MOSCOW, June 4. /TASS/. The recent attack on New York police officers that took place in Brooklyn in the early hours of Thursday may have terrorist links, local officials say, cited by the NBC TV company. The attack took place after the curfew introduced due to the protests caused by the death of George Floyd, an African American man who died in custody of the Minneapolis police.
According to NBC, the suspected attacker, a man of Balkan descent, consistently posted belligerent remarks about the police on social networks.
The perpetrator attacked the policemen patrolling the streets with a knife, injuring one of them in the neck. The attack was followed by a shootout, during which two more police officers were injured. The attacker was injured, he is currently in hospital in a serious condition.
Widespread unrest has engulfed many US states over the death of an African-American Minneapolis man named George Floyd, who died after a police officer kneeled on his neck and choked him to death during his arrest. On May 26, all officers involved in the deadly arrest were fired. On May 29, the policeman in question, Derek Chauvin, was arrested on third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges. However, on June 3, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison upped the charge against Chauvin to second-degree murder. The three other officers involved in the fatal incident were arrested as well and are now facing charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder.
To counter the riots, local law enforcement is often supported by the National Guard. So far, 40 cities, including New York, have enacted a curfew.