The activism began peaceful demonstration earlier on 26th May, after video footage of George Floyd’s arrest surfaced, which included a Minneapolis officer kneeling on his neck.
The video has spurred widespread outrage across the United States. but turned violent after dark, with some demonstrators setting multiple stores, cars, police station on fire.
Since the violence erupted, the police and National Guard was dispatched to al peace and order but all to no avail.
“My first and highest duty as president is to defend our great country and the American people,” Trump said. “I swore an oath to uphold the laws of our nation and that is exactly what I will do.”
The president vowed justice for Floyd and said he was an “ally of all peaceful protesters” while also describing himself as “your president of law and order.”
Trump said that a 7 p.m. curfew in Washington, D.C. would be strictly enforced and that he would deploy federal forces and law enforcement in response to protests in the capital.
“As we speak, I am dispatching thousands and thousands of heavily armed soldiers, military personnel and law enforcement officers to stop the rioting, looting, vandalism, assaults and the wanton destruction of property,” Trump said.
In order to activate the military to operate in the United States, Trump would have to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807, which White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany had earlier described as “one of the tools available” to the president.
Thousands of demonstrators were arrested over the weekend after clashing with police and defying curfews in numerous major U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, New York City, Miami, Chicago, Seattle and Salt Lake City.
