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Archbishop attacks Trump as US unrest continues over Floyd’s death

Washington’s Catholic archbishop has strongly criticised President Donald Trump’s visit to a shrine as civil unrest continues in the US over the death of a black man in police custody.

The visit “misused” and “manipulated” the Saint John Paul II National Shrine, Archbishop Wilton D Gregory said.

He said he found the president’s action “baffling and reprehensible”.

Filmmaker Spike Lee told the BBC anger over George Floyd’s death and systemic injustice are fuelling protests.

On Monday Mr Trump threatened to send in the military to quell disturbances, vowing to “dominate the streets.”

Peaceful and violent protests sparked by the killing of Mr Floyd, 46, in Minneapolis on 25 May continued overnight.

The president said he would deploy the army if cities and states failed to control the protests.

But on Tuesday at least one mayor rejected the use of National Guard and military forces.

Presidential candidate Joe Biden criticised Mr Trump for using the crisis to appeal to his supporters, saying he was “serving the passions of his base”.

Dozens of people have been injured as authorities used tear gas and force to disperse protests which have swept more than 75 cities.

On Tuesday the Las Vegas sheriff said an officer died in a shooting after police attempted to disperse a crowd, and four officers were injured on Monday in St Louis, Missouri.

In a statement ahead of the president’s visit to the Saint John Paul II National Shrine, Archbishop Wilton D Gregory said it violated the church’s religious principles.

Catholics should defend the rights of all people, he said.

The archbishop also condemned the forceful clearing of protesters outside the White House on Monday to allow Mr Trump to visit a church where he held a Bible in front of gathered media.

Saint John Paul “would not condone the use of tear gas and other deterrents to silence, scatter or intimidate [protestors] for a photo opportunity in front of a place of worship,” he commented.

Archbishop Gregory is the first African-American to lead the diocese. The shrine is run by the Knights of Columbus, an all-male Catholic organisation that has lobbied for conservative political causes.

Washington’s Episcopalian bishop, Mariann Budde, also condemned the president’s actions.

In the UK the archbishops of York and Canterbury said the unrest exposed “the ongoing evil of white supremacy”.

Source: BBC

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