Street outside White House painted 'Black Lives Matter Plaza'

The mayor of Washington, DC, had the slogan "Black Lives Matter" painted in massive yellow letters on a street leading to the White House on Friday in tribute to victims of police brutality as she sparred with US President Donald Trump.

Streets around the White House have been a focus of demonstrations that have swept the nation to protest the May 25 death of Floyd, 46, after a white police officer pinned him to the ground with a knee to the neck for nearly nine minutes.

Protests have also rocked cities including Atlanta, Denver, Detroit and Los Angeles, as well as many smaller communities.

Mayor Muriel Bowser's defiant message came as tensions remained high across the nation over the death of a black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis police custody nearly two weeks ago, prompting political leaders in the city and elsewhere to announce new restrictions on law enforcement.

"Breonna Taylor, on your birthday, let us stand with determination," Bowser, a Democrat, wrote on Twitter in reference to a 26-year-old black woman who was shot dead by Louisville, Kentucky police in March.

"Determination to make America the land it ought to be."

Bowser and Trump, a Republican, are at odds over the president's use of federal law enforcement agencies and military police to put down demonstrations. US Park Police fired smoke grenades and chemical irritant "pepper balls" to break up a protest on Monday night so Trump could walk from the White House to a nearby church for a photo opportunity.
"We want troops from out-of-state, out of Washington, DC," Bowser, who has called for the District of Columbia to be granted US statehood, told reporters on Thursday.

The city also installed a street sign for "Black Lives Matter Plaza" at the intersection of H and 16th Streets.

"The incompetent Mayor of Washington, D.C., @MayorBowser, who's budget is totally out of control and is constantly coming back to us for 'handouts', is now fighting with the National Guard, who saved her from great embarrassment," Trump responded on Twitter.

"If she doesn't treat these men and women well, then we'll bring in a different group of men and women!"

Bowser, who is black, represents a city that is 47% black, according to Census data.

She has said she is fine with DC National Guard helping to keep order in Washington, but is examining all legal options to reverse the deployment of federal forces from elsewhere.

Trump, who is seeking re-election in November, was cheered on Friday by an unexpected jump in US employment in May, defying predictions of further job losses inflicted by the pandemic.

"What's happened to our country and what you now see has been happening is the greatest thing that could happen for race relations, for the African-American community, for the Asian-American, for the Hispanic-American community, for women, for everything," Trump said.

Further demonstrations were planned for Washington, DC on Saturday, and memorial services were expected over the next several days. Floyd's funeral is planned for Tuesday.

(with inputs from agencies)