Continued curfews, primary races, Black Out Tuesday: 5 things to know Tuesday

Editors, USA TODAY
·5 min read

Curfews imposed as protests, separate violence continue

Curfews have already been imposed for Tuesday evening in several major U.S. cities, including New York and Washington, D.C., as groups of Americans continue to protest the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers, while others are looting and committing acts of violence. New York City imposed a late curfew Monday that failed to prevent more destruction, including arrests after a break-in at the iconic Macy's store on 34th Street. In Washington on Monday, Mayor Muriel Bowser called it "shameful" that police forcefully removed protesters using tear gas, rubber bullets and horses from an area near the White House before the city's 7 p.m. curfew to apparently clear the way for President Donald Trump to walk to St. John's Episcopal Church. The bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington condemned Trump for his unannounced visit to the church, which was damaged by protesters who set a fire in the basement Sunday.

Prefer to listen? Check out the 5 things podcast below and subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts:

Biden to leave Delaware, speak about US unrest in Philadelphia

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden will leave the state of Delaware for the first time since mid-March Tuesday when he goes to Philadelphia to deliver remarks on the ongoing unrest due to the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis. Seeking to elevate his voice in the national debate over racism and police brutality, Biden on Monday offered emotional support and promised bold action during an in-person discussion with black leaders in Wilmington, Delaware, and a subsequent virtual meeting with big-city mayors who are grappling with racial tensions and frustrated by a lack of federal support. Largely sheltering in place amid the coronavirus, Biden has struggled to be heard from his makeshift home TV studio. But after another night of violent protests, he went out in public for the second time in two days and the third time since the pandemic arrived.

Primaries: Six races to watch as Dems, GOP vie for House, Senate nods

Eight states and Washington, D.C., will hold primary elections Tuesday, several of which were rescheduled as the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the campaign cycle. Of those states, several like Indiana and Rhode Island, also significantly expanded their vote-by-mail options amid safety concerns about voting in person. Although the results of the presidential primary have been settled, races for offices down the ballot could help determine the battle for the House and Senate in November. Can Steve King retain his seat in Iowa? And who will face Sen. Joni Ernst? Here are some of the key races to watch.

Black Out Tuesday: Music industry to protest death of George Floyd

Several top record labels have said they will halt their business operations during Black Out Tuesday, a message of solidarity after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. "This is not a day off," Columbia Records announced in a tweet. "Instead, this is a day to reflect and figure out ways to move forward in solidarity." Participating labels include RCA Records; Epic Records; Republic Records; Def Jam, UMG Nashville; and others. UMG’s Interscope Geffen A&M said that in addition to joining Black Out Tuesday, the label that is home to Lady Gaga and Kendrick Lamar would postpone several planned releases this week.

Report: Facebook's Zuckerberg to hold town hall after employee walkout

According to multiple reports, a group of Facebook employees participated in a virtual walkout Monday to protest the way the social media giant handles posts from President Donald Trump. The walkout came after a number of employees publicly criticized the company for its decision not to moderate Trump's posts. In the latest notable example, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has defended the company's decision to leave up a post by the president in which he warned, "When the looting starts, the shooting starts." The phrase echoes the language of a Miami police chief in 1967 and it was later used by segregationist presidential candidate George Wallace during the 1968 campaign. Twitter labeled Trump's tweet as a violation of rules against "glorifying violence." Facebook left the president's post untouched. CNBC reported Monday that Zuckerberg plans to hold a town hall with employees Tuesday to address the situation.

Contributing: Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Curfews continue, Black Out Tuesday: 5 things to know Tuesday