Wednesday morning news - June 3, 2020

Protests calmer in Washington, uncontrolled in New York City » AUDIO: [Washington protests] 

Tuesday night was calmer in the nation’s capital. Washington protests were mostly peaceful after two chaotic nights. 

And in Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti said he’s proud of thousands who protested peacefully there. 

But in New York City, thousands defied a curfew—some clashing with police. 

AUDIO: [New York City protests] 

Looters were out in force once again, ransacking businesses. 

Manhattan’s Saks Fifth Avenue hired private security and surrounded the department store with razor wire. That one day after after looters tore apart Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square.

And in St. Louis, looters shot and killed a retired police officer early Tuesday at a pawn shop. The shooting was apparently captured in a Facebook Live broadcast. But police say they currently have no suspects. 

The retired officer, 77-year-old David Dorn was African American. His death comes two days after an unknown shooter gunned down a black federal officer in Oakland. 

And George Floyd’s younger brother, Terrence, told protesters in Minneapolis this week that  the violence dishonors his brother’s memory. 

FLOYD: My family is a peaceful family. My family is God fearing. Yeah, we’re upset. But we’re not going to take it, we’re not going to be repetitious. 

He pleaded with protesters, “Do this peacefully, please!”

Protest spread around the globe » And the protests have crossed borders and even continents. 

Around the world, thousands rallied in a show of solidarity for George Floyd from the streets of Buenos Aires…

AUDIO: [SOUND OF ARGENTINA PROTESTS] 

To Sydney, Australia…

AUDIO: [SOUND OF AUSTRALIA PROTESTS]

In Paris, thousands gathered in front of the High Court to protest police brutality in the United States and in France. 

AUDIO: [SOUND OF PROTESTS FRANCE]

And the European Union’s top foreign policy official Josep Borrell spoke out on Tuesday. 

BORRELL: Like the people of the United States, we are shocked and appalled by the death of George Floyd. And I think that also societies must remain vigilant against the excess of use of force.

Expressions of anger also erupted in multiple languages on social media, with thousands of Swedes joining an online protest under the banner of #BlackOutTuesday.

Some states and cities move to next phase of reopening » Some states and cities are moving to the next stage of their coronavirus reopening plans. 

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced her state is moving to Phase 4 of her “Safe Start” plan. 

As of now, all outdoor gatherings of fewer than 100 people are allowed with social distancing guidelines. Outdoor pools can also reopen. Retailers can open tomorrow and restaurants can begin serving dine-in customers Monday, all with limited capacity. 

New York’s Capital Region enters Phase 2 today. That will allow reopening of professional service businesses, retail and more. 

But Governor Andrew Cuomo said after months of sacrifices, recent protests may complicate plans in the Big Apple.

CUOMO: People will have lost their jobs. People have wiped out their savings. And now mass gatherings with thousands of people in close proximity? One week before we’re going to reopen New York City? What sense does this make? 

Despite ongoing protests, the city of Chicago will loosen restrictions today. And Louisiana will allow more businesses to reopen on Friday. 

Report: China withheld genome from WHO at early stage » Throughout January, the World Health Organization publicly praised what it called China’s speedy response to the coronavirus. But new evidence reveals that Chinese officials withheld vital information about the virus from the world at a critical stage. WORLD’s Kristen Flavin has more. 

KRISTEN FLAVIN, REPORTER: Chinese officials delayed releasing the genetic map, or genome, of the deadly virus for over a week after multiple government labs had fully decoded it. 

That according to the Associated Press, citing internal documents, emails, and dozens of interviews.

The genome is key to designing tests, drugs, and vaccines. But strict controls on information and competition within the Chinese public health system kept the data under wraps. 

Health officials only released the genome after a Chinese lab published it ahead of authorities on a virology website on Jan 11. 

Even then, China stalled for at least two weeks more on giving the WHO the details it needed at a time when experts say the outbreak might have been dramatically slowed.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

Biden blasts Trump for church “photo op” amid protests » Joe Biden mounted one of his most aggressive attacks against President Trump on Tuesday.

Speaking in Philadelphia, Biden blasted the decision to drive back protesters near the White House Monday so Trump could briefly pose with a Bible in front of nearby St. John’s Church, partially burned by rioters the day before.

BIDEN: A president from the doorstep from the people’s house, the White House, using tear gas and flash grenades in order to stage a photo op, a photo op!

Biden said President Trump is more interested in power than principle and accused him of sowing division in the country. 

But Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway said the president did not give the order to clear the park. 

The Washington Post reported that Attorney General William Barr ordered law enforcement officials to expand the security perimeter near the White House just before the president’s Rose Garden address Monday. 

But a local news outlet reported that U.S. Park Police said the park was cleared because some demonstrators began assaulting police officers.

(AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano) A protestor holds a sign that reads in Spanish “Justice for George Floyd” during a march to the American Chamber of Commerce in central Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, to protest against the recent killing of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis, that has led to protests in many countries and across the US. 

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