the demonstrations began .

Manhattan D.A. Declines To Prosecute Some Demonstrators Who Violate Curfew
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Minchillo/AP John Minchillo/AP
Manhattan's district attorney will not prosecute protesters arrested for breaking the city's curfew during the ongoing demonstrations against police brutality and the killing of George Floyd.
District Attorney Cyrus Vance made the announcement Friday, saying the previous policy allowed people to have the low-level offenses dismissed within six months.
But the new plan is "designed to minimize unnecessary interactions with the criminal justice system, reduce racial disparities and collateral consequences in low-level offense prosecutions."
"The prosecution of protestors charged with these low-level offenses undermines critical bonds between law enforcement and the communities we serve," Vance said in a statement.
He added the nation is at a crossroads following Floyd's death at the hands of law enforcement officers.
"Our office has a moral imperative to enact public policies which assure all New Yorkers that in our justice system and our society, black lives matter and police violence is a crime," he said.
Vance said, "If evidence emerges that any individuals personally participated in violence against police officers, destruction, or looting, such individuals will be charged with appropriate crimes."
Hundreds of protesters have been arrested since the demonstrations began.


npr--2020-06-05--2 Uncles And A 'Doorway To Imagination' Spread Love On Social Media

2 Uncles And A 'Doorway To Imagination ' Spread Love On Social Media OK America , we see your sourdough starters , and your Duolingo sessions and your new cross-stitch hobby , and we raise you a Doorway to Imagination .
That 's the backyard branch and wood art piece that David North built with all his social distancing-created free time .
His niece Kimberly Adams , a correspondent for the public radio show Marketplace , tweeted about it .
At a time when the heavy news keeps coming , people fell hard for the doorway and for `` Uncle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North and his creation quickly racked up tens of thousands of likes and retweets .
When he gave NPR a virtual tour of his rural Maryland home Friday morning , his roosters crowed in the background .
North says he 's always liked tinkering in the yard .
When North 's husband faced some health issues in the last few years , tackling backyard projects helped him cope with the stress .
`` I found some old wood behind one of our sheds , and for some reason I thought of : 'Let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` he says .
`` It does n't really open , but it looks like a door . ''
The structure looks like something you 'd find in a secret garden or a little hut in the forest .
`` It looks kind of surreal , '' he says .
`` The doorway being dark kind of draws you in .
I did n't know it was going to end up being declared a piece of art . ''
North says this project is an act of catharsis — not escape .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems that happen in our lives and doing something constructive with it — processing it , '' he says .
`` I feel creativity is a way to process it in constructive , productive , positive ways . ''
David North and his husband , also named David , both sport big white fluffy beards .
And for the past 30 years they 've coordinated matching outfits .
They 're an interracial couple and say they 're both frustrated by the injustices that have taken center stage in the news this week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ like white privilege .
`` And it 's not an argument , '' North says .
`` It 's things that we can discuss because we love one another .
And love has a way of dispelling fear .
The work of love is more than just the people that we know , but even the people that we do n't know — that we all deserve love .
We all deserve respect . ''
North says that 's the message he hopes he can spread through his new social media fame .

2 Uncles And A 'Doorway To Imagination' Spread Love On Social Media
Enlarge this image toggle caption David North David North
OK America, we see your sourdough starters, and your Duolingo sessions and your new cross-stitch hobby, and we raise you a Doorway to Imagination.
That's the backyard branch and wood art piece that David North built with all his social distancing-created free time.
His niece Kimberly Adams, a correspondent for the public radio show Marketplace, tweeted about it.
At a time when the heavy news keeps coming, people fell hard for the doorway and for "Uncle David" himself. The tweets about North and his creation quickly racked up tens of thousands of likes and retweets.
When he gave NPR a virtual tour of his rural Maryland home Friday morning, his roosters crowed in the background. North says he's always liked tinkering in the yard. When North's husband faced some health issues in the last few years, tackling backyard projects helped him cope with the stress.
Enlarge this image toggle caption David North David North
"I found some old wood behind one of our sheds, and for some reason I thought of: 'Let me build myself a door,' " he says. "It doesn't really open, but it looks like a door."
The structure looks like something you'd find in a secret garden or a little hut in the forest.
"It looks kind of surreal," he says. "The doorway being dark kind of draws you in. I didn't know it was going to end up being declared a piece of art."
North says this project is an act of catharsis — not escape.
"Catharsis is accepting the realities of the problems that happen in our lives and doing something constructive with it — processing it," he says. "I feel creativity is a way to process it in constructive, productive, positive ways."
Since you all love my Uncle David so much, here he is with his husband, my other Uncle David, who makes an amazing butterscotch raspberry pudding. pic.twitter.com/fGFdxOgLRU — Kimberly Adams (@KAreports) May 26, 2020
David North and his husband, also named David, both sport big white fluffy beards. And for the past 30 years they've coordinated matching outfits.
They're an interracial couple and say they're both frustrated by the injustices that have taken center stage in the news this week. They've taken time to discuss concepts like white privilege.
"And it's not an argument," North says. "It's things that we can discuss because we love one another. And love has a way of dispelling fear. The work of love is more than just the people that we know, but even the people that we don't know — that we all deserve love. We all deserve respect."
North says that's the message he hopes he can spread through his new social media fame.


npr--2020-06-05--Active Duty Troops On Standby Outside Washington, D.C., Being Sent Back To Home Bases

Active Duty Troops On Standby Outside Washington , D.C. , Being Sent Back To Home Bases All of the approximately 1,600 active duty soldiers who were airlifted to military bases near Washington , D.C. , earlier this week are being ordered back to their home postings , according the Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy .
The troops were mobilized to be deployed in the nation 's capital if President Trump invoked the 1807 Insurrection Act , as he had threatened to do in a White House Rose Garden statement he made Monday evening .
Although the mobilized soldiers never entered the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show of force by federal authorities in response to demonstrations triggered by the May 24 death of a black Minneapolis man , George Floyd , after a white policeman pushed a knee on his neck for more than eight minutes .
Some 700 of the mobilized troops from the 82nd Airborne Division already went back to their base at Fort Bragg , N.C. , on Thursday .
The remaining 900 were expected to leave bases in Maryland and Virginia `` as soon as possible '' for Fort Bragg and Fort Drum , N.Y. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday , but Defense Secretary Mark Esper reversed a departure order from Army Secretary McCarthy after meeting Wednesday afternoon with the president .
The defense secretary had publicly declared earlier Wednesday that he did not support invoking the Insurrection Act , which authorizes the use of federal troops for domestic disturbances .
`` The option to use active-duty forces in a law enforcement role should only be used as a matter of last resort , and only in the most urgent and dire of situations , '' Esper told reporters at the Pentagon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those situations now . ''
Esper had come under fire for advising state governors in a Monday conference call with Trump to `` occupy the battle space '' while dealing with protesters .
He was also criticized for accompanying Trump in a walk that evening across Lafayette Square , where protesters who had been peacefully occupying that park adjacent to the White House had just been violently ousted by riot police .
On Friday , hundreds of former national security officials , diplomats and retired military flag officers signed a strongly worded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the military to squelch protests .
`` Many of us served across the globe , including in war zones , diplomats and military officers working side by side to advance American interests and values , '' wrote the signatories , among them former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovich and 21 retired generals .
`` We called out violations of human rights and the authoritarian regimes that deployed their military against their own citizens . ''
`` There is no role for the U.S. military in dealing with American citizens exercising their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncomfortable that speech may be for some , '' the statement concluded .
`` Ultimately , the issues that have driven the protests can not be addressed by our military . ''
During an appearance Friday in the Rose Garden where Trump spoke for several minutes about the ongoing protests , he did not repeat his earlier threat to deploy active duty military forces to states .
`` I hope they also use our National Guard , call me , we 'll be for them so fast their heads will spin , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have exclusive authority to deploy their National Guard forces .
`` You have to dominate the streets , you ca n't let what 's happening happen . ''
Because Washington , D.C. , is the only place in the nation that has no governor , Trump has been able to deploy Guard units there from other parts of the country as well as from the District of Columbia .
In a letter sent to Trump Thursday evening , Washington , D.C. , Mayor Muriel Bowser objected to the ongoing deployment of more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city .
`` I am requesting that you withdraw all extraordinary federal law enforcement and military presence from Washington , D.C. , '' Bowser wrote .
`` We are well equipped to handle large demonstrations and First Amendment activities . ''

Active Duty Troops On Standby Outside Washington, D.C., Being Sent Back To Home Bases
All of the approximately 1,600 active duty soldiers who were airlifted to military bases near Washington, D.C., earlier this week are being ordered back to their home postings, according the Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy.
The troops were mobilized to be deployed in the nation's capital if President Trump invoked the 1807 Insurrection Act, as he had threatened to do in a White House Rose Garden statement he made Monday evening.
Although the mobilized soldiers never entered the capital, they were part of a show of force by federal authorities in response to demonstrations triggered by the May 24 death of a black Minneapolis man, George Floyd, after a white policeman pushed a knee on his neck for more than eight minutes.
Some 700 of the mobilized troops from the 82nd Airborne Division already went back to their base at Fort Bragg, N.C., on Thursday. The remaining 900 were expected to leave bases in Maryland and Virginia "as soon as possible" for Fort Bragg and Fort Drum, N.Y.
Their return was to have started on Wednesday, but Defense Secretary Mark Esper reversed a departure order from Army Secretary McCarthy after meeting Wednesday afternoon with the president.
The defense secretary had publicly declared earlier Wednesday that he did not support invoking the Insurrection Act, which authorizes the use of federal troops for domestic disturbances.
"The option to use active-duty forces in a law enforcement role should only be used as a matter of last resort, and only in the most urgent and dire of situations," Esper told reporters at the Pentagon. "We are not in one of those situations now."
Esper had come under fire for advising state governors in a Monday conference call with Trump to "occupy the battle space" while dealing with protesters. He was also criticized for accompanying Trump in a walk that evening across Lafayette Square, where protesters who had been peacefully occupying that park adjacent to the White House had just been violently ousted by riot police.
On Friday, hundreds of former national security officials, diplomats and retired military flag officers signed a strongly worded statement denouncing Trump's calls for using of the military to squelch protests.
"Many of us served across the globe, including in war zones, diplomats and military officers working side by side to advance American interests and values," wrote the signatories, among them former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovich and 21 retired generals. "We called out violations of human rights and the authoritarian regimes that deployed their military against their own citizens."
"There is no role for the U.S. military in dealing with American citizens exercising their constitutional right to free speech, however uncomfortable that speech may be for some," the statement concluded. "Ultimately, the issues that have driven the protests cannot be addressed by our military."
During an appearance Friday in the Rose Garden where Trump spoke for several minutes about the ongoing protests, he did not repeat his earlier threat to deploy active duty military forces to states.
"I hope they also use our National Guard, call me, we'll be for them so fast their heads will spin," Trump said, referring to state governors who have exclusive authority to deploy their National Guard forces. "You have to dominate the streets, you can't let what's happening happen."
Because Washington, D.C., is the only place in the nation that has no governor, Trump has been able to deploy Guard units there from other parts of the country as well as from the District of Columbia.
In a letter sent to Trump Thursday evening, Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser objected to the ongoing deployment of more than 2,000 National Guard troops in the city.
"I am requesting that you withdraw all extraordinary federal law enforcement and military presence from Washington, D.C.," Bowser wrote. "We are well equipped to handle large demonstrations and First Amendment activities."


npr--2020-06-05--New Coronavirus Hot Spots Emerge Across South And In California, As Northeast Slows

New Coronavirus Hot Spots Emerge Across South And In California , As Northeast Slows Mass protests against police violence across the U.S. have public health officials concerned about an accelerated spread of the coronavirus .
But even before the protests began May 26 , sparked by the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis , several states had been recording big jumps in the number of cases .
The head of the CDC , Dr. Robert Redfield , registered his concern at a congressional hearing Thursday .
He shook his head as a congresswoman showed him photos of throngs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ozarks over Memorial Day weekend , and crowds in Florida that had assembled to watch the May 30 launch of the SpaceX Dragon crew capsule .
`` We 're very concerned that our public health message is n't resonating , '' Redfield said .
`` We continue to try to figure out how to penetrate the message with different groups .
The pictures the chairwoman showed me are great examples of serious problems . ''
The U.S. is still seeing roughly 20,000 new cases a day .
There 's a wide range state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , on average , last week in Hawaii all the way up to to 2,614 new cases a day in California .
Specific areas in the Golden State have become hot spots , along with certain counties in every southern state .
The northeastern states of New York , New Jersey and Massachusetts — which among them accounted for a quarter of all COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. , are seeing a substantial slowing of new cases .
A closer look at these hard-hit areas highlights some of the common and unique @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and begin efforts to re-open the economy amid the risks of more disease and death .
Tennessee and the Carolinas among southern states showing jumps In the South , the timing of new cases appear linked to the reopening of restaurants , barber shops and gyms , which started in most states more than a month ago .
Figures tracked by NPR show the number of cases in North Carolina and South Carolina this week is up by roughly 60 % from two weeks ago .
In Tennessee , that increase is 75 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but they experienced some of the highest cases counts and fatalities in the region in recent weeks , at the height of the pandemic .
In Southern states that were quick to reopen , officials sometimes felt the need to explain big increases in case counts on some days .
In Georgia , for example , a state health official said a big one-day increase was because of a backlog of reporting cases from a commercial lab .
In Tennessee this week , a daily jump of 800 cases was blamed partially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 350 new positive test results .
In California , counties are continuing to allow businesses to reopen even as newly confirmed coronavirus cases continue to climb .
The state experienced a 40 percent jump in cases over the last week .
Large metro areas like Los Angeles and San Francisco have gradually lifted restrictions and Californians have responded by traveling to beaches and neighboring areas , blurring the effectiveness of the varying degrees of restrictions between adjacent counties .
Los Angeles County , home to more than 10 million people , has the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Numbers tracked by NPR show that , on average , health officials report around 1,300 new cases daily .
The county has blamed slow lab results for a backlog , while acknowledging that community transmission has been ticking up , especially among communities of color .
In the Northeast , where New York City became the U.S. epicenter of the pandemic for weeks , there are still thousands of new cases every day , although the rate of increase has slowed .
It 's down 41 % in New Jersey over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in New York and down 13 % in Massachusetts .
But health officials caution that does n't mean the coronavirus is under control in these three states .
New York is still seeing more than 1,000 new cases a day ; over the past week , Massachusetts averaged just over 500 a day and New Jersey had close to 800 .
In Los Angeles , elderly people , particularly those who live in nursing homes have been disproportionately impacted .
Almost half the people who have died from COVID-19 in the county were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were slow to test for the virus in nursing homes , and recent data reported by the health department shows that two-thirds of the Lost Angeles County health care workers who died from the virus worked in nursing homes .
People of color have been disproportionately affected in California , as elsewhere : Latinos make up over half of the COVID-19 cases in California , where they are about 40 percent of the state 's population .
In Los Angeles County , the highest COVID death rates have been among native Hawaiians , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have an increased risk of developing underlying health conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes , making them more likely to develop a more severe illness if infected with the virus .
In Tennessee , which has one of the nation 's fastest growing case counts , neighborhoods that are home to large immigrant populations have emerged as persistent hot spots .
Nashville 's public health department has hired specialized community outreach workers , in partnership with immigrant advocacy organizations , to conduct contact tracing and link families up with coronavirus testing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ something different , and that 's what we 're doing now , '' says Leslie Waller , a city epidemiologist who oversees the project .
Waller acknowledges that many of the people at risk work in jobs that have been deemed essential or own businesses that ca n't be run remotely .
Public health officials also express concern that co-workers in close-knit immigrant communities often carpool to the same jobs , and some job sites have experienced large outbreaks .
But in southern states , rising case counts have not slowed the momentum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday , Tennessee announced additional loosening of restrictions for community events , allowing fairs , expos and parades .
Instead of limiting the number of people who can gather , the focus has shifted to ensuring everyone can maintain social distance .
`` Thanks to the continued hard work of Tennesseans and business owners operating responsibly , we 're able to further reopen our state 's economy , '' Tennessee Gov .
Bill Lee said in a written statement .
`` These new guidelines provide useful information so that we can enjoy the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and communities . ''
There 's virtually no public discussion of reinstating business restrictions , so long as hospitals can handle any uptick in illness .
Northeast states take a slower , more cautious approach to reopening Some states in the Northeast have found ways to bring down infection rates , though many of them have put much stricter rules on businesses and public spaces .
You still ca n't sit down in a restaurant in New York City or anywhere in Massachusetts and New Jersey .
That may be allowed in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These states are all still in the early stages of reopening , after residents were told to stay home for almost two months and all but the most essential businesses were closed .
While most states do not have broad requirements for face coverings , rules requiring them are more common in the Northeast .
In Massachusetts , some kind of face covering is required indoors and outside , if you ca n't stay at least 6 feet away from other people .
In New York and New Jersey , masks are required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trains .
Within some states , counties have varying rules , which can cause confusion .
In Los Angeles County , health officials made cloth face coverings mandatory at all times when outside your home , while San Diego County only requires masks when you are within 6 feet of another person .
Residents everywhere are chafing at the rules , but in the hardest-hit states , there 's a wider acceptance of social-distancing rules .
A poll out last week found twice as many New York residents were worried about opening too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were worried about it happening too slowly .
Polls in New Jersey and Massachusetts also have shown better than majority support for gradual , phased openings .
This story comes from NPR 's reporting partnership with WBUR , Nashville Public Radio , Southern California Public Radio and Kaiser Health News .

New Coronavirus Hot Spots Emerge Across South And In California, As Northeast Slows
Enlarge this image toggle caption Al Seib/LA Times via Getty Images Al Seib/LA Times via Getty Images
Mass protests against police violence across the U.S. have public health officials concerned about an accelerated spread of the coronavirus. But even before the protests began May 26, sparked by the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, several states had been recording big jumps in the number of cases.
The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Robert Redfield, registered his concern at a congressional hearing Thursday. He shook his head as a congresswoman showed him photos of throngs of people at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri over Memorial Day weekend and crowds in Florida that had assembled to watch the May 30 launch of the SpaceX Dragon crew capsule.
"We're very concerned that our public health message isn't resonating," Redfield said. "We continue to try to figure out how to penetrate the message with different groups. The pictures the chairwoman showed me are great examples of serious problems."
The U.S. is still seeing roughly 20,000 new cases a day. There's a wide range from state to state, from one case a day, on average, last week in Hawaii all the way up to to 2,614 new cases a day in California. Specific areas in the Golden State have become hot spots, along with certain counties in every Southern state.
The northeastern states of New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts — which among them accounted for a quarter of all COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. — are seeing a substantial slowing of new cases.
A closer look at these hard-hit areas highlights some of the common and unique challenges states face as they manage protests and begin efforts to reopen the economy amid the risks of more disease and death.
Tennessee and the Carolinas among Southern states showing jumps
In the South, the timing of new cases appears to be linked to the reopening of restaurants, barber shops and gyms, which started in most states more than a month ago. Figures tracked by NPR show the number of cases in North Carolina and South Carolina this week is up by roughly 60% from two weeks ago. In Tennessee, that increase is 75%.
Georgia and Louisiana look steadier, but they experienced some of the highest cases counts and fatalities in the region in recent weeks, at the height of the pandemic.
In Southern states that were quick to reopen, officials sometimes felt the need to explain big increases in case counts on some days. In Georgia, for example, a state health official said a big one-day increase was because of a backlog of reporting cases from a commercial lab. In Tennessee this week, a daily jump of 800 cases was blamed partially on an ongoing prison outbreak that yielded 350 new positive test results.
California case counts driven by populous Los Angeles County
In California, counties are continuing to allow businesses to reopen even as newly confirmed coronavirus cases climb. The state experienced a 40% jump in cases over the last week. Large metro areas like Los Angeles and San Francisco have gradually lifted restrictions and Californians have responded by traveling to beaches and neighboring areas, blurring the effectiveness of the varying degrees of restrictions between adjacent counties.
Los Angeles County, home to more than 10 million people, has the highest number of cases in the state. Numbers tracked by NPR show that, on average, health officials report around 1,300 new cases daily. The county has blamed slow lab results for a backlog, while acknowledging that community transmission has been ticking up, especially among communities of color.
In the Northeast, where New York City became the U.S. epicenter of the pandemic for weeks, there are still thousands of new cases every day, although the rate of increase has slowed. It's down 41% in New Jersey over the past two weeks, down 33% in New York and down 13% in Massachusetts. But health officials caution that doesn't mean the coronavirus is under control in these three states. New York is still seeing more than 1,000 new cases a day; over the past week, Massachusetts averaged just over 500 a day, and New Jersey had close to 800.
Ethnic disparities persist across the country
In Los Angeles, elderly people, particularly those who live in nursing homes have been disproportionately impacted. Almost half the people who have died from COVID-19 in the county were nursing home residents. County health officials were slow to test for the virus in nursing homes, and recent data reported by the health department shows that two-thirds of the Los Angeles County health care workers who died from the virus worked in nursing homes.
People of color have been disproportionately affected in California, as elsewhere: Latinos make up over half of the COVID-19 cases in California, where they are about 40% of the state's population. In Los Angeles County, the highest COVID death rates have been among native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders and black residents. Minorities have an increased risk of developing underlying health conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes, making them more likely to develop a more severe illness if infected with the virus.
In Tennessee, which has one of the nation's fastest-growing case counts, neighborhoods that are home to large immigrant populations have emerged as persistent hot spots. Nashville's public health department has hired specialized community outreach workers, in partnership with immigrant advocacy organizations, to conduct contact tracing and connect families with coronavirus testing.
"We knew we had to do something different, and that's what we're doing now," says Leslie Waller, a city epidemiologist who oversees the project.
Waller acknowledges that many of the people at risk work in jobs that have been deemed essential or own businesses that can't be run remotely. Public health officials also express concern that co-workers in close-knit immigrant communities often carpool to the same jobs, and some job sites have experienced large outbreaks.
But in Southern states, rising case counts have not slowed the momentum for further lifting of restrictions. On Thursday, Tennessee announced additional loosening of restrictions for community events, allowing fairs, expos and parades. Instead of limiting the number of people who can gather, the focus has shifted to ensuring everyone can maintain social distance.
"Thanks to the continued hard work of Tennesseans and business owners operating responsibly, we're able to further reopen our state's economy," Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said in a written statement. "These new guidelines provide useful information so that we can enjoy the events that connect us to our neighbors and communities."
There's virtually no public discussion of reinstating business restrictions, so long as hospitals can handle any uptick in illness.
Northeast states take a slower, more cautious approach to reopening
Some states in the Northeast have found ways to bring down infection rates, though many of them have put much stricter rules on businesses and public spaces.
You still can't sit down in a restaurant in New York City or anywhere in Massachusetts and New Jersey. That may be allowed in the coming weeks, but only outdoors. These states are all still in the early stages of reopening, after residents were told to stay home for almost two months and all but the most essential businesses were closed.
While most states do not have broad requirements for face coverings, rules requiring them are more common in the Northeast. In Massachusetts, some kind of face covering is required indoors and outside, if you can't stay at least 6 feet away from other people. In New York and New Jersey, masks are required in public and while riding buses or trains. Within some states, counties have varying rules, which can cause confusion. In Los Angeles County, health officials made cloth face coverings mandatory at all times when outside your home, while San Diego County only requires masks when you are within 6 feet of another person.
Residents everywhere are chafing at the rules, but in the hardest-hit states, there's a wider acceptance of social-distancing rules. A poll out last week found twice as many New York residents were worried about opening too quickly, compared with the number of New Yorkers who were worried about it happening too slowly. Polls in New Jersey and Massachusetts also have shown better than majority support for gradual, phased openings.
This story comes from NPR's reporting partnership with WBUR, Nashville Public Radio, Southern California Public Radio and Kaiser Health News.


npr--2020-06-05--Caravan For Justice: Cars Offer Socially Distanced Protesting During Pandemic

Hundreds and hundreds of cars wound through the streets of San Francisco .
Drivers honked .
Children chanted .
Signs read `` Black Lives Matter `` and `` No Justice , No Peace '' as for hours protesters — socially distanced inside their own vehicles — added their voices to a national chorus of outrage .
Caravan protests like the one on Thursday afternoon , and an earlier demonstration in Oakland , have taken on new significance with a deadly pandemic and widespread street protests are happening simultaneously .
`` We 're sick and tired of seeing our black brothers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it being OK , '' says Elena Fong .
`` It 's being broadcast across the nation and no one 's doing anything about it . ''
Fong has two children , including a 3-year-old daughter with Down syndrome who is immunocompromised .
A caravan protest felt safer than a march , given the risks of the coronavirus .
Fran Culp says that , as someone with major medical issues , she was `` thrilled '' to have the option to join a protest with her husband and her dog .
Surya @ @ @ @ @ @ @ herself — she had taken her 6-year-old son to an outdoor demonstration already .
But her 2 1/2-year-old and 18-month-old were another story .
The caravan offered a way to protest as an entire family , with Grover , her husband and all three kids in the minivan .
They made a sign that read `` Asians for Black Lives '' and practiced chanting .
Erin Feher planned this protest as a safe option for people like Fong , Grover and Culp , who did n't want to gather in crowds during this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ energy and passion of the ongoing protests into more parts of San Francisco .
Her family has attended anti-police brutality protests downtown , and coming back to Outer Richmond , the quiet residential neighborhood where they live , was jarring .
`` To be so close yet live this very peaceful kind of unbothered existence was bothering me , '' she says .
Feher had never organized a protest before .
She was scrolling Instagram this past weekend when she saw a post about a Zoom call offering ideas on how to turn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she learned about caravan protests , and picked up tips for how to organize .
`` One of the things they said that always sticks out to me was , 'You know , even if five people come , even if 10 people come , you did a good job . '
`` she says .
`` And I was like , 'OK , I can do that . '
`` It was n't five or 10 people .
According to Chloe Jackman , a photographer who witnessed the caravan , it took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pass her studio ; she estimates well over 1,000 vehicles participated .
Similar protests have been held in cities across America , from the large caravan in Oakland to ones planned in Wisconsin , Connecticut and the suburbs of Detroit on Sunday .

Caravan For Justice: Cars Offer Socially Distanced Protesting During Pandemic
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chloe Jackman Photography Chloe Jackman Photography
Hundreds and hundreds of cars wound through the streets of San Francisco. Drivers honked. Children chanted. Signs read "Black Lives Matter "and "No Justice, No Peace" as for hours protesters — socially distanced inside their own vehicles — added their voices to a national chorus of outrage.
Caravan protests like the one on Thursday afternoon, and an earlier demonstration in Oakland, have taken on new significance with a deadly pandemic and widespread street protests happening simultaneously.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chloe Jackman Photography Chloe Jackman Photography
"We're sick and tired of seeing our black brothers and sisters being killed in the streets and it being OK," says Elena Fong. "It's being broadcast across the nation and no one's doing anything about it."
Fong has two children, including a 3-year-old daughter with Down syndrome who is immunocompromised. A caravan protest felt safer than a march, given the risks of the coronavirus.
Elena Fong: "We saw that the crowds were massive and it was really hard to social distance ... " 0:16
Fran Culp says that, as someone with major medical issues, she was "thrilled" to have the option to join a protest with her husband and her dog.
Fran Culp: "We want to see major change and reform and defunding of police departments" 0:18
Surya Kishi Grover was fine going to protests herself — she had taken her 6-year-old son to an outdoor demonstration already. But her 2 1/2-year-old and 18-month-old were another story. The caravan offered a way to protest as an entire family, with Grover, her husband and all three kids in the minivan. They made a sign that read "Asians for Black Lives" and practiced chanting.
Surya Kishi Grover's family chants, "No justice, no peace. Abolish the police." 0:10
toggle caption Chloe Jackman Photography
Erin Feher planned this protest as a safe option for people like Fong, Grover and Culp, who didn't want to gather in crowds during this pandemic — but also to bring the energy and passion of the ongoing protests into more parts of San Francisco.
Her family has attended anti-police brutality protests downtown, and coming back to Outer Richmond, the quiet residential neighborhood where they live, was jarring.
"To be so close yet live this very peaceful kind of unbothered existence was bothering me," she says.
Feher had never organized a protest before. She was scrolling Instagram this past weekend when she saw a post about a Zoom call offering ideas on how to turn outrage into action. On that call she learned about caravan protests, and picked up tips for how to organize.
"One of the things they said that always sticks out to me was, 'You know, even if five people come, even if 10 people come, you did a good job.' " she says. "And I was like, 'OK, I can do that.' "
Grover's son Mikio invents a new chant: "Let's help this world get better!" 0:13
It wasn't five or 10 people. According to Chloe Jackman, a photographer who witnessed the caravan, it took nearly 3 hours for all the vehicles to pass her studio; she estimates well over 1,000 vehicles participated.
Similar protests have been held in cities across America, from the large caravan in Oakland to ones planned in Wisconsin, Connecticut and the suburbs of Detroit on Sunday.