June 4 George Floyd protest news

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, spoke publicly for the first time about George Floyd's death, calling it "absolutely devastating."

She was speaking to the graduating class of Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles, in a video message commencement speech on Wednesday evening. 

In a heartfelt address, she said she had been hesitant to speak about the ongoing protests because she didn’t want her words to be picked apart -- but ultimately decided to do so after remembering a former teacher who used to say, "Always remember to put other’s needs above your own fears.”

“Those words have stuck with me throughout my entire life and I have thought about it more in the last week than ever before,” the Duchess said.

She recalled memories of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, which happened when she was 11 or 12 years old living in the city, and said those riots were “also triggered by senseless act of racism.” 

“I know you know that black lives matter, so I am already excited for what you are going to do in the world," she told the new graduates. 

“You’re going to use your voice in a stronger way than you have ever been able to because most of you are 18, or you’re turning 18, so you’re going to vote. You’re going to have empathy for those who don’t see the world through the same lens that you do.”

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Yesterday Instagram feeds turned into endless scrolls of black squares, as people observed "Blackout Tuesday" -- a day promoted to mourn and call for policy change in the wake of George Floyd's death.

Organizations, brands and individuals posted solemn messages featuring stark black backgrounds, sometimes tagging the posts with #BlackLivesMatter.

But it quickly drew controversy for two reasons: Critics argued the use of the hashtag in these posts clogged up critical channels of information on social media, and that it was being used as a form of performative self-promotion in place of more substantial action.

Clogging up channels: Hashtags on Twitter and Instagram are a common way for people to monitor a situation or interest. And since people have been including the #BlackLivesMatter tag on their black square posts, the actual protests have been erased from social media feeds.

"When you check the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag, it's no longer videos, helpful information, resources, documentation of the injustice, it's rows of black screens," music artist Kehlani explained on her Instagram story.

What does it actually do? Some argued that instead of posting a black square -- which doesn't contribute much to the actual conversation surrounding racial injustice or the ongoing protests -- allies of the movement could simply observe a virtual day of silence and pause posting images that are unrelated to Black Lives Matter.

This could redirect attention away from the poster and toward the protests, and open up much-needed space for the voices of black activists and advocates.

Read more here:

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Why posting a black image with the 'Black Lives Matter' hashtag could be doing more harm than good

The George Floyd in the protests have sparked solidarity demonstrations in a number of cities outside of the US -- and in some cases, highlighted the problems surrounding racism in different countries.

In Paris, Floyd's death has struck a nerve with many people, who faced their own crisis of racial injustice in 2016 when a black man, Adama Traore, died while being detained by police.

"(There is) a great deal of anger out there on the streets about the fact that nearly four years on, no one has been brought to justice," said CNN Correspondent Melissa Bell Thursday. "And there is still controversy over how, exactly, he died."

Now, with Black Lives Matter protests across Paris, the hashtag #JusticePourAdama (Justice for Adama) is trending in France.

“Adama Traoré’s case has become a symbol of police violence in France,” said his brother, Assa Traoré, during comments made earlier this week.

NBA legend and Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul Jabbar said the decision to charge the Minneapolis officers was "a step toward justice," and praised the Minnesota governor and Minneapolis mayor for acting quickly.

Speaking to CNN on Wednesday, he offered an analogy for what it's like to be black in America.

He added that nothing had changed in the past 30 years in regards to systemic racism and injustice, pointing to the Rodney King beating and Los Angeles riots in 1991 and 1992.

"Something has to be done." he said. "It's not enough to say, 'That was terrible and my thoughts and prayers are with you.' That's not getting anything done."

At least 200 National Guard members will be working across San Diego County in southern California to prevent looting and arson, according to the sheriff’s department.

"They will work alongside law enforcement providing security to critical infrastructures (public buildings, courthouses, power grids, etc.) during the protests to prevent looting & arson,” the department tweeted.

The troops would also support local police to "thwart any vandalism, destruction of properties and business break-ins. This mutual aide will help keep our communities safe while protecting everyone's right to protest," said another tweet.

In Washington, DC, it's now past 2 a.m., long past the 11 p.m. curfew -- but protesters are still out on the streets.

They're gathered near Lafayette Square, which is located just a few blocks from the White House -- but protesters have been pushed further back today, with some areas blocked off.

St. John's Church, where President Donald Trump took a photo with a Bible earlier this week, was closed to worshippers today for the first time since the 9/11 attack, said CNN Correspondent Alex Marquadt on the scene.

"Still, (people are) protesting peacefully and the mayor of Washington said that curfew, in essence, would not be enforced as long as the protestors do, indeed, stay peaceful," Marquadt said.

In New York, there are also crowds of people still outside, in violation of the citywide 8 p.m. curfew. Law enforcement officers are also on the scene, but things remain calm for now, with protesters mostly kneeling and sitting on the ground with their hands up and holding protest signs.

There were no reported instances of looting tonight, police told CNN earlier.

Lora King, the daughter of Rodney King, whose brutal beating by white police sparked the Los Angeles riots 20 years ago, spoke out on Wednesday about her father's case and George Floyd's death.

When asked whether she felt we would see justice for Floyd's death, she said, "I don't want to be negative, but no."

Some context: In 1991, Rodney King was badly beaten by LAPD officers after a high-speed chase through Los Angeles County.

Video of the beating, taken by a witness, shows King being struck by police batons more than 50 times. Over 20 officers were present at the scene, most from the LAPD. King suffered 11 fractures and other injuries due to the beating.

Four police officers were indicted, but were acquitted -- and black Los Angeles erupted in outrage. The ensuing riots led to more than 50 deaths and $1 billion in property damage.

Lora on George Floyd's death: Lora King was roughly the same age as George Floyd's daughter during the beating and riots.

King said what happened her father was "something that I live with every single day. And that's something that (George Floyd's daughter) will, unfortunately, live with every single day. I don't wish that upon anybody."

"You know, that night, my father was beaten. I lost a part of him but I didn't lose him, luckily, by the grace of God ... as far as that night's concerned, I got to hug my father after that. Even though he was never the same. She will never get that opportunity. And, for me, that's -- that's sickening," she said.

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Police in New Orleans fired tear gas Wednesday night to disperse protesters who police say refused to comply with orders to not walk across the Crescent City Connection, a bridge that stretches across the Mississippi River. 

“Escalation and confrontation hurts us all. NOPD is committed to respectful protection of our residents’ First Amendment rights. However, tonight we were compelled to deploy gas on the CCC in response to escalating, physical confrontation with our officers," tweeted the New Orleans Police Department.

The Atlanta Police Department said it made 43 arrests related to protests Wednesday.

Protests in the city were largely peaceful, after several days of high tensions and violent clashes that saw tear gas fired.

“Our message is getting out to protesters,” Lieutenant Kevin Knapp of the Atlanta Police Department told reporters earlier Wednesday. “We made strides today."

Officers charged: Earlier today, six Atlanta police officers are being charged with using excessive force during an arrest of two college students at a protest on Saturday night.