George Floyd protests - live: Attorney says three officers will be charged over killing, as bishops from church express outrage over Trump photo op

Amsterdam anti-racism rally criticised for lack of social distancing

(Piet Van der Meer/EPA)Amsterdam's mayor is facing criticism from politicians and health experts this morning after thousands of demonstrators ignored social distancing rules to gather in the city centre for an anti-racism rally in support of George Floyd.

Mayor Femke Halsema, of the Green Left party, said city authorities were caught off guard by the huge turnout, which was originally expected to be 200-300 people, and could not have intervened peacefully. She defended the public's right to demonstrate.

The Netherlands has recorded nearly 6,000 deaths from Covid-19. Authorities have issued fines of about £300 for violating rules not to hold public gatherings, but there were almost no police at Monday's event.

The demonstration, the largest in the Netherlands since lockdown measures were imposed in mid-March, sparked debate about whether the event could cause new infections.

"This is exactly what we don't want," Menno de Jong, a virologist at Amsterdam's UMC hospital and a member of the Dutch national coronavirus crisis team, told the Parool newspaper. "There is a reason we have been talking about social distancing for months. This could potentially be a so-called super spreading event."

Klaas Dijkhof, a member of parliament for the VVD party of Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte, said on Twitter he was "not only angry, but worried by the images out of Amsterdam". He called on demonstrators to voluntarily isolate themselves for two weeks.

Reuters

Donald Trump’s brief appearance at a shuttered church outside the White House on Monday was motivated by his fury at news coverage saying he was rushed to the White House bunker for his safety on Friday, according to reports.

I reported on the Pentagon for over a decade -- but what happened in DC this week shocked me John T Bennett with his analysis: 

Hundreds in Sydney march in solidarity with Americans

(Loren Elliott/Reuters)More than 1,000 protesters have marched through downtown Sydney in solidarity with Americans demonstrating against the death of George Floyd half a world away.

Police escorted a crowd carrying banners that said: "Black Lives Matter," "Aboriginal Lives Matter," "White Silence is Violence" and "We See You, We Hear You, We Stand With You."

The group marched from Hyde Park to New South Wales state parliament with plans to continue to the US Consulate.

The protest proceeded despite some organisers cancelling it Monday for fear of conflict with counter protesters. But no counter protest emerged.

About 2,000 demonstrators gathered in Australia's west coast city of Perth on Monday night to peacefully protest Floyd's death, and rallies are planned for other Australian cities this week.

Referring to the violence in US streets, Australian prime minister Scott Morrison said: "There's no need to import things ... happening in other countries here to Australia."

A police officer has been shot in Las Vegas and authorities are responding to another shooting as protests continue in Minneapolis.

One officer was shot on the Las Vegas Strip, while an officer was involved in a shooting in the downtown area, according to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

Tory MP Kevin Hollinrake has faced severe backlash after suggesting people attending a Black Lives Matter protest in London could cause a second wave in the coronavirus pandemic.

Greg Evans reports for our sister site indy100:

These videos show a 7 News Australia TV crew being hit by police in riot gear while covering George Floyd protests in America.

A police officer can be seen hitting a cameraman, who is standing to one side filming protesters, in the stomach with a shield, while another strikes a female reporter on her rucksack with a baton despite the fact the pair are already running away.

The reporter can be heard shouting "media" during the incident as it airs live in Australia. Both were also shot with rubber bullets and struggled to breathe after tear gas was thrown into the crowds.

Australian prime minister Scott Morrison has reportedly called for an investigation into the incident.

A bishop says she is “outraged” after Donald Trump tear-gassed demonstrators outside the White House before posing with a bible at her church.

At least 5,600 people have been arrested as protests continue across the United States following the death of George Floyd, Associated Press reports.

Instagram is filling up with black squares in the latest movement to protest against racial inequality and police brutality.

Andrew Griffiths explains what they mean and how you can get involved.