Minnesota National Guard: FBI Warns Of ‘Credible Threat’ Against Soldiers And Airmen
"Washington, DC: By Sunday afternoon, thousands of protesters had gathered outside the White House"
Has Trump boasted about the crowd size yet?
Re this "Credible Threat", i reckon you could bet your last dollar it was not made by Antifa. Or any other anti-Fascist.
May 31, 2020 at 4:57 pm
VIDEO
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The Minnesota National Guard is reporting that they have been notified by the FBI of a “credible threat” directed against them prior to the Guard’s activation.
Maj. Gen. Jon Jensen, adjutant general of the Guard, said that he has advised Gov. Tim Walz to allow soldiers and airmen to be armed.
Beyond that, the National Guard said they were not able to offer any other specific details as to the nature of the threat.
Saturday night saw far fewer large fires than the days before it, as well no looting and rioting after the National Guard’s forces were expanded to more than 5,000.
Curfews in Minneapolis and St. Paul will go into effect again Sunday night at 8 p.m. until 6 a.m. Monday, and Gov. Walz has extended the curfew through at least June 1.
“The curfew on Friday and Saturday night allowed our law enforcement to target those who meant to do harm to our communities,” Walz said. “Law enforcement made several arrests and seized weapons, narcotics, long guns, handguns, magazines and knives. We have reason to believe that bad actors continue to infiltrate the rightful protests of George Floyd’s murder, which is why we are extending the curfew by one day.”
Walz says about 20% of those arrested so far this weekend have been from out of state. Some state officials have said organized groups of agitators have infiltrated local protests with the purpose of creating havoc via arson, looting and endangering protesters and law enforcement.
RELATED STORIES:
WCCO Photojournalist Tom Aviles Arrested In South Minneapolis MPD Forwards List Of Safety Tips For Minneapolis Homeowners Walz, Flanagan Urge Minnesotans To Respect 8 P.M. Curfew In Twin Cities Gov. Walz Authorizes Cooperative Firefighting, Health, Peace Officer Assistance Residents On Lyndale Grateful Fire At Nearby Auto Parts Store Didn’t Ignite Their Home Minneapolis City Council Members Want AG Ellison To Take Floyd Case MPD Reports Booking 27 People Into Jail During Friday’s Protests MnDOT Announces Closures Of I-35W, I-35E, I-94, I-394 & Hwy 55 Beginning 7 p.m. Saturday
Trump took shelter in White House bunker as protests raged
By JONATHAN LEMIRE and ZEKE MILLER an hour ago WASHINGTON (AP) — Secret Service agents rushed President Donald Trump to a White House bunker on Friday night as hundreds of protesters gathered outside the executive mansion, some of them throwing rocks and tugging at police barricades.
Trump spent nearly an hour in the bunker, which was designed for use in emergencies like terrorist attacks, according to a Republican close to the White House who was not authorized to publicly discuss private matters and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The account was confirmed by an administration official who also spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The abrupt decision by the agents underscored the rattled mood inside the White House, where the chants from protesters in Lafayette Park could be heard all weekend and Secret Service agents and law enforcement officers struggled to contain the crowds.
Friday’s protests were triggered by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after he was pinned at the neck by a white Minneapolis police officer. The demonstrations in Washington turned violent and appeared to catch officers by surprise. They sparked one of the highest alerts on the White House complex since the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001.
“The White House does not comment on security protocols and decisions,” said White House spokesman Judd Deere. The Secret Service said it does not discuss the means and methods of its protective operations. The president’s move to the bunker was first reported by The New York Times.
The president and his family have been shaken by the size and venom of the crowds, according to the Republican. It was not immediately clear if first lady Melania Trump and the couple’s 14-year-old son, Barron, joined the president in the bunker. Secret Service protocol would have called for all those under the agency’s protection to be in the underground shelter.
Trump has told advisers he worries about his safety, while both privately and publicly praising the work of the Secret Service.
Trump traveled to Florida on Saturday to view the first manned space launch from the U.S. in nearly a decade. He returned to a White House under virtual siege, with protesters — some violent — gathered just a few hundred yards away through much of the night.
Demonstrators returned Sunday afternoon, facing off against police at Lafayette Park into the evening. Trump continued his effort to project strength, using a series of inflammatory tweets and delivering partisan attacks during a time of national crisis.
As cities burned night after night and images of violence dominated television coverage, Trump’s advisers discussed the prospect of an Oval Office address in an attempt to ease tensions. The notion was quickly scrapped for lack of policy proposals and the president’s own seeming disinterest in delivering a message of unity.
Trump did not appear in public on Sunday. Instead, a White House official who was not authorized to discuss the plans ahead of time said Trump was expected in the coming days to draw distinctions between the legitimate anger of peaceful protesters and the unacceptable actions of violent agitators.
On Sunday, Trump retweeted a message from a conservative commentator encouraging authorities to respond with greater force.
“This isn’t going to stop until the good guys are willing to use overwhelming force against the bad guys,” Buck Sexton wrote in a message amplified by the president.
In recent days security at the White House has been reinforced by the National Guard and additional personnel from the Secret Service and the U.S. Park Police.
On Sunday, the Justice Department deployed members of the U.S. Marshals Service and agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration to supplement National Guard troops outside the White House, according to a senior Justice Department official. The official could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
___
Lemire reported from New York. Associated Press writer Michael Balsamo contributed to this report.
Market Data 
Markets 
AI
