Riot police rush demonstrators as they clear Lafayette Park near the White House in Washington, D.C.
U.S. President Donald Trump has turned Washington, D.C. into a model for the overwhelming force he believes is critical to stop protests against racism that have spread across the country, claiming he is backed by a "silent majority."
After a night where heavily armed military forces and federal officers swarmed the capital, Trump tweeted on Tuesday, "D.C. had no problems last night. Many arrests. Great job done by all. Overwhelming force. Domination."
The violent dispersal of peaceful rallies near the White House, however, has only intensified demonstrations sparked by the killing of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis, with thousands taking to streets across the country to protest police violence and racial injustice.
Trump has threatened that if states do not take tough action, he will deploy active duty military to quell unrest.
He also called on governors to send National Guard troops to Washington, but the governors of New York, Virginia and several other states have denied his request.
Amid growing global outrage over Floyd's death, demonstrations were also held in other countries including France, Australia and the Netherlands in solidarity with U.S. protesters and against racism and police brutality.
<Photo: Yonhap News>
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