‘I’m furious and you should be too’: Biden condemns Trump tweet ‘glorifying violence’

'I will not lift the President’s tweet. I will not give him that amplification'

Former vice president Joe Biden has angrily condemned president Donald Trump's tweet advocating violence against American citizens in response to the unrest in Minnesota.

On Twitter Mr Biden wrote: "I will not lift the President’s tweet. I will not give him that amplification. But he is calling for violence against American citizens during a moment of pain for so many. I’m furious, and you should be too."

He added that he wouldl be speaking more about the events in Minnesota later.

In the same Twitter thread Mr Biden also mentioned the on-camera arrest this morning of a black CNN reporter.

"This is not abstract: a black reporter was arrested while doing his job this morning, while the white police officer who killed George Floyd remains free. I am glad swift action was taken, but this, to me, says everything," he said.

A third night of protests and riots have gripped the Minneapolis St Paul region following the killing of Mr Floyd by police officers, one of whom, Derek Chauvin, was filmed kneeling on his neck.

Demonstrations and unrest have also been reported in other cities across the country — in Louisville, Kentucky, protests were centred on the death of Breonna Taylor, killed in her home by police earlier this year.

The president branded the protesters as "thugs" and threatened to send in the army, tweeting: "When the looting starts, the shooting starts".

His tweet was labelled as glorifying violence by Twitter and hidden from view, but then reposted by the official White House account.

Earlier on Friday morning, CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez was handcuffed and led away alongside his crew while filming the protests.

TV news reporters across all major US networks expressed outrage at their colleague being arrested while doing his job.

Mr Jimenez and his crew were later released and went back on air. Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz described the arrest as "totally unacceptable".

No arrests have been made relating to the death of Mr Floyd.