MILITARY HELICOPTER deployed to disperse protesters in DC after curfew (VIDEO)
A low-flying military helicopter was deployed to disperse protesters that took to the streets of Washington DC, defying the city’s 7pm curfew. Some of the curfew violators could be seen smashing up storefronts.
Scores of people protesting over the death of George Floyd – who was killed during an arrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota last week – flocked to the streets around the nation’s capital on Monday evening, paying little attention to the curfew imposed earlier.
fuck pic.twitter.com/nLYu4w0BXr
— Elizabeth Nolan Brown (@ENBrown) June 2, 2020
tfw the helicopter lets up for a second #DCProtestspic.twitter.com/D7JE8tPjgD
— Elizabeth Nolan Brown (@ENBrown) June 2, 2020
As protesters marched into Chinatown, they were met by at least one Blackhawk helicopter with an apparent Red Cross marking positioned just over the rooftops. The chopper hovered just meters over the crowds in an apparent bid to force them to scatter.
This is unacceptable for numerous, but what absolutely guts me is that this helicopter has Red Cross markings indicating it is a medvac bird meant for saving lives and not this. pic.twitter.com/wFL0Bzj5Lo
— Naveed Jamali (@NaveedAJamali) June 2, 2020
About 10 minutes later, here it goes again. pic.twitter.com/3yoxOAu0uw
— Zolan Kanno-Youngs (@KannoYoungs) June 2, 2020
The maneuver, known as a “show of force,” saw the aircraft’s propeller blades blowing everything, including trash and debris, out of its way and onto protesters. The tactic is typically reserved for war zones, where it is used to chase away insurgents.
A US military helicopter with @RedCross emblems being used as a crowd dispersal asset seems to violate the appropriate use of the Red Cross emblem. @ICRC@ifrc@BenParker140@seanmmcdonald@nordicgeo@mountainherder@faineg@TheFireTracker2@ai6yrhamhttps://t.co/YYqmvtaIK4
— Rakesh (@densaer) June 2, 2020
They just landed a fucking military helicopter in the middle of the streets of DC where people are walking wtfhttps://t.co/WPJP5VWCiO
— Truth Synapse (@SynapseTruth) June 2, 2020
Videos have also emerged showing police using flash-bangs on crowds.
Happening now, 10:30 PM EST - demonstrators march down the street as police throw flashbangs #dcprotestspic.twitter.com/BbursF6Xkz
— jon chase (@jonathanchase_) June 2, 2020
Although the protest turned out to be largely peaceful, there were some instances of vandalism, as several storefronts around the city were smashed by the rioters.
Windows smashed by curfew-violating marchers at @Teamsters HQ in Washington, DC. (@Reuters TV image) pic.twitter.com/6qIM6EqLba
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) June 2, 2020
Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
