USA – State authorities in the north-western US state of Washington have hit back after President Donald Trump threatened to “take back” a police-free district controlled by protesters in Seattle.
Governor Jay Inslee said Trump should stay out of the state’s business, and Seattle’s mayor said any invasion of the city would be illegal.
Police abandoned a precinct there on Monday after days of protests.
Trump said the area had been overtaken by “domestic terrorists”. Since the withdrawal of police in that area, protests have been largely peaceful.
The protests in Seattle, Washington started in response to last month’s death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Trump, who has pushed states to take firm action against protesters, has meanwhile outlined proposals for reforming the police, including greater funding for training and national guidelines on the use of force.
However, he has dismissed calls for defunding the police as an “extreme agenda”. Such a measure involves budgets being allocated directly to communities rather than law enforcement.
