Cuomo Says Trump Does Not Want To Distinguish Between Looters, Protersters

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd June, 2020) US President Donald Trump does not want to distinguish between looters and protesters in order not to talk about the killing of African American man George Floyd's at the hands of the police and the scenario he envisions to bring back order is a political spin, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Tuesday.

"I saw the theater yesterday, I understand his [Trump's] political point. He is Mr. Law and Order and he would bring in the military to put down these protests," Cuomo said. "The President doesn't want to distinguish between the looters and the protesters."

Peaceful protests erupted throughout the United States after Floyd died shortly after being arrested by four police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 25. A video of the arrest posted online showed a white police officer pinning Floyd's neck with his knee for nearly eight minutes while he lied on his stomach in handcuffs and said he could not breathe.� However, the peaceful protests turned into riots complete with arson, property destruction and violence.

Cuomo said the US president wants solely to talk about the ongoing looting in dozens of US cities because that way he would avoid talking about the killing of Floyd or reforming the justice system.

"He wants to say, they are all looters," Cuomo said. "They are not all looters. That's his political spin on all of this... The President's scenario is a political prop, it's a police spin."

While Trump urged the governors and mayors to use National Guard troops to quell the unrest or he would bring in the US military, New York City mayor Bill de Blasio said he rejected the idea.

Cuomo said that while he had legal authority to over-rule and displace the mayor, he will not do that and stressed that they are "not there yet."