Officials at the United Nations headquarters in New York City are in close contact with the US Mission to the organization and the New York Police Department (NYPD) to ensure the security of the compound amid violent protests in the city, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a press briefing on Tuesday
UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd June, 2020) Officials at the United Nations headquarters in New York City are in close contact with the US Mission to the organization and the New York Police Department (NYPD) to ensure the security of the compound amid violent protests in the city, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a press briefing on Tuesday.
New York City has been rocked by five nights of looting amid nationwide protests over the killing of a black man, George Floyd, by a police officer in Minneapolis.
"Our security chief is in close touch with the US Mission, and with the NYPD to ensure the safety of the UN compound," Dujarric said. "We are not aware of any specific targeting of the UN, but we are remaining in close, in constant touch with the Federal and the local authorities on the security front."
Earlier in the day, New York City Mayor announced the imposition of a citywide curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. through June 7.
On Monday, US President Donald Trump threatened to deploy thousands of US armed forces unless state governors sent National Guard units to "dominate the streets" in reaction to the wave of riots if city and state governments failed to take sufficient actions to end them and re-establish law and order.
The violent nationwide protests have sparked heavy-handed responses from US authorities. On Monday evening, US police used tear gas and other weapons against protesters near the White House. Nicole Roussell, a Sputnik journalist, said police shot off a stinger grenade, which caused three very painful welts on her hip and thigh.
On Sunday, RIA Novosti correspondent Mikhail Turgiyev was pepper-sprayed in the face by a Minneapolis police officer despite identifying himself as a reporter, while covering the protests. A VICE television crew was also affected during the incident.
On May 25, the 46-year old Floyd, an African American, died in Minneapolis police custody after a white officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck for at least eight minutes.
