Trump threatens military action to stop protests

Protests have raged in many US cities for days. And for days, US President Trump has been calling on governors in the states to crack down. Now he is going on the offensive himself.

Washington (dpa) - US President Donald Trump has announced the mobilization of all of his government's available civil and military forces to stop the riots in the United States.

"We are ending the riots and lawlessness that have spread in our country," Trump said during a short-term speech in the Rose Garden of the White House. If the mayors and governors in the affected areas fail to provide security, he will deploy the U.S. military, Trump threatened. Trump's appearance was accompanied by protests outside the U.S. government headquarters where police forces vehemently acted against demonstrators.

Demonstrations against police violence, racism and social injustice have been going on in many US cities for days. The protests were triggered by the death of African American George Floyd after a brutal police operation in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The demonstrations were partly violent. Trump had repeatedly called on democratic governors and mayors to crack down on rioters and accused them of weakness.

Now the President has asked the governors to deploy enough National Guard forces to bring the streets of their cities back under control. "If a city or state refuses to take the necessary measures to defend the lives or property of its residents, I will deploy the United States military and quickly resolve the issue for them."

Trump also announced measures to protect the capital, Washington, where there have also been protests in recent days, some of which have been rioting. This is a shame, Trump said, and announced that thousands and thousands of heavily armed soldiers and law enforcement officers would be deployed.

"I am your president for law and order," Trump said to the population. He would fight to protect the country and its citizens. What happened in the past few days can be equated with terror in part. The country needs security and not anarchy, justice and not chaos. "This is our mission and we will win."