Stranger Than Fiction

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TOP NEWS

• Protests continue for the eight day, looting and destruction mostly absent.“Mass demonstrations across the U.S. gave way to a night of relative calm Tuesday, in contrast with the destruction of recent nights, as anger simmered over the killing of George Floyd in custody and police violence more broadly. Thousands of peaceful demonstrators gathered during the day in New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago, Milwaukee and the Washington, D.C., region, protesting the killing of Mr. Floyd, which was captured in a video that circulated widely last week.” - WSJFollow live protest updates from WSJ.

• Swedish expert admits mistakes in country’s handling of coronavirus. “The architect of Sweden’s controversial lighter lockdown policy for dealing with coronavirus has for the first time conceded the Scandinavian country should have imposed more restrictions to avoid having such a high death toll.” - The Guardian

• NYPD officers surrounded, shoved & cursed at two journalists out covering protests in Manhattan tonight & pinned one against a car. After they explained they were exempt from NY’s curfew, an officer said to “get the f— out of here you piece of s—.” - AP

• CIA veterans see troubling parallels in Trump’s response. For former U.S. intelligence officials, scenes of armed clashes and strongman poses are familiar signs of a fraying country. - WaPo

WHAT I’M READING + WATCHING + LISTENING TO

• The Rizzo statue is gone.

• Defense secretary Esper was caught off-guard by Trump’s church photo-op.

• He knew George Floyd, he doesn’t want anyone to forget him.

• Listen HERE: Reports from @katie_honan in #NewYorkCity, @akaneotani in #Minneapolis, and @joshjame in #Philadelphia. Plus, @GeraldFSeib looks back at 1968 and 1979, and what they can tell us about the nation's capacity for change. @annmariefertoli hosts.

THE COMMENT

"He was a gentle giant. He was a protector, a provider. He wanted everybody to be happy and have a good time. That was his thing. Now his name is ringing bells, far away—the Netherlands, Iran, all these places. His death won’t be in vain. George Floyd is going to be the name of change.” - Former NBA player and friend of George Floyd, Stephen Jackson

THE STRANGEST

• Irene Triplett, the last person receiving a pension from the U.S. Civil War, has died at the age of 90.

THE AV ROOM