france24--2020-06-07--Protesters around the world rally for George Floyd and against police brutality

Protesters raise fists in the French riviera city of Nice , on June 6 , 2020 , during a demonstration as part of 'Black Lives Matter ' worldwide protests against racism and police brutality in the wake of the death of George Floyd .
Tens of thousands of people gathered in cities around the world on Saturday to express anger over the death of George Floyd as the Black Lives Matter movement against police brutality resonates with global calls to address racism .
In Berlin , where police said 15,000 people rallied on the German capital 's Alexanderplatz , protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ placards with slogans such as , “ Stop police brutality ” and “ I can ’ t breathe ” .
Floyd , a 46-year-old black man , died on May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on his neck for almost nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed on the ground and pleading for air .
The officer has since been charged with second-degree murder .
“ The killing and these violent physical things that have happened is only just the top of it , ” said Lloyd Lawson , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Berlin protest .
“ That ’ s why you ’ ve got to start right from the bottom , just like an iceberg.
” A video shared on social media showed several police with dogs arresting a black man scuffling with an officer .
Anja Dierschke , a spokeswoman for Berlin police , said the incident happened sometime after the protest ended and officers had ordered a group of people , some of whom were throwing bottles at passers-by , to disperse .
Some 20,000 people rallied in Munich while thousands more took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Smaller protests took place outside the US embassies in Warsaw and Sofia .
The protests are even resonating in war-torn countries such as Iraq , where the `` America Revolts '' and the Arabic phrase for `` We want to breathe , too '' hashtags are spreading on social media .
`` I think what the Americans are doing is brave and they should be angry , but rioting is not the solution , '' said Yassin Alaa , a 20-year-old camped out in Baghdad 's Tahrir Square , once the site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is enough' Several thousand demonstrators in Paris ignored a protest ban – issued due to the coronavirus pandemic – and assembled within sight of the US embassy , kept back by imposing barriers and riot police .
Among the crowd in the French capital was Marie Djedje , 14 , a Parisian born on July 14 , the French national day .
“ I was born French , on the day when we celebrate our country .
But on a daily basis , I don ’ t feel that this country accepts me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sign that read , “ Being black is not a crime '' .
The teenager said that emerging from France 's virus lockdown and seeing officers on patrol again drove home how scared she is of the police and how she has steeled herself for a life of overcoming obstacles .
“ I know that because of my skin colour I ’ m starting out with a handicap , for example , if I want to get a flat or go to a top school , ” she said .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fight twice as hard as the others .
But I ’ m prepared.
” In central London , tens of thousands staged a rally outside Parliament Square , invoking Floyd 's memory as well as people who died during police encounters or indifference in Britain .
Some protesters ignored thickening rain clouds and later headed toward the UK Home Office , which oversees law enforcement and immigration , and to the US embassy .
Many dropped to one knee and raised their fists in the air outside the gleaming embassy building south @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chants of “ Silence is violence ” and “ Colour is not a crime ” .
The majority of those marching wore masks and other face coverings , and appeared to make an effort to adhere to social-distancing guidelines by walking in small groups .
An estimated 15,000 people gathered in the heart of Manchester , England , while 2,000 people joined in a demonstration in the Welsh capital of Cardiff .
Andrew Francis , 37 , a black man from London , said there ’ s “ a lot of frustration due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change for our children and our children ’ s children to be able to have equality within the UK the US , all around the world ” .
Francis , who wore a face covering , said he wasn ’ t worried about the coronavirus and said the fight for racial equality was “ more important ” to him .
Police and protesters clashed at the end of a rally near the offices of Prime Minister Boris Johnson .
Objects were thrown at police wearing protective gear and video shared on social media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the clashes , unseating a police officer as he hit traffic lights .
Floyd 's death has sparked significant protests across the United States , but it has also struck a chord with minorities protesting discrimination elsewhere , including demonstrators in Sydney and Brisbane who highlighted indigenous Australians who died in custody .
Indigenous Australians make up 2 percent of the the country 's adult population but 27 percent of the prison population .
They are also the most disadvantaged ethnic minority in Australia and have higher-than-average rates of infant mortality and poor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expectancies and lower levels of education and employment than other Australians .
While the demonstrations were largely peaceful , there was a brief scuffle in Sydney when police removed an apparent counter-protester carrying a sign reading , “ White Lives , Black Lives , All Lives Matter ” .
In South Korea 's capital , Seoul , protesters gathered for a second straight day to denounce Floyd 's death .
Wearing masks and black shirts , dozens of demonstrators marched through a commercial district amid a police escort , carrying signs such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and “ Koreans for Black Lives Matter ” .
In Senegal , people staged a protest in front of the African Renaissance Monument in the capital of Dakar , holding placards with slogans such as “ Enough is enough ” .
Chris Trabot , who works for Paris City Hall , said George Floyd 's death last week triggered his decision to demonstrate Saturday for the first time in his life .
Born in the French territory of Martinique , Trabot said he first experienced racism as a child when he moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got in frequent fights with white kids who mocked his skin colour .
Recently , his 9-year-old daughter has told him of being a target of racism , too , with schoolmates mocking her hair .
Adele Letamba , a 39-year-old consultant protesting in Paris , put it bluntly : “ The death of George Floyd was the spark that spread across the world .
”

Tens of thousands of people gathered in cities around the world on Saturday and Sunday to express anger over the death of George Floyd as the Black Lives Matter movement against police brutality resonates with global calls to address racism.
Protesters raise fists in the French riviera city of Nice, on June 6, 2020, during a demonstration as part of 'Black Lives Matter' worldwide protests against racism and police brutality in the wake of the death of George Floyd.
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Thousands of people took to the streets of Barcelona, Madrid, Rome and London on Sunday in support of the movement, adding to tens of thousands who rallied in France, Germany, the UK and other European countries on Saturday.
Several thousand people massed on Sunday outside the US embassy in Madrid, repeating “I can’t breathe”, Floyd’s last words as he was asphyxiated by police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis on May 25, and demanding racial justice.
George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died after white Minneapolis police officer Chauvin pressed a knee on his neck for almost nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed on the ground and pleading for air. The officer has since been charged with second-degree murder.
“Racism knows no borders,” said Leinisa Seemdo, a 26-year-old Spanish translator from Cape Verde. “In all the countries where I have lived, I have experienced discrimination because of the colour of my skin.”
At a police cordon, they knelt in silence in a gesture against racism first made by American football player Colin Kaepernick in 2016.
Rome’s Piazza del Popolo (“People’s Plaza”) also fell silent for eight minutes – around the time Floyd was pinned down by the white police officer – with thousands of people taking a knee in memory of Floyd, their fists in the air.
“We can’t breathe,” shouted the crowd, after the collective silence.
#BlackLivesMatter IN ROME 8 minutes and 46 seconds of silence kneeled down for #GeorgeFlyod pic.twitter.com/ifmJlw1RE5 — Pidunf (@pidunf) June 7, 2020
“It’s really hard to live here,” said Senegalese migrant Morikeba Samate, 32, one of the thousands to have arrived in Italy after risking the perilous crossing across the Mediterranean.
Opposition to that wave of migration buoyed the far-right in Italy and elsewhere in Europe, creating a culture of mistrust those in the crowd said needed to end.
“There are so many people our age in the street,” said one young Italian, 17-year-old Eleonora, who showed up with her friend holding signs. “It’s important to be here.”
Weekend of worldwide protests against racism
In Berlin on Saturday, where police said 15,000 people rallied on the German capital's Alexanderplatz, protesters chanted Floyd's name and held up placards with slogans such as, “Stop police brutality” and “I can’t breathe”.
“The killing and these violent physical things that have happened is only just the top of it,” said Lloyd Lawson, 54, who took part in the Berlin protest. “That’s why you’ve got to start right from the bottom, just like an iceberg.”
A video shared on social media showed several police with dogs arresting a black man scuffling with an officer. Anja Dierschke, a spokeswoman for Berlin police, said the incident happened sometime after the protest ended and officers had ordered a group of people, some of whom were throwing bottles at passers-by, to disperse.
Some 20,000 people rallied in Munich while thousands more took part in protests in Frankfurt and Cologne.
Smaller protests took place outside the US embassies in Warsaw and Sofia.
The protests are even resonating in war-torn countries such as Iraq, where the "America Revolts" and the Arabic phrase for "We want to breathe, too" hashtags are spreading on social media.
"I think what the Americans are doing is brave and they should be angry, but rioting is not the solution," said Yassin Alaa, a 20-year-old camped out in Baghdad's Tahrir Square, once the site of months of anti-government protests.
'Being black is not a crime'
Several thousand demonstrators in Paris ignored a protest ban – issued due to the coronavirus pandemic – and assembled within sight of the US embassy, kept back by imposing barriers and riot police.
Among the crowd in the French capital was Marie Djedje, 14, a Parisian born on July 14, the French national day. “I was born French, on the day when we celebrate our country. But on a daily basis, I don’t feel that this country accepts me,” she said, holding up a sign that read, “Being black is not a crime".
The teenager said that emerging from France's virus lockdown and seeing officers on patrol again drove home how scared she is of the police and how she has steeled herself for a life of overcoming obstacles.
“I know that because of my skin colour I’m starting out with a handicap, for example, if I want to get a flat or go to a top school,” she said. “I know I’m going to have to fight twice as hard as the others. But I’m prepared.”
In central London, tens of thousands staged a rally outside Parliament Square, invoking Floyd's memory as well as people who died during police encounters or indifference in Britain. Some protesters ignored thickening rain clouds and later headed toward the UK Home Office, which oversees law enforcement and immigration, and to the US embassy.
Many dropped to one knee and raised their fists in the air outside the gleaming embassy building south of the River Thames. There were chants of “Silence is violence” and “Colour is not a crime”.
The majority of those marching wore masks and other face coverings, and appeared to make an effort to adhere to social-distancing guidelines by walking in small groups.
An estimated 15,000 people gathered in the heart of Manchester, England, while 2,000 people joined in a demonstration in the Welsh capital of Cardiff.
Andrew Francis, 37, a black man from London, said there’s “a lot of frustration due to racial discrimination, and we want change for our children and our children’s children to be able to have equality within the UK the US, all around the world”. Francis, who wore a face covering, said he wasn’t worried about the coronavirus and said the fight for racial equality was “more important” to him.
Police and protesters clashed at the end of a rally near the offices of Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Objects were thrown at police wearing protective gear and video shared on social media appeared to show a horse bolting amid the clashes, unseating a police officer as he hit traffic lights.
From South Korea to Senegal: 'Enough is enough'
Floyd's death has sparked significant protests across the United States, but it has also struck a chord with minorities protesting discrimination elsewhere, including demonstrators in Sydney and Brisbane who highlighted indigenous Australians who died in custody.
Indigenous Australians make up 2 percent of the the country's adult population but 27 percent of the prison population. They are also the most disadvantaged ethnic minority in Australia and have higher-than-average rates of infant mortality and poor health, as well as shorter life expectancies and lower levels of education and employment than other Australians.
While the demonstrations were largely peaceful, there was a brief scuffle in Sydney when police removed an apparent counter-protester carrying a sign reading, “White Lives, Black Lives, All Lives Matter”.
In South Korea's capital, Seoul, protesters gathered for a second straight day to denounce Floyd's death. Wearing masks and black shirts, dozens of demonstrators marched through a commercial district amid a police escort, carrying signs such as, “George Floyd Rest in Peace” and “Koreans for Black Lives Matter”.
In Senegal, people staged a protest in front of the African Renaissance Monument in the capital of Dakar, holding placards with slogans such as “Enough is enough”.
Chris Trabot, who works for Paris City Hall, said George Floyd's death last week triggered his decision to demonstrate Saturday for the first time in his life.
Born in the French territory of Martinique, Trabot said he first experienced racism as a child when he moved with his family to mainland France and got in frequent fights with white kids who mocked his skin colour. Recently, his 9-year-old daughter has told him of being a target of racism, too, with schoolmates mocking her hair.
Adele Letamba, a 39-year-old consultant protesting in Paris, put it bluntly: “The death of George Floyd was the spark that spread across the world.”
(FRANCE 24 and AP and AFP)
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france24--2020-06-06--Black Lives Matter supporters flood Washington on 12th day of US protests

Demonstrators gather in front of the White House during a protest against racial inequality in the aftermath of the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd , in Washington , D.C. , on June 6 , 2020 .
Tens of thousands of peaceful protesters rallied for racial justice Saturday in cities across the United States following the death of George Floyd , as the movement triggered by his killing at police hands entered a second weekend .
Protests took place from New York to Los Angeles but Washington was at the epicenter , as thousands of people -- black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streets surrounding the White House , which was barricaded with black metal fencing .
`` This fight has been happening for many , many decades , hundreds of years , and at this point it 's time for a change , '' said Washington native Christine Montgomery .
`` I 'm here so my son is not the next hashtag that is circulating worldwide , '' she added , indicating her 10-year-old child standing next to her .
On a sunny but oppressively hot day , many people wore masks because of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hand sanitizer and other supplies as the area took on a block party vibe , with music , mural painting , food trucks , and vendors selling Black Lives Matter T-shirts .
Helicopters circled overhead as some protesters danced -- but the pain which drove many in to the streets was never far below the surface , as others yelled `` This ai n't no party ! ''
Military personnel as well as police watched over the gathering .
But there appeared to be fewer than on previous days , and some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as they marched by .
On the National Mall , fencing and uniformed guards blocked protesters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial where civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr famously delivered his `` I have a dream '' speech in 1963 .
`` Martin Luther King stood here , and after so many years we are back here with a new message of hope , '' said Deniece Laurent-Mantey , 31 .
The protests were ignited by videos of a police officer kneeling on Floyd 's neck for almost nine minutes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the latest unarmed black person to be killed by white law enforcement officers .
The officer , Derek Chauvin , has been charged with second-degree murder .
The rage since Floyd 's death in Minneapolis on May 25 has exploded into the most serious civil unrest in America since King was assassinated in 1968 .
Peaceful protests swelled Saturday in other US cities : tens of thousands rallied across New York City and Philadelphia ; Chicago shut down the iconic Lake Shore Drive to facilitate protests ; and demonstrators marched in Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the demonstrations in Washington were the biggest since protests began in Minneapolis before spreading across the country and then abroad .
`` Today , the pain is so raw it can be hard to keep faith , '' tweeted Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden .
He added : `` But ours is a union worth fighting for , and we are all called to the cause . ''
A remembrance for Floyd was held Saturday in Raeford , North Carolina , the state where he was born , following a memorial service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to view his coffin , some holding umbrellas against the hot sun .
Some sobbed and many held cell phones high as a hearse arrived with the casket .
Floyd 's sisters LaTonya and Zsa-Zsa Floyd told reporters they would not go inside .
`` I ca n't go in , see him laying in a coffin , it would drive me crazy forever , '' said LaTonya through tears .
She expressed her pain at watching the footage of her brother 's agonizing death .
`` It 's very hard .
Every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the ground , face up , neck down , hollering please help me , '' she said , adding she wished the video could be taken down .
`` I 'll never hear his voice , I 'll never hear his laughter , I 'll never tell him again that I love him and likewise he 'd tell me the same , '' said Zsa-Zsa .
But , she said , she felt like God `` chose him for a reason . ''
`` He called him up , so his death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world , protesters echoed the rage of American demonstrators .
`` It is time to burn down institutional racism , '' one speaker shouted through a megaphone at a hooting crowd of thousands outside the parliament building in London .
Tens of thousands rallied in Australia and France , while in Tunis , hundreds chanted : `` We want justice !
We want to breathe ! ''
Back in Washington , many black protesters hailed the multiracial , multi-ethnic nature of the demonstrations , calling the change `` invigorating . ''
Jackie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own parents marching in Washington for their rights decades ago , said she felt `` relieved '' that black people were no longer alone .
`` It 's about time that they are tired too , '' she said of other protesters -- though , she added , she hoped it would last .
White protester Megan Nadolski came to the rally with her husband and two young daughters .
When black protesters called out the first part of a chant , she said , `` I always want to be a white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answer , just make sure they know that they 're safe , that their children can grow up safe and healthy and have the same opportunities my children do . ''
The days of demonstrations in the US -- which have included outbreaks of looting and violence -- have seen new police abuses , some captured on camera .
Two policemen in Buffalo , New York were charged with felony assault Saturday after they were filmed shoving a 75-year-old protester who fell , hit his head and began bleeding , in one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But there were some changes to policing as well .
In Seattle , authorities announced a temporary ban on tear gas .
In Denver , a federal judge forbade the use of chemical agents and projectiles like rubber bullets against peaceful protesters .
And in Dallas , police marched in solidarity with protesters .
The unrest has handed US President Donald Trump -- the target of many a biting protest sign and chant -- one of the greatest challenges of his tumultuous presidency .
While condemning Floyd 's death , he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling them `` thugs '' or `` terrorists '' and threatening a military crackdown .
`` LAW & ORDER ! ''
the president tweeted as evening fell Saturday , adding later that the crowd in DC was `` much smaller '' than anticipated .

Tens of thousands of peaceful protesters rallied for racial justice Saturday in cities across the United States following the death of George Floyd, as the movement triggered by his killing at police hands entered a second weekend.
Demonstrators gather in front of the White House during a protest against racial inequality in the aftermath of the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Washington, D.C., on June 6, 2020.
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Protests took place from New York to Los Angeles but Washington was at the epicenter, as thousands of people -- black, white and brown -- flooded downtown streets surrounding the White House, which was barricaded with black metal fencing.
"This fight has been happening for many, many decades, hundreds of years, and at this point it's time for a change," said Washington native Christine Montgomery.
"I'm here so my son is not the next hashtag that is circulating worldwide," she added, indicating her 10-year-old child standing next to her.
On a sunny but oppressively hot day, many people wore masks because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Volunteers gave out water, hand sanitizer and other supplies as the area took on a block party vibe, with music, mural painting, food trucks, and vendors selling Black Lives Matter T-shirts.
Helicopters circled overhead as some protesters danced -- but the pain which drove many in to the streets was never far below the surface, as others yelled "This ain't no party!"
Military personnel as well as police watched over the gathering. But there appeared to be fewer than on previous days, and some gave the protesters small smiles and waves as they marched by.
On the National Mall, fencing and uniformed guards blocked protesters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial where civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr famously delivered his "I have a dream" speech in 1963.
"Martin Luther King stood here, and after so many years we are back here with a new message of hope," said Deniece Laurent-Mantey, 31.
The protests were ignited by videos of a police officer kneeling on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes as he pleaded for his life -- the latest unarmed black person to be killed by white law enforcement officers.
The officer, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with second-degree murder.
The rage since Floyd's death in Minneapolis on May 25 has exploded into the most serious civil unrest in America since King was assassinated in 1968.
Peaceful protests swelled Saturday in other US cities: tens of thousands rallied across New York City and Philadelphia; Chicago shut down the iconic Lake Shore Drive to facilitate protests; and demonstrators marched in Los Angeles.
'I can't go in'
But the demonstrations in Washington were the biggest since protests began in Minneapolis before spreading across the country and then abroad.
"Today, the pain is so raw it can be hard to keep faith," tweeted Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden.
He added: "But ours is a union worth fighting for, and we are all called to the cause."
I promised George Floyd's family that he wouldn’t just become another hashtag — and I intend to keep that promise.
We need justice. And we need real police reform to ensure this never occurs again. — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) June 6, 2020
A remembrance for Floyd was held Saturday in Raeford, North Carolina, the state where he was born, following a memorial service in Minneapolis on Thursday.
Hundreds waited to view his coffin, some holding umbrellas against the hot sun. Some sobbed and many held cell phones high as a hearse arrived with the casket.
Floyd's sisters LaTonya and Zsa-Zsa Floyd told reporters they would not go inside.
"I can't go in, see him laying in a coffin, it would drive me crazy forever," said LaTonya through tears.
She expressed her pain at watching the footage of her brother's agonizing death.
"It's very hard. Every time I look up I see him on the ground, face up, neck down, hollering please help me," she said, adding she wished the video could be taken down.
"I'll never hear his voice, I'll never hear his laughter, I'll never tell him again that I love him and likewise he'd tell me the same," said Zsa-Zsa.
But, she said, she felt like God "chose him for a reason."
"He called him up, so his death was not in vain."
'It's about time'
Around the world, protesters echoed the rage of American demonstrators.
"It is time to burn down institutional racism," one speaker shouted through a megaphone at a hooting crowd of thousands outside the parliament building in London.
Tens of thousands rallied in Australia and France, while in Tunis, hundreds chanted: "We want justice! We want to breathe!"
Back in Washington, many black protesters hailed the multiracial, multi-ethnic nature of the demonstrations, calling the change "invigorating."
Jackie Maddox, 59, who remembered her own parents marching in Washington for their rights decades ago, said she felt "relieved" that black people were no longer alone.
"It's about time that they are tired too," she said of other protesters -- though, she added, she hoped it would last.
White protester Megan Nadolski came to the rally with her husband and two young daughters.
When black protesters called out the first part of a chant, she said, "I always want to be a white person standing right next to them to answer, just make sure they know that they're safe, that their children can grow up safe and healthy and have the same opportunities my children do."
The days of demonstrations in the US -- which have included outbreaks of looting and violence -- have seen new police abuses, some captured on camera.
Two policemen in Buffalo, New York were charged with felony assault Saturday after they were filmed shoving a 75-year-old protester who fell, hit his head and began bleeding, in one of the most widely shared videos fuelling outrage.
But there were some changes to policing as well.
In Seattle, authorities announced a temporary ban on tear gas. In Denver, a federal judge forbade the use of chemical agents and projectiles like rubber bullets against peaceful protesters. And in Dallas, police marched in solidarity with protesters.
The unrest has handed US President Donald Trump -- the target of many a biting protest sign and chant -- one of the greatest challenges of his tumultuous presidency.
Much smaller crowd in D.C. than anticipated. National Guard, Secret Service, and D.C. Police have been doing a fantastic job. Thank you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 7, 2020
While condemning Floyd's death, he has adopted a tough stance toward protesters, calling them "thugs" or "terrorists" and threatening a military crackdown.
"LAW & ORDER!" the president tweeted as evening fell Saturday, adding later that the crowd in DC was "much smaller" than anticipated.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-07--Brazil takes down months of Covid-19 data, hiding toll as deaths soar

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro ( C ) waves to supporters during the inauguration of a field hospital in Aguas Lindas , in the State of Goiais , Brazil , on 5 June 2020 , amid the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic .
Brazil removed from public view months of data on its COVID-19 epidemic on Saturday , as President Jair Bolsonaro defended delays and changes to official record-keeping of the world 's second-largest coronavirus outbreak .
Brazil 's Health Ministry removed the data from a website that had documented the epidemic over time and by state and municipality .
The ministry also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases , which have shot past 672,000 – more than anywhere outside the United States – or a total death toll , which passed Italy this week , nearing 36,000 by Saturday .
`` The cumulative data ... does not reflect the moment the country is in , '' Bolsonaro said on Twitter , citing a note from the ministry .
`` Other actions are underway to improve the reporting of cases and confirmation of diagnoses . ''
Bolsonaro has played down the dangers of the pandemic , replaced medical experts in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against state lockdowns to fight the virus , hobbling the country 's public health response .
Neither Bolsonaro nor the ministry gave a reason for erasing most of the data on the covid.saude.gov.br website , which had been a key public resource for tracking the pandemic .
The page was taken down on Friday and reloaded Saturday with a new layout and just a fraction of the data , reflecting only deaths , cases and recoveries within the last 24 hours .
Late on Saturday , the ministry reported 27,075 new confirmed infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ update .
The government drew criticism this week for pushing back the release of its daily tally , previously available around 5 p.m. but released in recent days near 10 p.m. '' Transparency of information is a powerful instrument for combating the epidemic , '' wrote Paulo Jeronimo de Sousa , head of the Brazilian Press Association , in a note accusing the government of `` trying to silence the press at this late hour . ''
Asked by journalists on Friday about the delayed release , Bolsonaro needled the nation 's most-watched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begins at 8:30 p.m. '' There goes the story for Jornal Nacional , '' he joked , adding that the show `` likes to say Brazil has the record for deaths . ''
Brazil reported more new cases and deaths from COVID-19 than any other country on four consecutive days this week .
Bolsonaro tweeted on Saturday that a later daily update would `` avoid undernotification and inconsistencies . ''

Brazil removed from public view months of data on its COVID-19 epidemic on Saturday, as President Jair Bolsonaro defended delays and changes to official record-keeping of the world's second-largest coronavirus outbreak.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (C) waves to supporters during the inauguration of a field hospital in Aguas Lindas, in the State of Goiais, Brazil, on 5 June 2020, amid the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.
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Brazil's Health Ministry removed the data from a website that had documented the epidemic over time and by state and municipality. The ministry also stopped giving a total count of confirmed cases, which have shot past 672,000 – more than anywhere outside the United States – or a total death toll, which passed Italy this week, nearing 36,000 by Saturday.
"The cumulative data ... does not reflect the moment the country is in," Bolsonaro said on Twitter, citing a note from the ministry. "Other actions are underway to improve the reporting of cases and confirmation of diagnoses."
Bolsonaro has played down the dangers of the pandemic, replaced medical experts in the Health Ministry with military officials and argued against state lockdowns to fight the virus, hobbling the country's public health response.
Neither Bolsonaro nor the ministry gave a reason for erasing most of the data on the covid.saude.gov.br website, which had been a key public resource for tracking the pandemic. The page was taken down on Friday and reloaded Saturday with a new layout and just a fraction of the data, reflecting only deaths, cases and recoveries within the last 24 hours.
04:33
Late on Saturday, the ministry reported 27,075 new confirmed infections and 904 related deaths since its Friday update.
The government drew criticism this week for pushing back the release of its daily tally, previously available around 5 p.m. but released in recent days near 10 p.m.
"Transparency of information is a powerful instrument for combating the epidemic," wrote Paulo Jeronimo de Sousa, head of the Brazilian Press Association, in a note accusing the government of "trying to silence the press at this late hour."
Asked by journalists on Friday about the delayed release, Bolsonaro needled the nation's most-watched news program, Jornal Nacional, which begins at 8:30 p.m.
"There goes the story for Jornal Nacional," he joked, adding that the show "likes to say Brazil has the record for deaths."
Brazil reported more new cases and deaths from COVID-19 than any other country on four consecutive days this week.
Bolsonaro tweeted on Saturday that a later daily update would "avoid undernotification and inconsistencies."
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-06-07--Is Germany’s ‘colossal’ recovery plan a role model for other coronavirus-hit economies?

A waiter prepares coffee at Café Einstein in Berlin on May 15 , 2020 , as coronavirus lockdown measures were eased and cafés and restaurants were allowed to reopen .
Germany became the first European country to announce a post-coronavirus economic stimulus package last week , allocating €130 billion that follows an initial roll-out of emergency measures to save the economy from the fallout of the pandemic .
The ambitious plan could inspire other eurozone nations also desperate for a reboot .
Berlin surged ahead of its EU brethren on June 3 by unveiling Europe ’ s first comprehensive stimulus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which like many , has been battered by the Covid-19 pandemic .
Chancellor Angela Merkel said the initial emergency measures introduced to limit the fallout would give way to a programme set to cost Germany €130 billion ( $ 146 billion ) and would aim to shorten the duration – and soften the blow – of the coming recession .
`` It is a plan of colossal magnitude , equivalent to 4 percent of German GDP , '' said Alexandre Baradez , head of market analysis for the financial firm IG France @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Negotiations between the two parties in Germany ’ s ruling coalition – the conservatives of Merkel ’ s CDU and the Social Democrats in the SPD –have resulted in some 50 measures designed to boost consumption and speed-up the post-coronavirus recovery .
Less VAT for more consumption Among the plan ’ s initiatives , one stands out in particular : the decision to reduce VAT by three points until the end of 2020 .
For a country that has made budgetary control its signature , giving up some €20 billion in tax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new measure marks a significant shift in mentality at the very top in what Céline Antonin , a specialist in the German economy at the French Observatory of Economic Conjunctures , said represents “ a shift in Germany ’ s economic paradigm ” .
The sharp drop in this indirect tax also illustrates the philosophy behind the plan , which is primarily designed to trigger spending .
Reducing VAT is `` a simple and direct way to encourage individuals to start consuming again , quickly '' , explained Pascal de Lima , chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Management .
Combined with other measures – such as paying each household €300 per child or extending short-term work contracts – this plan demonstrates `` a keen sense of economic timing : after doing everything possible to avoid an increase in bankruptcies , the German government is now trying to get companies to start selling again by encouraging consumers to buy their products '' , said Baradez .
Yet gambling on an economic reboot based on lowering the VAT has its risks .
`` We know that , in a traditional recession , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boosting consumption , ” Baradez added .
“ But the exceptional nature of this health crisis makes the reaction of economic players much more unpredictable.
” For example , fears of a second wave of the coronavirus might push consumers to save despite government incentives to spend , while companies might be tempted to forego passing on a VAT reduction by lowering prices to improve their bottom line .
France has less room for manoeuvre Despite any shortcomings , all three experts consider the German plan to be well-rounded .
Between the incentives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transitioning to green energy and the technological innovations , `` it is a balanced plan that addresses immediate needs – that is to say , the revival of consumption – and outlines a road map for the future '' , said Antonin .
And the German road map could inspire other European countries like France , which is facing similar challenges in grappling with an economy caught in a downward spiral .
Reacting to the German plan last week , French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told a press conference that Germany ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” for all European countries .
He said France is expected to release the details of its own economic stimulus programme in the coming weeks , with a possible roll-out by September .
A VAT reduction could be a key measure , especially if the French government leverages it in the hope that the French will then buy more camembert and Hermès scarves .
`` There is a lot of talk about the €55 billion saved by the French [ public ] since the beginning of the crisis and how to harness these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Antonin said .
According to de Lima , `` France has far less budgetary room to manoeuvre , and VAT accounts for half of the state 's tax revenue . ''
With a public deficit expected to reach nearly 11 percent of GDP by the end of the year , Paris can hardly afford the same largesse as Berlin .
Such budget constraints may partly explain why France ’ s finance minister has so strongly urged the EU bloc to fast track the shared recovery fund , even though some member states remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unlikely to offer a silver bullet solution , Baradez believes there is no reason to abandon the idea if it can be of benefit to some areas of the economy .
`` We could see a reduction applied to a sector – which might , for example , be limited to restaurants or hotels , '' he said .
A limited reduction in VAT , however , is likely to have a long shelf-life .
Germany ’ s Finance Minister Olaf Scholz has justified the generosity of the recovery package by saying it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He argues that if the government does not skimp on spending Germans will gain more confidence , which will in turn encourage them to consume more .
Conversely , a plan that is too timid would leave consumers indifferent .
Baradez says differences in economic behaviour between the French and the Germans must also be taken into account in considering whether the German model could work in France .
According to him , Germans `` are more inclined to save , and a much stronger trigger is needed to change their mentalities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more significant effect on consumption in France ” .
And one must remember that Germany is far better equipped to outspend most other European countries .
`` It is in situations like this that one realises the advantage of reducing one 's debt when the world economy is doing well , '' observed Antonin .
And this could pose a political problem .
`` The risk is that if the German machine starts up again , faster and stronger than elsewhere , the question of competitiveness within the eurozone will arise .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Germany is always doing better or is not showing solidarity and is taking advantage of the situation , '' Baradez said .
Hence the importance of the European recovery plan , which will direct funds to the countries that need it most .
`` It is a mechanism that can ensure that European recovery does not take place at different speeds , ” said Baradez .
This article has been translated from the original in French .

Germany became the first European country to announce a post-coronavirus economic stimulus package last week, allocating €130 billion that follows an initial roll-out of emergency measures to save the economy from the fallout of the pandemic. The ambitious plan could inspire other eurozone nations also desperate for a reboot.
A waiter prepares coffee at Café Einstein in Berlin on May 15, 2020, as coronavirus lockdown measures were eased and cafés and restaurants were allowed to reopen.
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Berlin surged ahead of its EU brethren on June 3 by unveiling Europe’s first comprehensive stimulus programme designed to resuscitate its ailing economy, which like many, has been battered by the Covid-19 pandemic. Chancellor Angela Merkel said the initial emergency measures introduced to limit the fallout would give way to a programme set to cost Germany €130 billion ($146 billion) and would aim to shorten the duration – and soften the blow – of the coming recession.
"It is a plan of colossal magnitude, equivalent to 4 percent of German GDP," said Alexandre Baradez, head of market analysis for the financial firm IG France, in an interview with FRANCE 24.
Negotiations between the two parties in Germany’s ruling coalition – the conservatives of Merkel’s CDU and the Social Democrats in the SPD –have resulted in some 50 measures designed to boost consumption and speed-up the post-coronavirus recovery.
Less VAT for more consumption
Among the plan’s initiatives, one stands out in particular: the decision to reduce VAT by three points until the end of 2020. For a country that has made budgetary control its signature, giving up some €20 billion in tax revenue is no small feat. The new measure marks a significant shift in mentality at the very top in what Céline Antonin, a specialist in the German economy at the French Observatory of Economic Conjunctures, said represents “a shift in Germany’s economic paradigm”.
The sharp drop in this indirect tax also illustrates the philosophy behind the plan, which is primarily designed to trigger spending. Reducing VAT is "a simple and direct way to encourage individuals to start consuming again, quickly", explained Pascal de Lima, chief economist at the financial consulting firm Harwell Management.
Combined with other measures – such as paying each household €300 per child or extending short-term work contracts – this plan demonstrates "a keen sense of economic timing: after doing everything possible to avoid an increase in bankruptcies, the German government is now trying to get companies to start selling again by encouraging consumers to buy their products", said Baradez.
Yet gambling on an economic reboot based on lowering the VAT has its risks.
"We know that, in a traditional recession, this is a very effective way of boosting consumption,” Baradez added. “But the exceptional nature of this health crisis makes the reaction of economic players much more unpredictable.”
For example, fears of a second wave of the coronavirus might push consumers to save despite government incentives to spend, while companies might be tempted to forego passing on a VAT reduction by lowering prices to improve their bottom line.
France has less room for manoeuvre
Despite any shortcomings, all three experts consider the German plan to be well-rounded. Between the incentives to consume, the promised investments in transitioning to green energy and the technological innovations, "it is a balanced plan that addresses immediate needs – that is to say, the revival of consumption – and outlines a road map for the future", said Antonin.
And the German road map could inspire other European countries like France, which is facing similar challenges in grappling with an economy caught in a downward spiral.
Reacting to the German plan last week, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told a press conference that Germany’s stimulus plan is “good news” for all European countries.
He said France is expected to release the details of its own economic stimulus programme in the coming weeks, with a possible roll-out by September. A VAT reduction could be a key measure, especially if the French government leverages it in the hope that the French will then buy more camembert and Hermès scarves.
"There is a lot of talk about the €55 billion saved by the French [public] since the beginning of the crisis and how to harness these funds to boost the economy," Antonin said.
According to de Lima, "France has far less budgetary room to manoeuvre, and VAT accounts for half of the state's tax revenue." With a public deficit expected to reach nearly 11 percent of GDP by the end of the year, Paris can hardly afford the same largesse as Berlin.
Such budget constraints may partly explain why France’s finance minister has so strongly urged the EU bloc to fast track the shared recovery fund, even though some member states remain opposed.
Though a VAT cut is unlikely to offer a silver bullet solution, Baradez believes there is no reason to abandon the idea if it can be of benefit to some areas of the economy.
"We could see a reduction applied to a sector – which might, for example, be limited to restaurants or hotels," he said.
Political risk
A limited reduction in VAT, however, is likely to have a long shelf-life. Germany’s Finance Minister Olaf Scholz has justified the generosity of the recovery package by saying it’s about striking the right balance. He argues that if the government does not skimp on spending Germans will gain more confidence, which will in turn encourage them to consume more. Conversely, a plan that is too timid would leave consumers indifferent.
Baradez says differences in economic behaviour between the French and the Germans must also be taken into account in considering whether the German model could work in France. According to him, Germans "are more inclined to save, and a much stronger trigger is needed to change their mentalities, whereas lesser incentives can have a more significant effect on consumption in France”.
And one must remember that Germany is far better equipped to outspend most other European countries. "It is in situations like this that one realises the advantage of reducing one's debt when the world economy is doing well," observed Antonin.
And this could pose a political problem. "The risk is that if the German machine starts up again, faster and stronger than elsewhere, the question of competitiveness within the eurozone will arise. This could prompt some politicians to say that Germany is always doing better or is not showing solidarity and is taking advantage of the situation," Baradez said.
Hence the importance of the European recovery plan, which will direct funds to the countries that need it most.
"It is a mechanism that can ensure that European recovery does not take place at different speeds,” said Baradez.
This article has been translated from the original in French.
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france24--2020-06-07--Global Covid-19 death toll exceeds 400,000 as new cases climb in Brazil, India

Relatives mourn a man who died from Covid-19 at a crematorium in New Delhi , India , June 4 , 2020 .
The confirmed global death toll from the Covid-19 virus reached at least 400,000 fatalities on Sunday , a day after the government of Brazil broke with standard public health protocols by ceasing to publish updates of the number of deaths and infections in the hard-hit South American country .
Worldwide , at least 6.9 million people have been infected by the virus , according to Johns Hopkins University , whose aggregated tally has become the main worldwide reference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counter says the United States leads the world with nearly 110,000 confirmed virus-related deaths .
Europe as a whole has recorded more than 175,000 since the virus emerged in China late last year .
Health experts , however , believe that the John Hopkins tally falls short of showing the true tragedy of the pandemic .
Many governments have struggled to produce statistics that can reasonably be considered as true indicators of the pandemic given the scarcity of diagnostic tests especially in the first phase of the crisis .
Authorities in Italy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , have acknowledged that their death count is larger than the story the numbers tell .
But Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro went as far as to tweet on Saturday that his country ’ s disease totals are “ not representative ” of Brazil ’ s current situation , insinuating that the numbers were actually overestimating the spread of the virus .
Critics of Bolsonaro , who has repeatedly clashed with health experts over the seriousness of the disease and has threatened to take Brazil out of the World Health Organization , said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader to hide the depths of crisis .
Brazil ’ s last official numbers recorded over 34,000 virus-related deaths , the third-highest toll in the world behind the US and Britain .
It reported nearly 615,000 infections , putting it second behind the US .
After Bolsonaro stoked his clash with health experts , Pope Francis cautioned people in countries emerging from lockdown to keep following authorities ’ rules on social distancing , hygiene and limits on movement .
“ Be careful , don ’ t cry victory , don ’ t cry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Follow the rules .
They are rules that help us to avoid the virus getting ahead ” again .
The Argentine-born pontiff has also expressed dismay that the virus is still claiming many lives , especially in Latin America .
Francis was clearly delighted to see several hundred people gathered below his window in St. Peter ’ s Square on Sundays for the pope ’ s noon blessing after Italy eased its restrictions on public gatherings .
Many counties like the US and Britain insist that they can ease restrictions before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US , the virus churns on underneath the unrest provoked by the death of George Floyd and increasingly directed at President Donald Trump ’ s handling of the protests .
On Sunday , the UK revealed that places of worship can reopen from June 15 — but only for private prayer .
Worries have surfaced over the past couple of weeks that Prime Minister Boris Johnson ’ s government is easing the restrictions too soon , with new infections potentially still running at 8,000 a day .
As things stand , nonessential shops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reopen on June 15 .
Professor John Edmunds , who attends meetings of the British government ’ s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies , said the epidemic “ is definitely not all over ” and that there is an “ awful long way to go.
” In France , the government announced that from Tuesday , it will ease restrictions limiting travel from the French mainland to overseas territories in the Caribbean and Indian Ocean .
Spain is preparing to take another step forward in the scaling back of its containment with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurants with reduced seating on Monday .
In Turkey , Istanbul residents flocked to the city ’ s shores and parks on the first weekend with no lockdown , prompting a reprimand from the health minister .
Russia remained troubling , with nearly 9,000 new cases over the past day , roughly in line with numbers reported over the past week .
Pakistan is pushing toward 100,000 confirmed infections as medical professionals plead for more controls and greater enforcement of social distancing directives .
But Prime Minister Imran Khan said a full shutdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed 9,971 new coronavirus cases in another biggest single-day spike , a day before it prepares to reopen shopping malls , hotels and religious places after a 10-week lockdown .
China has reported its first non-imported case in two weeks , an infected person on the island of Hainan off the southern coast .

The confirmed global death toll from the Covid-19 virus reached at least 400,000 fatalities on Sunday, a day after the government of Brazil broke with standard public health protocols by ceasing to publish updates of the number of deaths and infections in the hard-hit South American country.
Relatives mourn a man who died from Covid-19 at a crematorium in New Delhi, India, June 4, 2020.
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Worldwide, at least 6.9 million people have been infected by the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University, whose aggregated tally has become the main worldwide reference for monitoring the disease. Its running counter says the United States leads the world with nearly 110,000 confirmed virus-related deaths. Europe as a whole has recorded more than 175,000 since the virus emerged in China late last year.
Health experts, however, believe that the John Hopkins tally falls short of showing the true tragedy of the pandemic.
Many governments have struggled to produce statistics that can reasonably be considered as true indicators of the pandemic given the scarcity of diagnostic tests especially in the first phase of the crisis. Authorities in Italy and Spain, with over 60,000 combined deaths, have acknowledged that their death count is larger than the story the numbers tell.
But Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro went as far as to tweet on Saturday that his country’s disease totals are “not representative” of Brazil’s current situation, insinuating that the numbers were actually overestimating the spread of the virus.
01:32
Critics of Bolsonaro, who has repeatedly clashed with health experts over the seriousness of the disease and has threatened to take Brazil out of the World Health Organization, said the decision was a maneuver by the hardman-style leader to hide the depths of crisis.
Brazil’s last official numbers recorded over 34,000 virus-related deaths, the third-highest toll in the world behind the US and Britain. It reported nearly 615,000 infections, putting it second behind the US.
After Bolsonaro stoked his clash with health experts, Pope Francis cautioned people in countries emerging from lockdown to keep following authorities’ rules on social distancing, hygiene and limits on movement.
“Be careful, don’t cry victory, don’t cry victory too soon,” Francis said. “Follow the rules. They are rules that help us to avoid the virus getting ahead” again.
The Argentine-born pontiff has also expressed dismay that the virus is still claiming many lives, especially in Latin America.
Francis was clearly delighted to see several hundred people gathered below his window in St. Peter’s Square on Sundays for the pope’s noon blessing after Italy eased its restrictions on public gatherings.
Many counties like the US and Britain insist that they can ease restrictions before having stalled their outbreaks.
In the US, the virus churns on underneath the unrest provoked by the death of George Floyd and increasingly directed at President Donald Trump’s handling of the protests.
On Sunday, the UK revealed that places of worship can reopen from June 15 — but only for private prayer.
Worries have surfaced over the past couple of weeks that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government is easing the restrictions too soon, with new infections potentially still running at 8,000 a day. As things stand, nonessential shops, including department stores, are due to reopen on June 15.
Professor John Edmunds, who attends meetings of the British government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, said the epidemic “is definitely not all over” and that there is an “awful long way to go.”
In France, the government announced that from Tuesday, it will ease restrictions limiting travel from the French mainland to overseas territories in the Caribbean and Indian Ocean.
Spain is preparing to take another step forward in the scaling back of its containment with Madrid and Barcelona opening the interiors of restaurants with reduced seating on Monday.
In Turkey, Istanbul residents flocked to the city’s shores and parks on the first weekend with no lockdown, prompting a reprimand from the health minister.
Russia remained troubling, with nearly 9,000 new cases over the past day, roughly in line with numbers reported over the past week.
Pakistan is pushing toward 100,000 confirmed infections as medical professionals plead for more controls and greater enforcement of social distancing directives. But Prime Minister Imran Khan said a full shutdown would devastate a failing economy.
India confirmed 9,971 new coronavirus cases in another biggest single-day spike, a day before it prepares to reopen shopping malls, hotels and religious places after a 10-week lockdown.
China has reported its first non-imported case in two weeks, an infected person on the island of Hainan off the southern coast.
(AP)
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france24--2020-06-07--Black Lives Matter protesters topple statue of British slave trader in Bristol

This combination of pictures taken from a June 7 , 2020 , video courtesy of William Want ( @ willwantwrites ) via Twitter , shows protesters pulling down a statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol , south west England , during a Black Lives Matter demonstration .
British protesters tore down the statue of a renowned slave trader Sunday and threw it in the harbour on the second day of weekend protests against George Floyd ’ s death .
Footage shot by a witness showed a few dozen people tie a rope around the neck of Edward Colston @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground in the southwestern city of Bristol .
They then stamped on it for a few minutes before carrying it and heaving it into the harbour with a great cheer .
Colston ’ s face got splashed with red paint at one point .
“ The statue of Edward Colston , a Bristol slave trader , was torn down , defaced , and thrown in the river .
# BlackLivesMatter.
” But interior minister Priti Patel called the toppling “ utterly disgraceful ” and the city ’ s police promised to carry out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the acts of public disorder that actually have now become a distraction from the cause which the people are actually protesting about , ” Patel told Sky News .
“ That is a completely unacceptable act and speaks to the vandalism , again , as we saw yesterday in London.
” The London police reported making 29 arrests during a day of largely peaceful protests Saturday that included a few scuffles with officers protecting the government district around Downing Street .
Bristol mayor Marvin Rees struck a more conciliatory tone than the one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the removal of the Colston Statue will divide opinion , as the statue itself has done for many years , ” the mayor said in a statement .
“ However , it ’ s important to listen to those who found the statue to represent an affront to humanity.
” Local police chief Andy Bennett said around 10,000 people attended Bristol ’ s “ Black Lives Matter ” demonstration on Sunday .
“ The vast majority of those who came to voice their concerns about racial inequality and injustice did so peacefully and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ However , there was a small group of people who clearly committed an act of criminal damage in pulling down a statue near Bristol Harbourside.
” Colston grew up in a wealthy merchant family and joined a company in 1680 that had a monopoly on the west African slave trade .
The Royal African Company ( RAC ) was formally headed by the brother of King Charles II who later took the throne as James II .
The company branded the slaves—including women and children—with its RAC initials on their chests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around 100,000 west Africans in the Caribbean and the Americas between 1672 and 1689 .
Colston later developed a reputation as a philanthropist who donated to charitable causes such as schools and hospitals in Bristol and London .
His 18-foot ( 5.5-metre ) bronze statue stood on Bristol ’ s Colston Avenue since 1895 .
The city also has a school named in his honour .
The Guardian newspaper said a local petition to remove the statue had gathered 11,000 signatures by the weekend .
UK opposition Labour party lawmaker Clive Lewis welcomed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Someone responsible for immeasurable blood & suffering .
We ’ ll never solve structural racism till we get to grips with our history in all its complexity .
# BLM ” The Colston statue wasn ’ t the only historic sculpture to have been targeted by protesters over the weekend .
In London , protesters defaced the statue of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill outside Parliament , crossing out his last name and spray painting “ was a racist ” underneath .
Thousands joined a Black Lives Matter rally in Brussels , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of former King Leopold II and chanted “ reparations , ” according to video posted on social media .
The word “ shame ” was also graffitied on the monument , reference perhaps to the fact that Leopold is said to have reigned over the mass death of 10 million Congolese .
A bust of Leopold ’ s in the city of Ghent has also been defaced , daubed in red paint and covered with a cloth scrawled : “ I can ’ t breathe.
” Leopold ’ s ruthless early rule over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for its brutality when the Congo Free State was practically his personal fiefdom .
After Leopold handed over Congo to the Belgian state , the tiny nation continued to hold sway over an area 80 times its size half a world away , until independence in 1960 .
And in Virginia , Gov .
Ralph Northam has pledged to remove the Gen. Robert E. Lee statue , and city leaders have committed to taking down the other four Confederate memorials along Richmond ’ s prestigious Monument Avenue .

British protesters tore down the statue of a renowned slave trader Sunday and threw it in the harbour in Bristol on the second day of weekend protests against George Floyd’s death.
This combination of pictures taken from a June 7, 2020 video courtesy of William Want (@willwantwrites) via Twitter, shows protesters pulling down a statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol, southwest England, during a Black Lives Matter demonstration.
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Footage shot by a witness showed a few dozen people tie a rope around the neck of Edward Colston’s statue and bring it to the ground in the southwestern city of Bristol.
They then stamped on it for a few minutes before carrying it and heaving it into the harbour with a great cheer.
Colston’s face got splashed with red paint at one point.
“Today I witness history,” eyewitness William Want tweeted.
“The statue of Edward Colston, a Bristol slave trader, was torn down, defaced, and thrown in the river. #BlackLivesMatter.”
today i witness history. the statue of edward colston, à bristol slave trader, was torn down, defaced, and thrown in the river. #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/aROlNQKY63 — william want (@willwantwrites) June 7, 2020
But Interior Minister Priti Patel called the toppling “utterly disgraceful” and the city’s police promised to carry out an investigation.
“That speaks to the acts of public disorder that actually have now become a distraction from the cause which the people are actually protesting about,” Patel told Sky News.
“That is a completely unacceptable act and speaks to the vandalism, again, as we saw yesterday in London.”
The London police reported making 29 arrests during largely peaceful protests on Saturday that included a few scuffles with officers protecting the government district around Downing Street.
Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees struck a more conciliatory tone than the one adopted by Patel.
“I know the removal of the Colston Statue will divide opinion, as the statue itself has done for many years,” the mayor said in a statement.
“However, it’s important to listen to those who found the statue to represent an affront to humanity.”
‘Good’
Local police chief Andy Bennett said around 10,000 people attended Bristol’s “Black Lives Matter” demonstration on Sunday.
“The vast majority of those who came to voice their concerns about racial inequality and injustice did so peacefully and respectfully,” the police chief said.
“However, there was a small group of people who clearly committed an act of criminal damage in pulling down a statue near Bristol Harbourside.”
Colston grew up in a wealthy merchant family and joined a company in 1680 that had a monopoly on the West African slave trade.
The Royal African Company (RAC) was formally headed by the brother of King Charles II who later took the throne as James II.
The company branded the slaves – including women and children – with its RAC initials on their chests.
It is believed to have sold around 100,000 West Africans in the Caribbean and the Americas between 1672 and 1689.
Colston later developed a reputation as a philanthropist who donated to charitable causes such as schools and hospitals in Bristol and London.
His 18-foot (5.5-metre) bronze statue stood on Bristol’s Colston Avenue since 1895. The city also has a school named in his honour.
The Guardian newspaper said a local petition to remove the statue had gathered 11,000 signatures by the weekend.
UK opposition Labour party lawmaker Clive Lewis welcomed its toppling by the crowd.
“Good,” Lewis tweeted.
“Someone responsible for immeasurable blood & suffering. We’ll never solve structural racism till we get to grips with our history in all its complexity. #BLM”
Good. If statues of confederates who fought a war for slavery & white supremacy shld come down then why not this one? Someone responsible for immeasurable blood & suffering. We’ll never solve structural racism till we get to grips with our history in all its complexity. #BLM pic.twitter.com/Bk8cYHk0rM — Clive Lewis MP (@labourlewis) June 7, 2020
International parallels
The Colston statue wasn’t the only historic sculpture to have been targeted by protesters over the weekend.
In London, protesters defaced the statue of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill outside Parliament, crossing out his last name and spray painting “was a racist” underneath.
Thousands joined a Black Lives Matter rally in Brussels, where protesters clambered Sunday onto the statue of former King Leopold II and chanted “reparations”, according to video posted on social media. The word “shame” was also graffitied on the monument, reference perhaps to the fact that Leopold is said to have reigned over the mass death of 10 million Congolese.
A bust of Leopold’s in the city of Ghent has also been defaced, daubed in red paint and covered with a cloth scrawled: “I can’t breathe.”
Leopold’s ruthless early rule over Congo from 1885 to 1908 is notorious for its brutality when the Congo Free State was practically his personal fiefdom. After Leopold handed over Congo to the Belgian state, the tiny nation continued to hold sway over an area 80 times its size half a world away, until independence in 1960.
And in the US state of Virginia, Governor Ralph Northam has pledged to remove the Richmond statue of General Robert E. Lee, who led Confederate forces during the country's Civil War, and city leaders have committed to taking down the four other Confederate memorials along Richmond’s prestigious Monument Avenue.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and AP)
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france24--2020-06-07--More than 16,000 displaced in latest Libya fighting: UN

Fighters loyal to Libya 's UN-recognised Government of National Accord ( GNA ) in the town of Tarhuna , southeast of the capital Tripoli on June 5 , 2020 , after the area was taken over by pro-GNA forces from rival forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar .
More than 16,000 Libyans have been displaced during recent battles that saw forces of the UN-recognised government wrest back control of western Libya from strongman Khalifa Haftar , the UN said Sunday .
The UN mission in Libya ( UNSMIL ) said in a statement it was “ alarmed by the harm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continuing cycle of violence in Libya ” .
“ The recent military movements in Greater Tripoli and Tarhuna have led to new waves of displacement and suffering of over 16,000 Libyans in the past few days , ” it said .
Backed by Turkey , the UN-recognised Government of National Accord ( GNA ) based in Tripoli has in recent weeks retaken all remaining outposts of western Libya from pro-Haftar loyalists .
The town of Tarhuna , southeast of Tripoli , was the latest pro-Haftar stronghold to be captured by GNA forces .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ east of the country where a parliament is based , launched an offensive in April last year to capture Tripoli from the GNA .
Hundreds have been killed and around 200,000 more driven from their homes in the offensive , not counting the 16,000 displaced in recent days .
UNSMIL also flagged “ reports of the discovery of a number of corpses at the hospital in Tarhuna ” , which it described as “ deeply disturbing ” .
It urged the GNA to carry out a prompt and impartial investigation into these deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many reports of “ the looting and destruction of public and private property ” in Tarhuna and the town of Al-Assabaa , also south of Tripoli .
In some cases , it said , vandalism appears to be “ acts of retribution and revenge that risk further fraying Libya ’ s social fabric ” .
UNSMIL also said , however , that it was “ encouraged ” by calls to resume talks on ending the conflict in Libya , a day after Egypt announced a unilateral peace initiative supported by the eastern Libyan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the capital , Tripoli , for more than a year “ has proven , beyond any doubt , that any war among Libyans is a losing war.
” The statement urged Libyan parties to “ engage swiftly and constructively ” in the UN-brokered military talks aimed at reaching a lasting ceasefire agreement , “ accompanied by firm implementation of and respect for the recently renewed U.N. Arms Embargo on Libya.
” The security situation was reportedly fragile Sunday in Tarhuna , two days after it fell to GNA forces .
The GNA interior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces in “ liberated areas ” to protect civilian lives and their property , vowing to hold transgressors to account , whatever their rank .

More than 16,000 Libyans have been displaced during recent battles that saw forces of the UN-recognised government wrest back control of western Libya from strongman Khalifa Haftar, the UN said Sunday.
Fighters loyal to Libya's UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) in the town of Tarhuna, southeast of the capital Tripoli on June 5, 2020, after the area was taken over by pro-GNA forces from rival forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar.
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The UN mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said in a statement it was “alarmed by the harm inflicted on the civilian population by the continuing cycle of violence in Libya”.
“The recent military movements in Greater Tripoli and Tarhuna have led to new waves of displacement and suffering of over 16,000 Libyans in the past few days,” it said.
Backed by Turkey, the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli has in recent weeks retaken all remaining outposts of pro-Haftar loyalists in western Libya.
The town of Tarhuna, southeast of Tripoli, was the latest pro-Haftar stronghold to be captured by GNA forces.
Haftar, who is based in the east of the country where a parliament is located, launched an offensive in April last year to capture Tripoli from the GNA.
Hundreds have been killed and around 200,000 more driven from their homes in the offensive, not counting the 16,000 displaced in recent days.
UN: 'Any war among Libyans is a losing war'
UNSMIL also flagged “reports of the discovery of a number of corpses at the hospital in Tarhuna”, which it described as “deeply disturbing”.
It urged the GNA to carry out a “prompt and impartial investigation” into these deaths.
UNSMIL also said it had received many reports of “the looting and destruction of public and private property” in Tarhuna and the town of Al-Assabaa, also south of Tripoli.
In some cases, it said, vandalism appears to be “acts of retribution and revenge that risk further fraying Libya’s social fabric”.
UNSMIL also said, however, that it was “encouraged” by calls to resume talks on ending the conflict in Libya, a day after Egypt announced a unilateral peace initiative supported by the eastern Libyan camp. It said the fighting over the capital, Tripoli, for more than a year “has proven, beyond any doubt, that any war among Libyans is a losing war”.
The statement urged Libyan parties to “engage swiftly and constructively” in the UN-brokered military talks aimed at reaching a lasting ceasefire agreement, “accompanied by firm implementation of and respect for the recently renewed U.N. Arms Embargo on Libya”.
The security situation was reportedly fragile Sunday in Tarhuna, two days after it fell to GNA forces.
The GNA interior ministry meanwhile called on military and security forces in “liberated areas” to protect civilian lives and their property, vowing to hold transgressors to account, whatever their rank.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and AP)
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france24--2020-06-07--'It's complicated': Relations in the spotlight as US mulls pulling thousands of troops from Germany

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas addresses a news conference on June 5 , 2020 , at the Foreign Office in Berlin .
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in an interview Sunday that relations with Washington are `` complicated '' following media reports that the US wants to withdraw 9,500 troops from Germany , significantly reducing US commitments to European defence under NATO in what one former US military commander said would be a `` gift '' to Russia 's Vladimir Putin .
Germany on Sunday voiced concern at reports that President Donald Trump plans to cut the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fears it could weaken a key pillar of NATO defence in the region .
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said both countries stood to gain from close cooperation even if the transatlantic relationship had become `` complicated '' under Trump .
Other senior politicians in Berlin were more blunt , slamming the plan as the latest blow to US-German ties and a potential security risk .
`` Should it come to the withdrawal of part of the US troops , we take note of this , '' Maas told the Bild am Sonntag @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the US armed forces that has grown over decades .
It is in the interest of both of our countries . ''
Peter Beyer , Chancellor Angela Merkel 's coordinator for transatlantic relations , warned that `` the German-US relationship could be severely affected '' by Trump 's decision .
The Wall Street Journal and other media reported on Friday that Trump had ordered the Pentagon to slash the number of US military personnel by 9,500 from the current 34,500 permanently assigned in Germany .
Such a move would significantly reduce the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NATO umbrella , and appeared to catch Berlin off guard .
But Maas admitted ties with the Trump administration had become strained .
`` We are close partners in the transatlantic alliance .
But it 's complicated , '' Maas told Bild , in a nod to rows ranging from the Iranian nuclear deal to NATO contributions and Berlin 's support for a Russian gas pipeline .
There was no immediate confirmation from US officials about the alleged plan to slash US troop numbers in Germany and cap them at 25,000 in future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longstanding cooperation agreements with European allies has long caused alarm on the continent .
The US leader been particularly scathing towards Germany in recent years , accusing the fellow NATO member of not spending enough on defence .
Germany hosts more US troops than any other country in Europe , a legacy of the Allied occupation after World War II .
Johann Wadephul , a senior member in Chancellor Angela Merkel 's conservative CDU party , said the troop reduction plan showed that the Trump administration was `` neglecting an elementary leadership task @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process '' .
It also served as another `` wake-up call '' for Europeans to take more responsibility for their own defence , he said in a statement on Saturday .
Only China and Russia stood to gain from `` discord '' between NATO allies , Wadephul added .
> > 'Russia is a strategic adversary , ' says former NATO chief Rasmussen Rolf Muetzenich , leader of the parliamentary group of the centre-left SPD , Merkel 's junior coalition partner , told the Funke newspaper group that the US plan could lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy in Europe '' .
Former US Army Europe commander Ben Hodges , who was stationed in the German city of Wiesbaden before he retired , said a US drawdown would be `` a colossal mistake '' and `` a gift '' for Russian President Vladimir Putin .
`` US troops are not in Europe to protect Germans , '' he tweeted .
`` They are forward-based , as part of NATO , to protect all members , including USA . ''
Although the American military presence has strongly declined since the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago , Germany remains a crucial hub for US armed forces .
As well as serving as a deterrence to a resurgent Russia , US troops use their German bases to coordinate military operations in Europe , Africa and the Middle East .
The headquarters for US forces in Europe and Africa are both based in Stuttgart , while the US air base in Ramstein plays a major role in transporting soldiers and equipment to Iraq and Afghanistan .
The US military hospital in Landstuhl , near Ramstein , is the largest of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Saturday that he hoped some of the troops moved out of Germany could be reassigned to Poland .

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in an interview Sunday that relations with Washington are "complicated" following media reports that the US wants to withdraw 9,500 troops from Germany, significantly reducing US commitments to European defence under NATO in what one former US military commander said would be a "gift" to Russia's Vladimir Putin.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas addresses a news conference on June 5, 2020, at the Foreign Office in Berlin.
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Germany on Sunday voiced concern at reports that President Donald Trump plans to cut the number of US troops stationed in Germany, amid fears it could weaken a key pillar of NATO defence in the region.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said both countries stood to gain from close cooperation even if the transatlantic relationship had become "complicated" under Trump.
Other senior politicians in Berlin were more blunt, slamming the plan as the latest blow to US-German ties and a potential security risk.
"Should it come to the withdrawal of part of the US troops, we take note of this," Maas told the Bild am Sonntag daily.
"We appreciate the cooperation with the US armed forces that has grown over decades. It is in the interest of both of our countries."
Peter Beyer, Chancellor Angela Merkel's coordinator for transatlantic relations, warned that "the German-US relationship could be severely affected" by Trump's decision.
The Wall Street Journal and other media reported on Friday that Trump had ordered the Pentagon to slash the number of US military personnel by 9,500 from the current 34,500 permanently assigned in Germany.
Such a move would significantly reduce the US commitment to European defence under the NATO umbrella, and appeared to catch Berlin off guard.
'Wake-up call'
But Maas admitted ties with the Trump administration had become strained.
"We are close partners in the transatlantic alliance. But it's complicated," Maas told Bild, in a nod to rows ranging from the Iranian nuclear deal to NATO contributions and Berlin's support for a Russian gas pipeline.
There was no immediate confirmation from US officials about the alleged plan to slash US troop numbers in Germany and cap them at 25,000 in future.
But Trump's lukewarm support of longstanding cooperation agreements with European allies has long caused alarm on the continent.
The US leader been particularly scathing towards Germany in recent years, accusing the fellow NATO member of not spending enough on defence.
Germany hosts more US troops than any other country in Europe, a legacy of the Allied occupation after World War II.
Johann Wadephul, a senior member in Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative CDU party, said the troop reduction plan showed that the Trump administration was "neglecting an elementary leadership task: involving alliance partners in the decision-making process".
It also served as another "wake-up call" for Europeans to take more responsibility for their own defence, he said in a statement on Saturday.
Only China and Russia stood to gain from "discord" between NATO allies, Wadephul added.
>> 'Russia is a strategic adversary,' says former NATO chief Rasmussen
'Colossal mistake'
Rolf Muetzenich, leader of the parliamentary group of the centre-left SPD, Merkel's junior coalition partner, told the Funke newspaper group that the US plan could lead to "a lasting realignment of security policy in Europe".
Former US Army Europe commander Ben Hodges, who was stationed in the German city of Wiesbaden before he retired, said a US drawdown would be "a colossal mistake" and "a gift" for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"US troops are not in Europe to protect Germans," he tweeted. "They are forward-based, as part of NATO, to protect all members, including USA."
Although the American military presence has strongly declined since the end of the Cold War nearly three decades ago, Germany remains a crucial hub for US armed forces.
As well as serving as a deterrence to a resurgent Russia, US troops use their German bases to coordinate military operations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
The headquarters for US forces in Europe and Africa are both based in Stuttgart, while the US air base in Ramstein plays a major role in transporting soldiers and equipment to Iraq and Afghanistan.
The US military hospital in Landstuhl, near Ramstein, is the largest of its kind outside the United States.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Saturday that he hoped some of the troops moved out of Germany could be reassigned to Poland.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-08--Minneapolis city council votes to dismantle police department

A Minneapolis Police Department officer detains a group outside of a car during continued demonstrations in response to the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd , in Minneapolis , Minnesota , US on May 31 , 2020 .
The council of the US city of Minneapolis voted late Sunday to dismantle and rebuild the police department , after the death in custody of George Floyd sparked nationwide protests about racism in law enforcement , pushing the issue onto the national political agenda .
Floyd was killed on May 25 when white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neck for nearly nine minutes .
Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder and is to appear in court Monday .
`` We committed to dismantling policing as we know it in the city of Minneapolis and to rebuild with our community a new model of public safety that actually keeps our community safe , '' Council President Lisa Bender told CNN .
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey , however , is against getting rid of the department , and the head of the city 's powerful police union , Bob Kroll , appeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump .
The vote by a majority of councilors came a day after Frey was booed at and asked to leave a `` Defund the Police '' rally .
He later told AFP he supported `` massive structural reform to revise this structurally racist system '' but not `` abolishing the entire police department . ''
Bystander video of the incident -- which captured Floyd calling for his mother and saying he could n't breathe -- has sparked two weeks of mostly peaceful demonstrations across the country .
On Sunday , protesters in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Winter Park , Florida , began focusing their outrage over the death of the unarmed Floyd into demands for police reform and social justice .
Mitt Romney , a Republican senator from Utah , joined a group of Christian protesters marching towards the White House .
He tweeted photos of himself in the procession , along with the simple caption , `` Black Lives Matter . ''
Although Romney has been a rare Republican voice of opposition to Trump , he was joined last week by Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski , who said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's tough approach to putting down protests continued to draw exceptional rebukes from top retired military officers , a group normally loath to criticize a civilian leader .
Former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Colin Powell joined them Sunday , saying Trump had `` drifted away '' from the Constitution .
Powell , a Republican moderate , said Trump had weakened America 's position around the world and that in November 's presidential election he would support Democrat Joe Biden .
Condoleezza Rice , who succeeded Powell as secretary of state under President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would `` absolutely '' oppose using the military against peaceful protesters , adding , `` This is n't a battlefield . ''
The president has ordered National Guard troops to begin withdrawing from the nation 's capital , whose Mayor Muriel Bowser , a Democrat who jousted with Trump over the use of force in her city , told Fox News there had been no arrests on Saturday despite the protests which saw thousands moving through the capital 's streets .
A week earlier , however , there were fires and vandalism .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ABC that Washington had been `` a city out of control '' and denied a problem of systemic racism among police .
The Trump administration has proposed no specific policy changes in response to the widespread outrage over Floyd 's death .
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus ( CBC ) said they would introduce legislation in the House of Representatives on Monday to make policing more accountable .
The legislation is expected to make it easier to sue police officers over deadly incidents , to ban the sort of choke holds that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to establish a national database to record police misconduct . '
A lot of work to do' One member of the caucus , Representative Val Demings of Florida , a former police chief in the city of Orlando , told ABC that `` systemic racism is always the ghost in the room . ''
`` What we have to do as a nation is hold police accountable , '' said Demings , who has been mentioned as a possible running mate for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden .
It is unclear what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Republican-controlled Senate -- or whether Trump might sign such legislation into law .
Some jurisdictions have moved already to embrace reforms -- starting with bans on the use of tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters .
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters Sunday that he would cut the city 's police budget and shift some funds to youth and social services , local media reported .
Trump seized on the call by some protesters to slash police funding to attack Biden , tweeting without evidence that `` not only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but he will DEFUND OUR MILITARY ! ''
The president is scheduled to host a roundtable with law enforcement on Monday .
Biden , who has accused Trump of fanning `` the flames of hate , '' plans to travel to Houston on Monday to visit Floyd 's family .
He will also record a message to be read at Floyd 's funeral on Tuesday .

The council of the US city of Minneapolis voted late Sunday to dismantle and rebuild the police department, after the death in custody of George Floyd sparked nationwide protests about racism in law enforcement, pushing the issue onto the national political agenda.
A Minneapolis Police Department officer detains a group outside of a car during continued demonstrations in response to the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US on May 31, 2020.
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Floyd was killed on May 25 when white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee on the unarmed black man's neck for nearly nine minutes. Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder and is to appear in court Monday.
"We committed to dismantling policing as we know it in the city of Minneapolis and to rebuild with our community a new model of public safety that actually keeps our community safe," Council President Lisa Bender told CNN.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, however, is against getting rid of the department, and the head of the city's powerful police union, Bob Kroll, appeared on stage last year with President Donald Trump.
The vote by a majority of councilors came a day after Frey was booed at and asked to leave a "Defund the Police" rally. He later told AFP he supported "massive structural reform to revise this structurally racist system" but not "abolishing the entire police department."
Bystander video of the incident -- which captured Floyd calling for his mother and saying he couldn't breathe -- has sparked two weeks of mostly peaceful demonstrations across the country.
On Sunday, protesters in cities including Washington, New York and Winter Park, Florida, began focusing their outrage over the death of the unarmed Floyd into demands for police reform and social justice.
Mitt Romney, a Republican senator from Utah, joined a group of Christian protesters marching towards the White House. He tweeted photos of himself in the procession, along with the simple caption, "Black Lives Matter."
Although Romney has been a rare Republican voice of opposition to Trump, he was joined last week by Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, who said criticism of Trump was overdue.
Trump's tough approach to putting down protests continued to draw exceptional rebukes from top retired military officers, a group normally loath to criticize a civilian leader.
Former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Colin Powell joined them Sunday, saying Trump had "drifted away" from the Constitution. Powell, a Republican moderate, said Trump had weakened America's position around the world and that in November's presidential election he would support Democrat Joe Biden.
'This isn't a battlefield'
Condoleezza Rice, who succeeded Powell as secretary of state under President George W. Bush, told CBS she would "absolutely" oppose using the military against peaceful protesters, adding, "This isn't a battlefield."
02:02
The president has ordered National Guard troops to begin withdrawing from the nation's capital, whose Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat who jousted with Trump over the use of force in her city, told Fox News there had been no arrests on Saturday despite the protests which saw thousands moving through the capital's streets.
A week earlier, however, there were fires and vandalism.
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf told ABC that Washington had been "a city out of control" and denied a problem of systemic racism among police.
The Trump administration has proposed no specific policy changes in response to the widespread outrage over Floyd's death.
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) said they would introduce legislation in the House of Representatives on Monday to make policing more accountable.
The legislation is expected to make it easier to sue police officers over deadly incidents, to ban the sort of choke holds that led to Floyd's death, and to establish a national database to record police misconduct.
'A lot of work to do'
One member of the caucus, Representative Val Demings of Florida, a former police chief in the city of Orlando, told ABC that "systemic racism is always the ghost in the room."
"What we have to do as a nation is hold police accountable," said Demings, who has been mentioned as a possible running mate for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
It is unclear what support the proposed reforms might find in the Republican-controlled Senate -- or whether Trump might sign such legislation into law.
Some jurisdictions have moved already to embrace reforms -- starting with bans on the use of tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters Sunday that he would cut the city's police budget and shift some funds to youth and social services, local media reported.
Trump seized on the call by some protesters to slash police funding to attack Biden, tweeting without evidence that "not only will Sleepy Joe Biden DEFUND THE POLICE, but he will DEFUND OUR MILITARY!"
Not only will Sleepy Joe Biden DEFUND THE POLICE, but he will DEFUND OUR MILITARY! He has no choice, the Dems are controlled by the Radical Left. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 7, 2020
The president is scheduled to host a roundtable with law enforcement on Monday.
Biden, who has accused Trump of fanning "the flames of hate," plans to travel to Houston on Monday to visit Floyd's family. He will also record a message to be read at Floyd's funeral on Tuesday.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-06-08--Delicate work of dismantling Notre-Dame’s charred scaffolding begins

This file photo taken in December 2019 shows a partial view of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris , which was partially destroyed by a fire .
Workers suspended from ropes will be lowered into the charred remains of scaffolding that melted atop Notre-Dame when the cathedral went up in flames and begin the delicate job of dismantling the 200 tonnes of metal .
An announcement that the work will start Monday and last through the summer months came Sunday from the office overseeing the restoration of the centuries-old jewel of Gothic architecture ravaged by fire on April 15 , 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will take turns descending on ropes into the heat-warped web of scaffolding , made up of 40,000 pieces , and use saws to cut through metal tubes that fused together in the inferno .
The chunks will then be lifted out by a crane .
The imposing tower of scaffolding was erected before the blaze for the restoration of Notre-Dame 's spire that was then toppled and destroyed by the flames .
Teams have spent months consolidating the structure with metal girders so it can be dismantled without collapsing .
The cathedral is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several years during renovations .

Workers suspended from ropes will be lowered into the charred remains of scaffolding that melted atop Notre-Dame when the cathedral went up in flames and begin the delicate job of dismantling the 200 tonnes of metal.
This file photo taken in December 2019 shows a partial view of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, which was partially destroyed by a fire.
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An announcement that the work will start Monday and last through the summer months came Sunday from the office overseeing the restoration of the centuries-old jewel of Gothic architecture ravaged by fire on April 15, 2019.
Two teams of five workers each will take turns descending on ropes into the heat-warped web of scaffolding, made up of 40,000 pieces, and use saws to cut through metal tubes that fused together in the inferno. The chunks will then be lifted out by a crane.
The imposing tower of scaffolding was erected before the blaze for the restoration of Notre-Dame's spire that was then toppled and destroyed by the flames.
Teams have spent months consolidating the structure with metal girders so it can be dismantled without collapsing.
The cathedral is still closed, and will be for several years during renovations.
(FRANCE 24 with AP)
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