Protesters in the US have had a “visceral reaction” to Donald Trump’s staged photo opportunity outside a church near the White House yesterday, one protest organiser says.
And he warns the President’s strong-man tactics could spark a renewed uprising.
Riot police were deployed to disperse protesters who had gathered in the area as Mr Trump gave his “law and order” address to the nation.
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Minutes later he carried out a stage-managed walk to the nearby St John’s Episcopal Church and held up a copy of the Bible before returning to the White House.
Protest organiser Michael Sampson II said the display confirmed the worst fears of activists who have taken to the streets every night since unarmed black man George Floyd died in police custody.
“It’s been a very visceral reaction,” Mr Sampson said.
“There was already an anger and a tension in air, which is why you’ve seen all these protests popping up all around the country.
Mr Sampson lives in Jacksonville, Florida and helped organise a protest there on Saturday night as well as sister protests in more than 25 cities around the country.
He has a number of specific changes he wants to see.
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