mercurynews--2020-06-07--Walters: What changes will state need to make after crises abate?

Someday , the COVID-19 pandemic will have subsided , probably when effective biologic treatments and vaccines emerge .
Someday , California ’ s economy will begin recovery from the sudden and very painful recession that followed business shutdown and stay-at-home orders to fight the pandemic .
Someday , too , the tumultuous reaction to a Minneapolis policeman ’ s brutal suffocation of George Floyd , a black man suspected of a minor nonviolent crime — and California ’ s own unjust police killings — will abate .
When those somedays arrive , however , what changes will have been wrought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and complex state ?
Will California simply return to what it was before these jarring , unexpected events visited themselves upon the state ?
Will California ’ s vexing anomalies and conflicts — poverty , homelessness , housing shortages and water wars , to name but a few — have become even more intractable ?
Or , will this year ’ s economic and social upheavals manifest themselves in a rebirth of the California that blossomed into a global economic and cultural powerhouse in the post-World War II era , again offering boundless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , regardless of their origins ?
California has lost much of its mojo in recent decades , exemplified by what happened after an earthquake destroyed a section of the iconic San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in 1989 .
California had simultaneously constructed the Bay Bridge and the even more famous Golden Gate Bridge in just a few years during the depths of the Great Depression .
They were not only monumental feats of engineering but monuments to the state ’ s civic leadership and its ability to plan and act on a grand scale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years later when California became an arsenal for World War II and then absorbed millions of newcomers during the postwar era .
It became apparent after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake that the eastern third of the Bay Bridge needed reconstruction .
However , the project became an embarrassing quagmire of political infighting over the design and of construction mismanagement .
It took a quarter-century — eight times as long as the initial construction of the entire bridge — and billions of additional dollars to complete .
It ’ s only one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get the job done , such as decades of political stalemate over vital water projects , a misbegotten bullet train to nowhere , wheelspinning on housing construction , and , most shamefully , educational shortcomings that block millions of kids , particularly poor black and Latino kids , from achieving the California good life .
The woeful Department of Motor Vehicles and , more recently , the equally deficient Employment Development Department seem to be symbols of our collective bumbling .
The plagues we are now experiencing threatens to deepen our civic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might increase as jobs erased by recession fail to reappear and as even more kids go without adequate schooling .
State and local governments , mired in debt , could struggle to meet even basic needs and housing construction likely would continue to lag .
Finally , civic life could erode even more as our racial and ethnic fragmentation worsens and our politics continue to devolve into squabbles over pieces of a shrinking pie .
Alternatively , we Californians could view the troika of crises as a warning of the state ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about fixing what needs to be fixed and doing what needs to be done , just as we once did .
The latter course would not be easy , requiring a courageous and embracing spirit that ’ s been sorely lacking of late .
But the alternative may be the corrosive decline that afflicted other once-great outposts of civilization — such as the Roman Empire or , closer in time and geography , Detroit .
• Walters : Odd backstory on an item in revised California budget • Letter : Bad cops give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name • Letter : When woman used a racial epithet when a black man bumped her…

Someday, the COVID-19 pandemic will have subsided, probably when effective biologic treatments and vaccines emerge.
Someday, California’s economy will begin recovery from the sudden and very painful recession that followed business shutdown and stay-at-home orders to fight the pandemic.
Someday, too, the tumultuous reaction to a Minneapolis policeman’s brutal suffocation of George Floyd, a black man suspected of a minor nonviolent crime — and California’s own unjust police killings — will abate.
When those somedays arrive, however, what changes will have been wrought on the nation’s most populous and complex state?
Will California simply return to what it was before these jarring, unexpected events visited themselves upon the state?
Will California’s vexing anomalies and conflicts — poverty, homelessness, housing shortages and water wars, to name but a few — have become even more intractable?
Or, will this year’s economic and social upheavals manifest themselves in a rebirth of the California that blossomed into a global economic and cultural powerhouse in the post-World War II era, again offering boundless opportunities for those with ambition and/or talent, regardless of their origins?
California has lost much of its mojo in recent decades, exemplified by what happened after an earthquake destroyed a section of the iconic San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in 1989.
California had simultaneously constructed the Bay Bridge and the even more famous Golden Gate Bridge in just a few years during the depths of the Great Depression.
They were not only monumental feats of engineering but monuments to the state’s civic leadership and its ability to plan and act on a grand scale. Those attributes were amplified a few years later when California became an arsenal for World War II and then absorbed millions of newcomers during the postwar era.
It became apparent after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake that the eastern third of the Bay Bridge needed reconstruction. However, the project became an embarrassing quagmire of political infighting over the design and of construction mismanagement. It took a quarter-century — eight times as long as the initial construction of the entire bridge — and billions of additional dollars to complete.
It’s only one of many examples of our chronic inability to get the job done, such as decades of political stalemate over vital water projects, a misbegotten bullet train to nowhere, wheelspinning on housing construction, and, most shamefully, educational shortcomings that block millions of kids, particularly poor black and Latino kids, from achieving the California good life.
The woeful Department of Motor Vehicles and, more recently, the equally deficient Employment Development Department seem to be symbols of our collective bumbling.
The plagues we are now experiencing threatens to deepen our civic and economic woes.
Our highest-in-the-nation poverty rate might increase as jobs erased by recession fail to reappear and as even more kids go without adequate schooling.
State and local governments, mired in debt, could struggle to meet even basic needs and housing construction likely would continue to lag.
Finally, civic life could erode even more as our racial and ethnic fragmentation worsens and our politics continue to devolve into squabbles over pieces of a shrinking pie.
Alternatively, we Californians could view the troika of crises as a warning of the state’s malaise and an opportunity to get real about fixing what needs to be fixed and doing what needs to be done, just as we once did.
The latter course would not be easy, requiring a courageous and embracing spirit that’s been sorely lacking of late. But the alternative may be the corrosive decline that afflicted other once-great outposts of civilization — such as the Roman Empire or, closer in time and geography, Detroit.


mercurynews--2020-06-07--‘You know how Oakland is’: Man with pimping conviction faces federal gun charges

OAKLAND — Federal prosecutors have filed gun and ammo possession charges against an Oakland man who allegedly resisted arrest after authorities caught him with a pistol tucked into his waistband as he rode around town on a motorcycle .
Orlando Martinez , aka Rolando Martinez Fernandez , was arrested last week on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm .
The complaint , filed in January , was unsealed last week , court records show .
The complaint says that on Jan. 29 , a detective with the Alameda County Sheriff ’ s Office Narcotics Task Force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saddlebag of his Harley Davidson , on the 900 block of 69th Avenue in Oakland .
Authorities reportedly observed Martinez tuck the gun into his waistband and drive off .
Police pulled Martinez over , and attempted to arrest him .
He allegedly refused to comply but was detained “ after a brief struggle , ” according to the complaint .
When police asked Martinez why he was carrying a gun , he simply replied , “ You know how Oakland is , ” according to the complaint .
The charge carries a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 250,000 fine .
Martinez ’ s criminal history includes multiple 2013 convictions for pimping women in Oakland , for which he was sentenced to 10 years .
In that case , Martinez accepted a plea deal on charges that he pimped adults , but he was accused of forcing , “ multiple minors—some as young as 12—into prostitution , ” according to the complaint .
“ ( Martinez ) was further alleged to have assaulted these girls when they did not make enough money , tied them up in motels so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to meet clients in multiple cities in California , ” ATF Special Agent Andrew Balady wrote in the criminal complaint .
Martinez ’ s preliminary hearing has been set for June 11 .

OAKLAND — Federal prosecutors have filed gun and ammo possession charges against an Oakland man who allegedly resisted arrest after authorities caught him with a pistol tucked into his waistband as he rode around town on a motorcycle.
Orlando Martinez, aka Rolando Martinez Fernandez, was arrested last week on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The complaint, filed in January, was unsealed last week, court records show.
The complaint says that on Jan. 29, a detective with the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force saw Martinez take a gun from the saddlebag of his Harley Davidson, on the 900 block of 69th Avenue in Oakland. Authorities reportedly observed Martinez tuck the gun into his waistband and drive off.
Police pulled Martinez over, and attempted to arrest him. He allegedly refused to comply but was detained “after a brief struggle,” according to the complaint.
When police asked Martinez why he was carrying a gun, he simply replied, “You know how Oakland is,” according to the complaint.
The charge carries a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Martinez’s criminal history includes multiple 2013 convictions for pimping women in Oakland, for which he was sentenced to 10 years. In that case, Martinez accepted a plea deal on charges that he pimped adults, but he was accused of forcing, “multiple minors—some as young as 12—into prostitution,” according to the complaint.
“(Martinez) was further alleged to have assaulted these girls when they did not make enough money, tied them up in motels so they could not escape, and forced them to meet clients in multiple cities in California,” ATF Special Agent Andrew Balady wrote in the criminal complaint.
Martinez’s preliminary hearing has been set for June 11.


mercurynews--2020-06-07--Feds link 2018 Bay Area meth/heroin bust to Sinaloa Cartel

SAN FRANCISCO — For the first time , federal authorities have publicly linked a 2018 drug investigation that yielded 37 pounds of methamphetamine to the infamous Sinaloa Cartel , court records show .
The criminal case involves two brothers , Jesus and Eduardo Salazar , who were arrested in 2018 after Jesus was identified as a large-scale drug trafficker in the Bay Area .
Prosecutors arrested Jesus , of San Mateo , on two separate occasions ; once on Interstate 5 with a shipment of 20 pounds meth , and another near Seattle with 17 pounds of meth .
Five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jesus .
Eduardo , an Arizona resident , barely played a role in the scheme at all ; authorities had evidence he discussed setting up drug deals with his brother , but no evidence he actually obtained narcotics .
Nonetheless , he was arrested and charged on the same federal case as his brother .
The sentences were also wildly different ; Jesus was given 17.5 years in prison last year , and Eduardo was sentenced to time served — meaning he was freed from jail — last week , court records show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s case , though , prosecutors for the first time publicly revealed that Jesus was suspected of being part of a Sinaloa Cartel-led drug ring .
The sentencing memo in Jesus ’ case was filed under seal last year , and has never been made available to the public .

SAN FRANCISCO — For the first time, federal authorities have publicly linked a 2018 drug investigation that yielded 37 pounds of methamphetamine to the infamous Sinaloa Cartel, court records show.
The criminal case involves two brothers, Jesus and Eduardo Salazar, who were arrested in 2018 after Jesus was identified as a large-scale drug trafficker in the Bay Area. Prosecutors arrested Jesus, of San Mateo, on two separate occasions; once on Interstate 5 with a shipment of 20 pounds meth, and another near Seattle with 17 pounds of meth. Five pounds of heroin was also recovered from Jesus.
Eduardo, an Arizona resident, barely played a role in the scheme at all; authorities had evidence he discussed setting up drug deals with his brother, but no evidence he actually obtained narcotics. Nonetheless, he was arrested and charged on the same federal case as his brother.
The sentences were also wildly different; Jesus was given 17.5 years in prison last year, and Eduardo was sentenced to time served — meaning he was freed from jail — last week, court records show.
In a sentencing memo for Eduardo’s case, though, prosecutors for the first time publicly revealed that Jesus was suspected of being part of a Sinaloa Cartel-led drug ring. The sentencing memo in Jesus’ case was filed under seal last year, and has never been made available to the public.


mercurynews--2020-06-07--The Latest: Flash bang, pepper spray disperses Seattle crowd

By The Associated Press — Mayor of Portland , Oregon , orders police not to use CS gas except as last resort — Thousands demonstrate again in New York City .
— Floyd honored with memorial service near his North Carolina hometown .
SEATTLE — Police used flash bang devices and pepper spray to disperse a crowd of protesters in Seattle on Saturday night , the ninth consecutive day of George Floyd protests in the city .
The mayhem in the city ’ s Capitol Hill neighborhood followed a large , peaceful demonstration earlier in the day with medical workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It also came a day after Mayor Jenny Durkan and Police Chief Carmen Best imposed a 30-day moratorium on the department ’ s use of one kind of tear gas .
KING-TV reports that a small group of protesters started throwing objects at officers about 7:30 p.m. on Saturday .
Police ordered the crowd to move , then used incendiary devices .
After police were severely criticized by protesters and public officials alike for using tear gas and pepper spray to disperse largely peaceful crowds , Durkan and Best said Friday outside groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including the use of pepper spray and deadly force techniques such as neck and choke holds .
She and the mayor added that the ban on one kind of tear gas known as CS could be extended if groups need more time for policy review .
SEATTLE — A ninth consecutive day of protests over the death of George Floyd is underway in Seattle , with a large crowd of medical workers demonstrating against racism and police brutality .
Thousands of doctors , nurses and others marched from Harborview Medical Center to City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lab coats and scrubs .
The recent demonstrations in Seattle have been among the largest the city has seen in years .
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said Saturday she is encouraging protesters to be tested for COVID-19 after the city and King County public health departments expanded testing criteria to cover asymptomatic people who have attended large protests .
PORTLAND , Ore. — Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has ordered the city ’ s police not to use a type of tear gas except as a last resort in life-threatening situations .
Wheeler issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns about the use of CS gas , especially during a respiratory-illness pandemic .
Critics have called on the Portland Police Bureau to permanently ban the use of CS gas on protesters .
The announcement came a day after the mayor said police would no longer use a “ long-range acoustical device , ” or LRAD , to disperse protesters .
The device can emit high-pitched , loud frequencies and can cause hearing damage .
ATLANTA — Protests downtown assumed an almost festive feel at times on Saturday , with Atlanta ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presence somewhat out of view .
A group of black college band alumni were serenading one main protest area with a tuba-heavy mix of tunes from atop a parking garage .
Students from historically black colleges and other young people marched to City Hall to demand more action on police violence .
Jauan Durbin said he began organizing protests after two fellow college students were pulled from their car and shocked with a stun gun last Saturday by police in downtown Atlanta .
The incident was caught on video by WGCL-TV and six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Durbin said youth protesters are calling for increased financial assistance for black businesses from Atlanta ’ s city government and increased funding for the city ’ s public school system .
LOUISVILLE , Ky. — Hundreds of people marched against police brutality on Saturday , while many more joined a vigil for Breonna Taylor , a black woman shot and killed by police nearly three months ago .
News outlets reported marchers stopped to kneel in a symbolic memorial of the death of George Floyd , a black man who died after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on his neck while he pleaded for air while handcuffed .
Protesters have been demanding justice for Taylor , who was killed in her Louisville home in mid-March .
The 26-year-old EMT was shot eight times by narcotics detectives who knocked down her front door as they attempted to enforce a search warrant .
No drugs were found .
After the morning march , hundreds met at Metro Hall to remember Taylor ’ s life and release blue , purple and white balloons in her honor .
NEW YORK — Demonstrations over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York City on Saturday , with thousands taking to the streets and parks to protest police brutality .
Protesters crossed the Brooklyn Bridge into lower Manhattan , where other groups marched or gathered in places like Foley Square , home to state and federal court buildings , and Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village .
Police erected barriers to all but close off Times Square to vehicle and foot traffic as the city continued to enforce an 8 p.m. curfew that has created tensions between protesters and police .
NEW ORLEANS — Hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as part of a continuing movement of protests against racial injustice and police brutality in America .
With chants of “ No Justice , No Peace , ” the crowd marched before leaving the park in the early afternoon under gray skies and a light drizzle .
The rally came a day after thousands gathered in the French Quarter for an hours-long protest over the death of George Floyd and others at the hands of police .
The crowd filled much of the square in front of St. Louis Cathedral and spilled onto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed to traffic by police .
RENO , Nev. — The Reno Police Department has updated its use-of-force policy as police departments across the country come under scrutiny for excessive force following the death of George Floyd .
The changes will take effect immediately .
They include new guidelines on de-escalation and peer intervention , prohibiting techniques that restrict breathing , increasing supervisor and internal affairs oversight , and providing other warning options before resorting to deadly force , department officials said in a statement .
Acting Police Chief Tom Robinson said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — A ninth consecutive day of protests over the death of George Floyd is underway , with a large crowd of medical workers demonstrating against racism and police brutality .
Thousands of doctors , nurses and others — many in lab coats and scrubs — marched from to City Hall on Saturday morning .
One sign said , “ Nurses kneel with you , not on you.
” Another said , “ Police violence and racism are a public health emergency.
” The demonstrations in Seattle have been among the largest in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ severely criticized for using tear gas and pepper spray to disperse largely peaceful crowds , Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and Police Chief Carmen Best imposed a 30-day moratorium on the department ’ s use of one kind of tear gas .
City officials will review and update crowd control policies , Best said .
MARSEILLE , France — Police have fired tear gas and pepper spray in skirmishes with protesters who hurled bottles and rocks at what had otherwise been an emotional but peaceful demonstration in the French southern port city of Marseille @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wake of George Floyd ’ s death .
Protesters took a knee in front of riot officers , gave speeches and chanted before setting off on a march through the city .
But the tail end of the march finished in chaos with clashes between police and protesters .
The rally drew more than 2,000 people .
LOUISVILLE , KY. — The Rev .
Jesse Jackson is calling for Congress to pass an anti-lynching law and eliminate protections for police officers from lawsuits .
Jackson made the plea Saturday during a news conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was to meet with Mayor Greg Fischer and the family of the late Breonna Taylor .
The 26-year-old African-American woman , an emergency room technician , was shot at least eight times in her home after a brief confrontation with police who were there to serve a warrant in mid-March .
SAN FRANCISCO — Thousands of demonstrators filled the streets in San Francisco , Sacramento , Simi Valley , San Diego and other locations across California on Saturday , continuing more than a week of protest marches expressing outrage over the death of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is black , said he was overwhelmed to see the large turnout of white protesters waving signs that said “ Black Lives Matter ” as hundreds gathered in San Francisco at the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center for a march across the famous span .
Floyd died on Memorial Day after a white Minneapolis police officer put his knee on the black man ’ s neck for nearly nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed and lying face-down on the ground .
RAEFORD , N.C. — A private memorial service for George Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ church in Raeford , North Carolina .
Several hundred celebrants were in attendance .
Worshipers sang along with a choir as a large photo of Floyd and a portrait of him adorned with an angel ’ s wings and halo sat at the front of the chapel .
Hoke County Sheriff Hubert Peterkin , who is African American , told congregants that police officers around the country must be able to admit to themselves , “ I am part of the problem.
” “ We as law enforcement officers don ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around and kill them just because we have a badge and a gun , ” Peterkin said as the congregation cheered .
Floyd died after a Minneapolis police officer placed a knee on his neck for several minutes on Memorial Day .
His death has resulted in protests around the world against police brutality and racism .
CHICAGO — Thousands of people marched through the streets of Chicago on Saturday , chanting and waving signs to protest the death of George Floyd and the police mistreatment of people of color .
Like many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chicago toward the end of the week were peaceful and police also reported fewer arrests related to unrest .
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she was hopeful that would continue through the weekend , but a nightly curfew remained in effect .
The city also hired three private security firms to protect shops , grocery stores and pharmacies .
Meanwhile , in Philadelphia thousands of people demanding justice for Floyd marched peacefully through the city chanting “ No justice , no peace !
” Demonstrators gathered near the Philadelphia Museum of Art and its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set off for City Hall where they chanted at police officers and National Guard members .
Smaller groups also marched in other Pennsylvania cities , including several in the Pittsburgh area .
DALLAS — Officials in Dallas on Saturday lifted a nighttime curfew that had been put in place after several days of violent demonstrations .
The curfew was lifted after consultation with Dallas Police Chief U. Reneé Hall and City Council .
Dallas City Manager T.C .
Broadnax said Dallas city residents were safer staying at home due to the coronavirus pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after violent protests took place in downtown Dallas and other areas over the death of George Floyd and the treatment of black people by police .
WASHINGTON — Thousands of peaceful demonstrators poured into the streets of Washington on a hot , humid Saturday afternoon to protest police brutality and racial inequality .
The protesters gathered at the Capitol , on the National Mall and in many residential neighborhoods .
The crowd erupted in applause as Mayor Muriel Bowser walked along the portion of 16th Street that she renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organized groups were moving toward the White House , where President Donald Trump was spending the day with no public events .
The president remained behind-closed-doors , the faint sound of protesters audible in the distance .
One group of thousands of protesters chanted obscenities at Attorney General William Barr and the Department of Justice as they passed the FBI and Justice Department buildings .
The protesters held signs that read , “ When a cop kills someone , we all die ” and ” White silence is violence.
” With hands raised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Hands up , don ’ t shoot.
” LONDON — Protesters at an anti-racism rally in London clashed with police on Saturday near the offices of Prime Minister Boris Johnson .
The clashes near Downing Street came at the end of largely peaceful Black Lives Matter demonstrations in the capital , including outside the U.S. Embassy .
Objects could be seen thrown at police wearing protective gear and video shared on social media appeared to show that after a horse bolted amid the clashes , a police officer was unseated after hitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being treated on the ground .
Police in helmets and with shields formed two lines outside Downing Street , with mounted officers in-between .
This tactic has helped separate the crowd and calmed the situation .
DORAL , Fla. — About a 100 protesters gathered Saturday at President Donald Trump ’ s golf resort just outside Miami .
The protest was organized by Latinos for Black Lives Matter .
Many carried signs saying such things as “ Vote Him Out ” and “ Don ’ t Be A Bunker Boy , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went into the White House bunker when protests in Washington got more violent .
Trump insists he only went there briefly for an inspection .
In Doral , about a dozen police officers were on hand for the protest but did not take any actions .
Several hundred people also gathered in downtown Miami for a march with plans for a bigger rally later in the day .
The march was peaceful and led by a pastor who read Bible verses before everyone set out .
PARIS — After demonstrations in Paris , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wake of George Floyd ’ s death gathered in other French cities .
Demonstrators holding placards reading “ I can ’ t breathe ” and “ No justice , no peace ” in English and other slogans in French joined a crowd hundreds strong in the southern French city of Marseille .
A demonstration in Nantes on the west coast also attracted hundreds of people .
RAEFORD , N.C. — Mourners from around North Carolina waited in a quickly moving line outside a Baptist church in the small town of Raeford where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ George Floyd was held Saturday .
The line included families with young children and teenagers .
One young woman wore a graduation cap and gown as she walked beside her parents outside the church , about 22 miles ( 34 kilometers ) from Floyd ’ s hometown of Fayetteville .
Several mourners told WRAL-TV that they felt drawn to attend because of Floyd ’ s death and the protests in response represent a historic or momentous moment .
The viewing was followed by the service for Floyd , who died after a Minneapolis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neck for several minutes on May 25 .
His death has resulted in protests around the world against police brutality and racism .
ATLANTA — Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms says she is lifting what had been a planned 8 p.m. curfew on Saturday in Atlanta after no arrests were reported Friday in Georgia ’ s largest city .
The city had been under a nightly curfew since the previous Friday , when a downtown protest dissolved into window-smashing , arson and looting .
More than 20 protests are scheduled Saturday across the Atlanta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monitor the situation before deciding whether to reimpose a curfew on Sunday night .
South Carolina ’ s largest city also decided not to enforce a curfew Saturday .
A Charleston city statement says no problems were reported Friday night .
City officials say they will monitor developments Saturday in case things change .
LONDON — British world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has decried racism as he joined a Black Lives Matter protest in his home town of Watford , about 15 miles north of London .
Reading from a script in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the “ virus has been declared a pandemic ” and is “ out of control.
” Joshua , who was not wearing a face covering and was unable to observe social distancing guidelines given the size of the crowd , said he wasn ’ t talking about COVID-19 : “ The virus I ’ m referring to is called racism.
” He said people should “ speak out in peaceful demonstrations , ” but they shouldn ’ t use them “ for selfish motives ” and turn to rioting and looting .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Buffalo police officers have been charged with assault after a video showed them shoving a 75-year-old protester to the sidewalk .
Both pleaded not guilty Saturday to second-degree assault .
The two officers were suspended without pay Friday after a TV crew captured the confrontation the day before near the end of protests over the death of George Floyd .
The footage shows a man identified as Martin Gugino approaching a line of helmeted officers holding batons as they clear demonstrators from Niagara Square .
Two officers push Gugino backward , and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blood spills from his head as officers walk past .
Follow more AP stories on the George Floyd protests and reaction at https : //apnews.com/GeorgeFloyd

By The Associated Press
TOP OF THE HOUR:
— Police use flash bang devices, pepper spray to disperse Seattle protesters
— Mayor of Portland, Oregon, orders police not to use CS gas except as last resort
— Thousands demonstrate again in New York City.
— Jesse Jackson calls on Congress to pass anti-lynching law.
— Floyd honored with memorial service near his North Carolina hometown.
___
SEATTLE — Police used flash bang devices and pepper spray to disperse a crowd of protesters in Seattle on Saturday night, the ninth consecutive day of George Floyd protests in the city.
The mayhem in the city’s Capitol Hill neighborhood followed a large, peaceful demonstration earlier in the day with medical workers demonstrating against racism and police brutality. It also came a day after Mayor Jenny Durkan and Police Chief Carmen Best imposed a 30-day moratorium on the department’s use of one kind of tear gas.
KING-TV reports that a small group of protesters started throwing objects at officers about 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. Police ordered the crowd to move, then used incendiary devices.
After police were severely criticized by protesters and public officials alike for using tear gas and pepper spray to disperse largely peaceful crowds, Durkan and Best said Friday outside groups would review and update crowd-control policies, including the use of pepper spray and deadly force techniques such as neck and choke holds. She and the mayor added that the ban on one kind of tear gas known as CS could be extended if groups need more time for policy review.
___
SEATTLE — A ninth consecutive day of protests over the death of George Floyd is underway in Seattle, with a large crowd of medical workers demonstrating against racism and police brutality.
Thousands of doctors, nurses and others marched from Harborview Medical Center to City Hall on Saturday morning. Many wore lab coats and scrubs.
The recent demonstrations in Seattle have been among the largest the city has seen in years.
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said Saturday she is encouraging protesters to be tested for COVID-19 after the city and King County public health departments expanded testing criteria to cover asymptomatic people who have attended large protests.
___
PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has ordered the city’s police not to use a type of tear gas except as a last resort in life-threatening situations.
Wheeler issued a statement Saturday saying he shares community concerns about the use of CS gas, especially during a respiratory-illness pandemic.
Critics have called on the Portland Police Bureau to permanently ban the use of CS gas on protesters.
The announcement came a day after the mayor said police would no longer use a “long-range acoustical device,” or LRAD, to disperse protesters. The device can emit high-pitched, loud frequencies and can cause hearing damage.
___
ATLANTA — Protests downtown assumed an almost festive feel at times on Saturday, with Atlanta’s curfew lifted and police and National Guard presence somewhat out of view.
A group of black college band alumni were serenading one main protest area with a tuba-heavy mix of tunes from atop a parking garage.
Students from historically black colleges and other young people marched to City Hall to demand more action on police violence. Jauan Durbin said he began organizing protests after two fellow college students were pulled from their car and shocked with a stun gun last Saturday by police in downtown Atlanta. The incident was caught on video by WGCL-TV and six officers were fired and then criminally charged.
Durbin said youth protesters are calling for increased financial assistance for black businesses from Atlanta’s city government and increased funding for the city’s public school system.
___
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Hundreds of people marched against police brutality on Saturday, while many more joined a vigil for Breonna Taylor, a black woman shot and killed by police nearly three months ago.
News outlets reported marchers stopped to kneel in a symbolic memorial of the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on his neck while he pleaded for air while handcuffed.
Protesters have been demanding justice for Taylor, who was killed in her Louisville home in mid-March. The 26-year-old EMT was shot eight times by narcotics detectives who knocked down her front door as they attempted to enforce a search warrant. No drugs were found.
After the morning march, hundreds met at Metro Hall to remember Taylor’s life and release blue, purple and white balloons in her honor.
___
NEW YORK — Demonstrations over the death of George Floyd continued in New York City on Saturday, with thousands taking to the streets and parks to protest police brutality.
Protesters crossed the Brooklyn Bridge into lower Manhattan, where other groups marched or gathered in places like Foley Square, home to state and federal court buildings, and Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village.
Police erected barriers to all but close off Times Square to vehicle and foot traffic as the city continued to enforce an 8 p.m. curfew that has created tensions between protesters and police.
___
NEW ORLEANS — Hundreds of people marched Saturday through City Park as part of a continuing movement of protests against racial injustice and police brutality in America.
With chants of “No Justice, No Peace,” the crowd marched before leaving the park in the early afternoon under gray skies and a light drizzle.
The rally came a day after thousands gathered in the French Quarter for an hours-long protest over the death of George Floyd and others at the hands of police. The crowd filled much of the square in front of St. Louis Cathedral and spilled onto the main thoroughfare, which had been closed to traffic by police.
___
RENO, Nev. — The Reno Police Department has updated its use-of-force policy as police departments across the country come under scrutiny for excessive force following the death of George Floyd.
The changes will take effect immediately. They include new guidelines on de-escalation and peer intervention, prohibiting techniques that restrict breathing, increasing supervisor and internal affairs oversight, and providing other warning options before resorting to deadly force, department officials said in a statement.
Acting Police Chief Tom Robinson said the force is committed to transparency.
___
SEATTLE — A ninth consecutive day of protests over the death of George Floyd is underway, with a large crowd of medical workers demonstrating against racism and police brutality.
Thousands of doctors, nurses and others — many in lab coats and scrubs — marched from to City Hall on Saturday morning. One sign said, “Nurses kneel with you, not on you.” Another said, “Police violence and racism are a public health emergency.”
The demonstrations in Seattle have been among the largest in the city in years.
After police were severely criticized for using tear gas and pepper spray to disperse largely peaceful crowds, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and Police Chief Carmen Best imposed a 30-day moratorium on the department’s use of one kind of tear gas.
City officials will review and update crowd control policies, Best said.
___
MARSEILLE, France — Police have fired tear gas and pepper spray in skirmishes with protesters who hurled bottles and rocks at what had otherwise been an emotional but peaceful demonstration in the French southern port city of Marseille against police abuses and racism in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
Protesters took a knee in front of riot officers, gave speeches and chanted before setting off on a march through the city. But the tail end of the march finished in chaos with clashes between police and protesters.
The rally drew more than 2,000 people.
___
LOUISVILLE, KY. — The Rev. Jesse Jackson is calling for Congress to pass an anti-lynching law and eliminate protections for police officers from lawsuits.
Jackson made the plea Saturday during a news conference in Louisville, Kentucky, where he was to meet with Mayor Greg Fischer and the family of the late Breonna Taylor.
The 26-year-old African-American woman, an emergency room technician, was shot at least eight times in her home after a brief confrontation with police who were there to serve a warrant in mid-March.
___
SAN FRANCISCO — Thousands of demonstrators filled the streets in San Francisco, Sacramento, Simi Valley, San Diego and other locations across California on Saturday, continuing more than a week of protest marches expressing outrage over the death of George Floyd.
Forty-nine-year-old Roderick Sweeney, who is black, said he was overwhelmed to see the large turnout of white protesters waving signs that said “Black Lives Matter” as hundreds gathered in San Francisco at the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center for a march across the famous span.
Floyd died on Memorial Day after a white Minneapolis police officer put his knee on the black man’s neck for nearly nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed and lying face-down on the ground.
___
RAEFORD, N.C. — A private memorial service for George Floyd was underway Saturday afternoon at a Baptist church in Raeford, North Carolina.
Several hundred celebrants were in attendance. Worshipers sang along with a choir as a large photo of Floyd and a portrait of him adorned with an angel’s wings and halo sat at the front of the chapel.
Hoke County Sheriff Hubert Peterkin, who is African American, told congregants that police officers around the country must be able to admit to themselves, “I am part of the problem.”
“We as law enforcement officers don’t have the authority to bully, push people around and kill them just because we have a badge and a gun,” Peterkin said as the congregation cheered.
Floyd died after a Minneapolis police officer placed a knee on his neck for several minutes on Memorial Day. His death has resulted in protests around the world against police brutality and racism.
___
CHICAGO — Thousands of people marched through the streets of Chicago on Saturday, chanting and waving signs to protest the death of George Floyd and the police mistreatment of people of color.
Like many protests held elsewhere, the ones in Chicago toward the end of the week were peaceful and police also reported fewer arrests related to unrest. Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she was hopeful that would continue through the weekend, but a nightly curfew remained in effect. The city also hired three private security firms to protect shops, grocery stores and pharmacies.
Meanwhile, in Philadelphia thousands of people demanding justice for Floyd marched peacefully through the city chanting “No justice, no peace!” Demonstrators gathered near the Philadelphia Museum of Art and its famous “Rocky” steps, then set off for City Hall where they chanted at police officers and National Guard members.
Smaller groups also marched in other Pennsylvania cities, including several in the Pittsburgh area.
___
DALLAS — Officials in Dallas on Saturday lifted a nighttime curfew that had been put in place after several days of violent demonstrations.
The curfew was lifted after consultation with Dallas Police Chief U. Reneé Hall and City Council.
Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax said Dallas city residents were safer staying at home due to the coronavirus pandemic. The curfew was announced May 31 after violent protests took place in downtown Dallas and other areas over the death of George Floyd and the treatment of black people by police.
___
WASHINGTON — Thousands of peaceful demonstrators poured into the streets of Washington on a hot, humid Saturday afternoon to protest police brutality and racial inequality.
The protesters gathered at the Capitol, on the National Mall and in many residential neighborhoods. The crowd erupted in applause as Mayor Muriel Bowser walked along the portion of 16th Street that she renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza on Friday.
Many of the loosely organized groups were moving toward the White House, where President Donald Trump was spending the day with no public events. The president remained behind-closed-doors, the faint sound of protesters audible in the distance.
One group of thousands of protesters chanted obscenities at Attorney General William Barr and the Department of Justice as they passed the FBI and Justice Department buildings. The protesters held signs that read, “ When a cop kills someone, we all die” and ”White silence is violence.” With hands raised in the air, many also chanted “Hands up, don’t shoot.”
___
LONDON — Protesters at an anti-racism rally in London clashed with police on Saturday near the offices of Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
The clashes near Downing Street came at the end of largely peaceful Black Lives Matter demonstrations in the capital, including outside the U.S. Embassy.
Objects could be seen thrown at police wearing protective gear and video shared on social media appeared to show that after a horse bolted amid the clashes, a police officer was unseated after hitting traffic lights. Photographs showed the officer being treated on the ground.
Police in helmets and with shields formed two lines outside Downing Street, with mounted officers in-between. This tactic has helped separate the crowd and calmed the situation.
___
DORAL, Fla. — About a 100 protesters gathered Saturday at President Donald Trump’s golf resort just outside Miami.
The protest was organized by Latinos for Black Lives Matter. Many carried signs saying such things as “Vote Him Out” and “Don’t Be A Bunker Boy,” the latter a reference to reports that Trump went into the White House bunker when protests in Washington got more violent.
Trump insists he only went there briefly for an inspection.
In Doral, about a dozen police officers were on hand for the protest but did not take any actions.
Several hundred people also gathered in downtown Miami for a march with plans for a bigger rally later in the day. The march was peaceful and led by a pastor who read Bible verses before everyone set out.
___
PARIS — After demonstrations in Paris, protesters denouncing police abuses and racism in the wake of George Floyd’s death gathered in other French cities.
Demonstrators holding placards reading “I can’t breathe” and “No justice, no peace” in English and other slogans in French joined a crowd hundreds strong in the southern French city of Marseille.
A demonstration in Nantes on the west coast also attracted hundreds of people.
___
RAEFORD, N.C. — Mourners from around North Carolina waited in a quickly moving line outside a Baptist church in the small town of Raeford where a memorial service and public viewing for George Floyd was held Saturday.
The line included families with young children and teenagers. One young woman wore a graduation cap and gown as she walked beside her parents outside the church, about 22 miles (34 kilometers) from Floyd’s hometown of Fayetteville.
Several mourners told WRAL-TV that they felt drawn to attend because of Floyd’s death and the protests in response represent a historic or momentous moment.
The viewing was followed by the service for Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer placed a knee on his neck for several minutes on May 25. His death has resulted in protests around the world against police brutality and racism.
___
ATLANTA — Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms says she is lifting what had been a planned 8 p.m. curfew on Saturday in Atlanta after no arrests were reported Friday in Georgia’s largest city.
The city had been under a nightly curfew since the previous Friday, when a downtown protest dissolved into window-smashing, arson and looting.
More than 20 protests are scheduled Saturday across the Atlanta metro area. Bottoms says she will monitor the situation before deciding whether to reimpose a curfew on Sunday night.
South Carolina’s largest city also decided not to enforce a curfew Saturday. A Charleston city statement says no problems were reported Friday night. City officials say they will monitor developments Saturday in case things change.
___
LONDON — British world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has decried racism as he joined a Black Lives Matter protest in his home town of Watford, about 15 miles north of London.
Reading from a script in a video posted on social media, Joshua said the “virus has been declared a pandemic” and is “out of control.”
Joshua, who was not wearing a face covering and was unable to observe social distancing guidelines given the size of the crowd, said he wasn’t talking about COVID-19: “The virus I’m referring to is called racism.”
He said people should “speak out in peaceful demonstrations,” but they shouldn’t use them “for selfish motives” and turn to rioting and looting.
___
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Prosecutors say two Buffalo police officers have been charged with assault after a video showed them shoving a 75-year-old protester to the sidewalk.
Both pleaded not guilty Saturday to second-degree assault. The two officers were suspended without pay Friday after a TV crew captured the confrontation the day before near the end of protests over the death of George Floyd.
The footage shows a man identified as Martin Gugino approaching a line of helmeted officers holding batons as they clear demonstrators from Niagara Square. Two officers push Gugino backward, and he hits his head on the pavement. Blood spills from his head as officers walk past.
___
Follow more AP stories on the George Floyd protests and reaction at https://apnews.com/GeorgeFloyd


mercurynews--2020-06-07--Map: Quail Fire evacuation zone in Solano County

A mandatory evacuation has been ordered because of the Quail Fire , burning in Solano County .
The sheriff ’ @ @ @ @ @ of the evacuation area as Quail Canyon Road on the west , Highway 128 on @ @ @ @ @ on the east and Olive School Road on the south .
Under an evacuation warning @ @ @ @ @ by Pleasants Valley Road , Lakeview Drive , Allendale Road and I-505 .
The evacuation @ @ @ @ @ Center , 1100 Alamo Drive in Vacaville .
The Winters Community Center is also open @ @ @ @ @ does not have sleeping accommodations .
The fire began Saturday afternoon and had burned 500 @ @ @ @ @ hours .
Click here for the full article on the fire .
Several other fires @ @ @ @ @ Area on Saturday afternoon and evening .
Click here for a map .

Update: The evacuation order was lifted late Sunday afternoon. Only residents will be allowed back in the area; ID will be required at the checkpoints.
A mandatory evacuation has been ordered because of the Quail Fire, burning in Solano County.
The sheriff’s office gave the boundaries of the evacuation area as Quail Canyon Road on the west, Highway 128 on the north, Interstate 505 on the east and Olive School Road on the south.
Under an evacuation warning advisory is an area bounded by Pleasants Valley Road, Lakeview Drive, Allendale Road and I-505.
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Living with air pollution, especially from wildfires or agriculture, raises risk of dementia, US study finds Crashes and Disasters | Cadaver dogs are in Maui to help find the dead. Here’s how it works and why it’s difficult The evacuation shelter is Three Oaks Community Center, 1100 Alamo Drive in Vacaville. The Winters Community Center is also open for evacuees, but it does not have sleeping accommodations.
Pleasants Valley Road and Cantelow Road are closed.
The fire began Saturday afternoon and by 9 p.m. had burned 1,200 acres. Click here for the full article on the fire.
Several other fires were burning in the Bay Area on Saturday evening. Click here for a map.


mercurynews--2020-06-08--The Latest: Romney is 1st Republican senator to join protest

By The Associated Press — Romney becomes first Republican senator to march in protest — Minneapolis City Council members discussing support of radical changes in their city ’ s police department .
— NBA ’ s Bucks lead thousands of fans in public protest march through downtown Milwaukee .
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney marched in a protest against police mistreatment of minorities in the nation ’ s capital , making him the first Republican senator to do so .
Romney , who represents Utah , posted a tweet showing him wearing a mask as he walked with Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Äbove the photo he wrote : Black Lives Matter .
On Saturday , Romney tweeted a photo of his father , George , who was the governor of Michigan from 1963 to 1969 , marching with civil rights protesters in the 1960s in a Detroit suburb .
Above the photo , Mitt Romney wrote : “ This is my father , George Romney , participating in a Civil Rights march in the Detroit suburbs during the late 1960s — “ Force alone will not eliminate riots , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they stem.
” LOS ANGELES — National Guard troops will be pulled out of California cities where they ’ ve been deployed for a week after rampant violence and thievery marred the first days of protests over the death of George Floyd , officials announced Sunday .
The announcement came as peaceful demonstrations again popped up across the state , including one on horseback and another on wheels , as protesters continue to call for police reforms .
“ After nearly a week assisting civil authorities on the streets of California , soldiers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transitioning back to their home armories , ” the Cal Guard said in a statement .
A timeline for the pullout was not provided .
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said some troops would begin departing Sunday evening .
“ A small number of units will be stationed nearby until June 10 to provide emergency support if needed , ” Garcetti said in a statement .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Friday that he ’ d encourage local leaders to end their use of the Guard “ in an expeditious manner , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7,000 National Guard troops were deployed to LA , San Francisco , Sacramento and other cities to assist local law enforcement , Cal Guard said .
While the vast majority of protesters have been peaceful , there were violent clashes with police and hundreds of businesses were vandalized .
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis City Council members are speaking up in support of radical changes in their city ’ s police department .
Nine of the council ’ s 12 members appeared at a rally in a city park Sunday afternoon and vowed to end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Council Member Jeremiah Ellison promised that the council would “ dismantle ” the department .
Minneapolis was the center of both violent and peaceful protests following the Memorial Day death of George Floyd .
Floyd , a black man in handcuffs , died after a white officer pressed his knee on Floyd ’ s neck , ignoring Floyd ’ s “ I can ’ t breathe ” cries and holding it there even after Floyd stopped moving .
Community activists have criticized the department for years for what they say is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The state of Minnesota launched a civil rights investigation of the department last week , and the first concrete changes came Friday when the city agreed to ban chokeholds and neck restraints .
A more complete remaking of the department is likely to unfold in coming months .
For a second straight day , the city of Atlanta lifted a curfew it had set for 8 p.m .
The decision to revoke the weekend curfews came after days of peaceful demonstrations and two nights without any arrests .
Atlanta had been under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when vandals smashed windows and looted stores after a peaceful demonstration attended by thousands of people .
Protesters again rallied in the city on Sunday .
A group of African American pastors walked down Auburn Avenue — the street Dr. Martin Luther King , Jr. was born on — singing a protest song from the civil rights era with the lyrics , “ Ain ’ t gon na let nobody turn me round.
” The Milwaukee Bucks led thousands of fans on what the team described as a public protest march through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Before the march , Bucks guard Sterling Brown led the crowd in 9 seconds of silence to honor George Floyd .
Brown has a pending lawsuit against the city of Milwaukee , saying that police used excessive force and targeted him because he is black when they used a stun gun on him on Jan. 26 , 2018 .
“ It ’ s great to see everybody out here standing as one , standing for equality , standing for George Floyd and his family and everybody who ’ s been a victim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crowd before the march .
Brown was at the front row with many of his Bucks teammates and led the crowd in various chants that included “ black lives matter , ” “ no justice , no peace ” and “ We will be seen , we will be heard.
” Several of the Bucks players also had participated in a local march against police brutality on Saturday night .
“ We ’ re here as one , ” Brown told the crowd beforehand .
“ We ’ re making something great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive happen , something that ’ s heard around the world.
” NEW YORK — Peaceful protests over the death of George Floyd have continued in New York City with thousands of demonstrators , most of them wearing masks , walking through Manhattan without a looming curfew .
The city had been scheduled to leave its 8 p.m. curfew in place through at least Sunday night .
But Mayor Bill de Blasio announced in the morning that it would be nixed , saying , “ Yesterday and last night we saw the very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City police pulled back on enforcing the curfew Saturday night , as thousands took to the streets for another day of marches and rallies sparked by the May 25 death of Floyd .
The citywide curfew was the first in decades .
BRUSSELS — Police in Brussels detained 150 people and fired a water cannon to quell unrest after a Black Lives Matter protest that drew thousands of people on Sunday .
The city mayor , Philippe Close , blamed the violence on “ delinquents ” and noted that the 10,000 people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calmly .
Video on social media showed youths smashing shop windows .
The multiracial crowd that demonstrated earlier filled a large square in front of the city ’ s main courthouse .
Protesters held up white roses and placards decrying racism .
“ You think you are tired of hearing about racism ?
We are tired of experiencing it ” read a cardboard placard held up by a young black woman .
Belgium media RTBF reported that people also gathered in the cities of Anvers and Gand , where demonstrators observed a silence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That corresponds to the length of time that prosecutors say George Floyd was pinned to the ground under a white Minneapolis police officer ’ s knee .
CHICAGO — Mayor Lori Lightfoot has lifted Chicago ’ s curfew and the city has reopened downtown train stations and allowed full bus service to resume following days of protests that largely remained peaceful .
Lightfoot imposed the 9 p.m. curfew on May 30 during a night of unrest that included widespread vandalism and break-ins that followed peaceful protests earlier that day over the death of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was limited to essential workers for days , with bridges over the Chicago River raised and streets blocked .
Several hundred Illinois National Guard were brought into Chicago to enforce the limited access .
The mayor announced the lifting of the curfew Sunday on Twitter .
Meanwhile , demonstrations over Floyd ’ s death and police brutality continued on Sunday , with hundreds gathering at an intersection on the city ’ s South Side .
Community activist Jahmal Cole says that since many stores boarded their windows and shut down because of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have become food and pharmacy deserts , with residents having to travel 15 to 20 minutes for milk or their medications .
DEARBORN , Mich — Crews in Dearborn , Michigan , have removed a statue of the city ’ s longest-serving mayor , who favored segregationist policies and made racist comments over his 35-year tenure that ended in 1977 .
The statue of Orville Hubbard had been on the grounds of the Dearborn Historical Museum for several years after it was removed from the former City Hall campus in 2015 .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokeswoman says the statute had become a “ divisive symbol rather than a unifying one.
” Calls for the statue to be removed were renewed in light of the widespread protests over George Floyd ’ s death .
Hubbard died in 1982 .
Dearborn is next to Detroit and has the largest Muslim population in the U.S. WASHINGTON — Newly named Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House is full of peaceful protesters and has the communal feeling of a street fair .
Federal law enforcement officers and National Guard members who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week have largely withdrawn and have been replaced by city police in Washington , D.C. , who have blocked off adjacent roads to give demonstrators space .
The jingles of ice cream trucks are mixing with protest chants .
Protesters are posing with the new sign the city painted in big yellow block letters on 16th Street that reads “ BLACK LIVES MATTER.
” LONDON — Anti-racism protesters in the southwestern England port city of Bristol have toppled the statue of a prominent slave trader and dumped it into the harbor .
Footage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows demonstrators attach ropes to the statue of Edward Colston before pulling it down on Sunday and eventually dumping it into the harbor .
Images on social media show protesters appearing to kneel on the statue ’ s neck , recalling how a white Minneapolis police officer used his knee to pin down George Floyd ’ s neck before the handcuffed black man died May 25 .
Colston , who was born in 1636 , has been a controversial figure in Bristol .
Among efforts to “ decolonize ” the city have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biggest music venue , Colston Hall .
In his 40s , Colston was prominently involved in Britain ’ s sole official slaving company at the time , the Royal African Company , which transported tens of thousands of Africans across the Atlantic Ocean , mainly to the Caribbean .
Bristol , an an international port , was a center of the slave trade and benefited hugely financially .
MILAN — A few thousand people gathered outside the central train station in Italy ’ s financial capital , Milan , to protest racism and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minneapolis .
Many in the crowd Sunday were migrants or the children of migrants from Africa .
Organizers told participants that in Italy , the Black Lives Matter slogan means avoiding “ seeing black bodies as if they ’ re foreigners ” and not as citizens .
One said it means not delaying legislative reform to make it easier to receive citizenship .
Foreigners born in Italy aren ’ t automatically eligible for citizenship until they reach 18 after continuously living in the country .
Efforts in recent years have failed to enact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Italy to become citizens while still minors if they ’ ve attended Italian schools .
Such parents complain that their children are viewed as second-class citizens even though they identify as Italian and speak the language fluently .
Many protesters wore masks or disposable gloves , and one of the organizers used a loudspeaker to remind people not to share objects and to stay a safe distance apart .
Italy has greatly eased its coronavirus restrictions in recent weeks as the rate of contagion steadily slowed .
HOUSTON — Houston ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd has arrived in Texas for a final memorial service and funeral .
Police Chief Art Acevedo tweeted early Sunday that Floyd ’ s family also arrived safely .
A six-hour viewing for Floyd is planned for Monday in Houston , followed by funeral services and burial Tuesday in the suburb of Pearland .
Floyd , who was handcuffed and black , died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd ’ s neck for several minutes as Floyd begged for air and eventually stopped moving .
His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and served as a rallying cry against institutional racism .
Previous memorials were held for Floyd in Minneapolis and Raeford , North Carolina , which is near where he was born .
BUDAPEST , Hungary — Hundreds of people have attended a peaceful rally outside the U.S. embassy in Budapest to express their solidarity with the Black Lives Matter protests in the U.S. sparked by the death of George Floyd .
Speeches and songs like Sam Cooke ’ s “ A Change Is Gon na Come ” and Bob Marley ’ s “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Square before the crowd knelt for 8 minutes and 46 seconds .
That was the amount of time that a white Minneapolis police officer kept his knee on the the neck of Floyd , a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air before eventually going motionless during his May 25 arrest for suspicion of using a counterfeit bill at a shop .
The demonstration was one of many held throughout the world this weekend over Floyd ’ s death and institutional racism .
Elizabeth Sadusky , a U.S. student in Hungary , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of events around the world is really important to show solidarity and to show the rest of the world that the U.S. isn ’ t perfect .
”

By The Associated Press
TOP OF THE HOUR:
— Seattle mayor, police chief criticized for police use of flash bangs, pepper spray
— Artists paint ‘End Racism Now’ on street in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina
— Romney becomes first known Republican senator to march in protest
— National Guard troops set to leave California cities.
— Minneapolis City Council members discussing support of radical changes in their city’s police department.
— NBA’s Bucks lead thousands of fans in public protest march through downtown Milwaukee.
___
SEATTLE — Seattle City Council members sharply criticized Mayor Jenny Durkan and Police Chief Carmen Best after police used flash bang devices and pepper spray to disperse protesters a day after Durkan and Best said they were trying to de-escalate tensions.
Authorities said rocks, bottles and explosives were thrown at officers in the city’s Capitol Hill neighborhood Saturday night. Police said via Twitter that several officers were injured by “improvised explosives.”
The mayhem in the Capitol Hill neighborhood came on the ninth consecutive day of George Floyd protests in the city. It followed a large, peaceful demonstration earlier.
It also came a day after Durkan and Best imposed a 30-day moratorium on the department’s use of one kind of tear gas.
___
PHOENIX — Demonstrators have marched through the streets of Phoenix and Scottsdale in two separate protests for social justice in memory of a black man who was killed by an Arizona police officer.
The Arizona Republic reports organizers in Phoenix say a line of demonstrators stretched nearly a mile Sunday. Protesters kneeled outside of the Arizona Department of Public Safety headquarters to denounce the deaths of black men and women at the hands of police nationwide, including Dion Johnson in Phoenix.
In Scottsdale, up to 1,000 protesters demonstrated, with Police Chief Alan Rodbell marching in uniform near the front.___
RALEIGH, N.C. — Add North Carolina’s capital city to those sporting a bold message denouncing racism painted in large yellow letters on a city street.
Artists on Sunday painted the words “End Racism Now” on a downtown street, the Raleigh News & Observer reported. The message was added days after the mayor of Washington, D.C., had the words “Black Lives Matter” painted on a street leading to the White House amid days of demonstrations in the nation’s capital and all over the country in response to George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis.
Floyd died May 25 after a white officer pressed his knee into the unarmed black man’s neck, ignoring his “I can’t breathe” cries and holding it there even after Floyd stopped moving.
Charman Driver, former chair of the Contemporary Art Museum on Martin Street, where the painting is located, called it “a very painful totem.” The street leads to Confederate monuments on State Capitol grounds, which have been spotlighted as offensive during protests.
The painting was applied Sunday morning when a city engineer met the artists and brought barricades to block off the street.
“We did it. And it’s wonderful. And we feel really good about it. Our voices are being heard, but it’s not enough,” Driver said.
___
CANBERRA, Australia — An indigenous academic has used an award to urge Australians to address black deaths in custody,
Melbourne University professor Marcia Langton was given an Order of Australia award on Monday for her distinguished service to tertiary education and as an advocate for indigenous Australians.
Langton defied government leaders’ pandemic warnings by attending a rally in Melbourne on Saturday protesting the death in Minnesota of George Floyd and the high rate of indigenous incarceration in Australia.
Langton said Australian politicians did not acknowledge that the disproportion rate of indigenous people being sent to prison was a problem and police were not trained to prevent indigenous deaths in custody.
“I would have thought it is pretty straightforward — do not kill Aborigines. How hard is that?” Langton told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt, the first indigenous person to serve in the role, said Langton made a poignant point. He said he would work with state agencies to address the large number of indigenous prisoners receiving hospital treatment.
There have been 434 indigenous deaths in police custody and prisons in Australia since 1991 when a government inquiry reported on the problem of black deaths in custody, The Guardian reported.
Indigenous Australians account for 2% of Australia’s adult population and 27% of Australia’s prison population.
___
WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney marched in a protest against police mistreatment of minorities in the nation’s capital, making him the first known Republican senator to do so.
Romney, who represents Utah, posted a tweet showing him wearing a mask as he walked with Black Lives Matter protesters in Washington on Sunday. Äbove the photo he wrote: Black Lives Matter.
Romney, who was walking with a Christian group, told NBC News that he needed to be there.
“We need a voice against racism, we need many voices against racism and against brutality,” he said.
On Saturday, Romney tweeted a photo of his father, George, who was the governor of Michigan from 1963 to 1969, marching with civil rights protesters in the 1960s in a Detroit suburb.
Above the photo, Mitt Romney wrote: “This is my father, George Romney, participating in a Civil Rights march in the Detroit suburbs during the late 1960s — “Force alone will not eliminate riots,” he said. “We must eliminate the problems from which they stem.”
___
LOS ANGELES — National Guard troops will be pulled out of California cities where they’ve been deployed for a week after rampant violence and thievery marred the first days of protests over the death of George Floyd, officials announced Sunday.
The announcement came as peaceful demonstrations again popped up across the state, including one on horseback and another on wheels, as protesters continue to call for police reforms.
“After nearly a week assisting civil authorities on the streets of California, soldiers with the California National Guard will begin transitioning back to their home armories,” the Cal Guard said in a statement. A timeline for the pullout was not provided.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said some troops would begin departing Sunday evening.
“A small number of units will be stationed nearby until June 10 to provide emergency support if needed,” Garcetti said in a statement.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday that he’d encourage local leaders to end their use of the Guard “in an expeditious manner, but a very thoughtful manner.”
More than 7,000 National Guard troops were deployed to LA, San Francisco, Sacramento and other cities to assist local law enforcement, Cal Guard said.
While the vast majority of protesters have been peaceful, there were violent clashes with police and hundreds of businesses were vandalized.
___
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis City Council members are speaking up in support of radical changes in their city’s police department.
Nine of the council’s 12 members appeared at a rally in a city park Sunday afternoon and vowed to end policing as the city currently knows it. Council Member Jeremiah Ellison promised that the council would “dismantle” the department.
Minneapolis was the center of both violent and peaceful protests following the Memorial Day death of George Floyd. Floyd, a black man in handcuffs, died after a white officer pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck, ignoring Floyd’s “I can’t breathe” cries and holding it there even after Floyd stopped moving.
Community activists have criticized the department for years for what they say is a racist and brutal culture that resists change.
The state of Minnesota launched a civil rights investigation of the department last week, and the first concrete changes came Friday when the city agreed to ban chokeholds and neck restraints. A more complete remaking of the department is likely to unfold in coming months.
___
For a second straight day, the city of Atlanta lifted a curfew it had set for 8 p.m.
The decision to revoke the weekend curfews came after days of peaceful demonstrations and two nights without any arrests.
Atlanta had been under a nightly curfew since the previous Friday, when vandals smashed windows and looted stores after a peaceful demonstration attended by thousands of people.
Protesters again rallied in the city on Sunday. A group of African American pastors walked down Auburn Avenue — the street Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on — singing a protest song from the civil rights era with the lyrics, “Ain’t gonna let nobody turn me round.”
___
The Milwaukee Bucks led thousands of fans on what the team described as a public protest march through downtown Milwaukee in support of social justice.
Bucks officials estimated that 7,500 people participated.
Before the march, Bucks guard Sterling Brown led the crowd in 9 seconds of silence to honor George Floyd.
Brown has a pending lawsuit against the city of Milwaukee, saying that police used excessive force and targeted him because he is black when they used a stun gun on him on Jan. 26, 2018.
“It’s great to see everybody out here standing as one, standing for equality, standing for George Floyd and his family and everybody who’s been a victim to police brutality,” Brown told the crowd before the march.
Brown was at the front row with many of his Bucks teammates and led the crowd in various chants that included “black lives matter,” “no justice, no peace” and “We will be seen, we will be heard.”
Several of the Bucks players also had participated in a local march against police brutality on Saturday night.
“We’re here as one,” Brown told the crowd beforehand. “We’re making something great happen. We’re making something positive happen, something that’s heard around the world.”
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NEW YORK — Peaceful protests over the death of George Floyd have continued in New York City with thousands of demonstrators, most of them wearing masks, walking through Manhattan without a looming curfew.
The city had been scheduled to leave its 8 p.m. curfew in place through at least Sunday night. But Mayor Bill de Blasio announced in the morning that it would be nixed, saying, “Yesterday and last night we saw the very best of our city.”
New York City police pulled back on enforcing the curfew Saturday night, as thousands took to the streets for another day of marches and rallies sparked by the May 25 death of Floyd.
The citywide curfew was the first in decades.
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BRUSSELS — Police in Brussels detained 150 people and fired a water cannon to quell unrest after a Black Lives Matter protest that drew thousands of people on Sunday.
The city mayor, Philippe Close, blamed the violence on “delinquents” and noted that the 10,000 people who demonstrated earlier in the day did so calmly. Video on social media showed youths smashing shop windows.
The multiracial crowd that demonstrated earlier filled a large square in front of the city’s main courthouse.
Protesters held up white roses and placards decrying racism. “You think you are tired of hearing about racism? We are tired of experiencing it” read a cardboard placard held up by a young black woman.
Belgium media RTBF reported that people also gathered in the cities of Anvers and Gand, where demonstrators observed a silence of 8 minutes and 46 seconds. That corresponds to the length of time that prosecutors say George Floyd was pinned to the ground under a white Minneapolis police officer’s knee.
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CHICAGO — Mayor Lori Lightfoot has lifted Chicago’s curfew and the city has reopened downtown train stations and allowed full bus service to resume following days of protests that largely remained peaceful.
Lightfoot imposed the 9 p.m. curfew on May 30 during a night of unrest that included widespread vandalism and break-ins that followed peaceful protests earlier that day over the death of George Floyd.
Access to the Loop was limited to essential workers for days, with bridges over the Chicago River raised and streets blocked. Several hundred Illinois National Guard were brought into Chicago to enforce the limited access. The mayor announced the lifting of the curfew Sunday on Twitter.
Meanwhile, demonstrations over Floyd’s death and police brutality continued on Sunday, with hundreds gathering at an intersection on the city’s South Side.
Community activist Jahmal Cole says that since many stores boarded their windows and shut down because of the protests, parts of the South Side have become food and pharmacy deserts, with residents having to travel 15 to 20 minutes for milk or their medications.
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DEARBORN, Mich — Crews in Dearborn, Michigan, have removed a statue of the city’s longest-serving mayor, who favored segregationist policies and made racist comments over his 35-year tenure that ended in 1977.
The statue of Orville Hubbard had been on the grounds of the Dearborn Historical Museum for several years after it was removed from the former City Hall campus in 2015. It was taken down Friday.
A city spokeswoman says the statute had become a “divisive symbol rather than a unifying one.” Calls for the statue to be removed were renewed in light of the widespread protests over George Floyd’s death. Hubbard died in 1982.
Dearborn is next to Detroit and has the largest Muslim population in the U.S.
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WASHINGTON — Newly named Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House is full of peaceful protesters and has the communal feeling of a street fair.
Federal law enforcement officers and National Guard members who had been out in force for a week have largely withdrawn and have been replaced by city police in Washington, D.C., who have blocked off adjacent roads to give demonstrators space.
The jingles of ice cream trucks are mixing with protest chants. Protesters are posing with the new sign the city painted in big yellow block letters on 16th Street that reads “BLACK LIVES MATTER.”
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LONDON — Anti-racism protesters in the southwestern England port city of Bristol have toppled the statue of a prominent slave trader and dumped it into the harbor.
Footage from local broadcaster ITV News West Country shows demonstrators attach ropes to the statue of Edward Colston before pulling it down on Sunday and eventually dumping it into the harbor.
Images on social media show protesters appearing to kneel on the statue’s neck, recalling how a white Minneapolis police officer used his knee to pin down George Floyd’s neck before the handcuffed black man died May 25.
Colston, who was born in 1636, has been a controversial figure in Bristol. Among efforts to “decolonize” the city have been calls to remove his name from its biggest music venue, Colston Hall.
In his 40s, Colston was prominently involved in Britain’s sole official slaving company at the time, the Royal African Company, which transported tens of thousands of Africans across the Atlantic Ocean, mainly to the Caribbean.
Bristol, an an international port, was a center of the slave trade and benefited hugely financially.
Britain formally abolished the slave trade in 1807.
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MILAN — A few thousand people gathered outside the central train station in Italy’s financial capital, Milan, to protest racism and the recent death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Many in the crowd Sunday were migrants or the children of migrants from Africa. Organizers told participants that in Italy, the Black Lives Matter slogan means avoiding “seeing black bodies as if they’re foreigners” and not as citizens. One said it means not delaying legislative reform to make it easier to receive citizenship.
Foreigners born in Italy aren’t automatically eligible for citizenship until they reach 18 after continuously living in the country. Efforts in recent years have failed to enact legislation to allow foreigners’ children born in Italy to become citizens while still minors if they’ve attended Italian schools. Such parents complain that their children are viewed as second-class citizens even though they identify as Italian and speak the language fluently.
Many protesters wore masks or disposable gloves, and one of the organizers used a loudspeaker to remind people not to share objects and to stay a safe distance apart. Italy has greatly eased its coronavirus restrictions in recent weeks as the rate of contagion steadily slowed.