Secret Service agent armed with terrifying 5ft sniper rifle guards Donald Trump from George Floyd protesters – The Sun

A SECRET Service agent is pictured armed to the teeth during Donald Trump's visit to a church yesterday amid violent unrest in Washington DC.

The member of the president's counter assault team was seen carrying a high-powered sniper rifle with a scope sight as he walked in Lafayette Park.

He was also carrying a sidearm, believed to be a 9mm Glock pistol, a radio and a pair of huge binoculars.

The agent would have presumably be stationed on a roof top during Trump's photo call in front of St. John's Episcopal Church.

While surrounded by police and military men, Trump paid homage to the 200-year-old place of worship set ablaze by arsonists during heated protests the previous night.

The Republican firebrand decided to leave the White House on foot after being accused over the weekend of hiding from the nationwide unrest sparked by the death of black man George Floyd in Minneapolis last Monday.

Floyd was filmed gasping for breath as police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck moments before the father-of-two died from a heart attack.

DEFIANT TRUMP

Yesterday in DC, peaceful demonstrators were dispersed with tear gas and hit by rubber bullets and flash grenades as Trump  made a surprise visit to the historic church.

"Now I am going to pay my respects to a very, very special place," Trump said during a speech at the Rose Garden moments before his walk.

The president walked across Lafayette Park and posed in front of the boarded-up church with a bible, which he held up for several moments before declaring: "We're the greatest country in the world."

Before his visit to the church, Trump announced measures to quell the increasingly violent protests around the US.

He declared himself "your president of law and order" and said he was committed to upholding laws and mobilizing the military to end nationwide looting and rioting.

Hours before protests kicked off in DC, Trump told "weak" governors that "they must jail 'terrorist' protesters" for a decade after initially peaceful demonstrations erupted in violence around the country.

According to audio of a video meeting obtained by CBS News, Trump said: "Washington was under very good control, but we're now going to have it under much more control."

OFFICER DOWN

"We're going to pull in thousands of people. We're going to clamp down very strong," he added.

Last night, the chaos took a sinister turn after a cop in Las Vegas was shot in the head outside the Circus Circus Casino.

The officer is currently on life support while the shooter remains in custody.

Another man, who was reportedly carrying a weapon, was shot by cops during the riots in the gambling mecca.

Witnesses said the second shooting involved a male protester carrying a gun who opened fire on police, reports the Reno Gazette Journal.

According to a local report, the man was seen being treated at the scene by medics although his condition is unknown.

In St Louis, Missouri last night, four cops were shot during clashes although none are believed to be in a critical condition, authorities said.

The city's metropolitan police department tweeted: "All have been transported to an area hospital. All are conscious and breathing.

"Their injuries are believed to be non-life threatening."

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