Trump calls protesters ‘thugs’ after George Floyd death in police custody

The US leader vowed that ‘when the looting starts, the shooting starts’.

US president Donald Trump has called protesters over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis “thugs”, and vowed that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts”.

Mr Trump tweeted after protesters outraged by the death of the black man in police custody torched a police station.

Earlier on Thursday, Mr Trump had said he felt “very, very badly” about Mr Floyd’s death, which took place while he handcuffed and in the custody of Minneapolis police.

Mr Trump added: “That’s a very shocking sight.”

This is the kind of personal statement expected from a president in response to the video of a black man gasping for help as a white policeman pinned him to the street by the neck.

However, it was a very different tone for Mr Trump, who has often been silent in the face of white-on-black violence and has a long history of defending police.

Mr Trump’s language became more aggressive as violence boiled over in Minneapolis on Thursday night.

He wrote: “These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen.