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.
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.
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.
Videos have also emerged showing police using flash-bangs on crowds.
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.
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