Mayor bowser good afternoon, everybody. I am muriel bowser, mayor of washington, d. C. I am joined by members of my administration, the chief of police and the city administrator. We are here today to provide an district response to protests in the district overnight and yesterday. I want to start by saying we certainly recognize and outragee with the people feel following the killing in minneapolis last week. Thate certainly empathize the killing of george floyd was not the first and people were expressing outrage and demanding action. We also recognize that we are proud of our city and we do not destroyed. Ty to be so, police and firefighters and members of the Public Safety team for washington, d. C. , along with our federal partners have been working to make sure people can exercise their First Amendment rights while not destroying washington, d. C. I would just be chief of police mpdsvide an update on actions and then we will take your questions. Thank you, mayor bowser. I have to
A show today so lets go and dive right in. We start off here in washington d. C. At the city joint the dozens of cities with mass demonstrations that are connected to the killing of george floyd last week the Nations Capital is once again facing a curfew ahead of more expected protests arties jacket outside the white house with the story fair and what do you see today. So its there when we were here monday a lot of protesters here talking about racial inequality today its a little bit of a different theme youre seeing more talks about the economy and big talks about religion all because of a Controversial Photo op the president had yesterday right here at St Johns Church actually in front of that sign youre seeing right there behind me now actually today there were 10 foot fence barriers actually installed yesterday from last night in front of Lafayette Park which is directly in front of the white house there is actually the barricade keep shifting back and back and back farther and fa
A curfew ahead of more expected protests arties jacket outside the white house with the story fair and what do you see today. So sarah when we were here monday a lot of protesters here talking about racial inequality today its a little bit of a different theme youre seeing more talks about the economy and big talks about religion all because of a Controversial Photo op the president had yesterday right here at St Johns Church actually in front of that sign youre seeing right there behind me now actually today there were 10 foot fence barriers actually installed yesterday last night in front of Lafayette Park which is directly in front of the white house there is actually the barricade keep shifting back and back and back farther and farther back sarah now today whats going on actually is that you know we had crowds young and old black and white all saying that they want to peaceful protest not as much as that we saw yesterday but again its this big photo op that did in front of this 20
The president 1st lady then went back to the white house where he signed an executive order to advance International Religious freedom and thats the big thing here today you also had Arlington County pulling out their their officers saying that they were not going to be a part of the movement of what happened yesterday where they said that you know d. C. Police and the National Guard along with secret service gas can or tear gas canisters and flash bangs at the protesters to get them out of the way so trump could come here and take a picture so today you had leaders from all religious faiths here you had catholic priests going through the protesters you know spraying holy water on them you had the moms of rabbis all praying together here in front of the church to show that you know they say religion is quote not a prop in defiance of president and his picture taken here yesterday so again sarah a lot of protesters here though still talking about the economy how jobs are. On but theyre
We have a quorum. Vice president taylor thank you. In the last few weeks, we watched the barbaric murder of george floyd by vile, racist Police Officers. We watched Ahmaud Arbery get gunned down by white spr supremacists. Study after study shows that white people and black people are not only more likely to commit crimes, they think that we feel less pain. We have a less nuanced feeling, and less worthy of protection, so we often have to fend for ourselves. Racism is definitely a police problem, one that is as old as our entire nation, but lets be clear no ones off the hook. Racism is an america problem. Trayvon martin, Ahmaud Arbery were killed by citizens. The overwhelming number of hate crimes are committed by ordinary citizens. Every Single Member of this commission is committed to rooting out bias in this Police Department, and after seeing the murder in minneapolis, after seeing the recent video circulating of what appears to be neck restraints used here in San Francisco in janua