President Donald Trump has ramped up the pressure on state governors to crack down on protesters following a week of civil unrest sparked by the alleged murder of George Floyd.
The President has called on New York to summon the National Guard - part of the reserve components of the US Army and US Air Force - to fight the "lowlifes and losers" protesting police brutality in the city's streets.
Cities across the United States witnessed a seventh consecutive night of demonstrations, the peaceful protests marred by increasingly violent riots and acts of arson, looting and vandalism. Police vehicles have been left smouldering in the streets as businesses are defaced, set alight and robbed.
During his national address outside the White House on Monday evening (local time), President Trump threatened to deploy the US military to restore order if governors failed to act.
Now, the President has amplified his hardline calls in a tweet addressing the chaos and disorder in America's biggest city.
"NYC, CALL UP THE NATIONAL GUARD," he tweeted. "The lowlifes and losers are ripping you apart. Act fast! Don't make the same horrible and deadly mistake you made with the Nursing Homes!"
On Monday night (local time), violent protesters took to the streets of the riot-ravaged city and breached the doors of Macy's flagship store, vandalising buildings and smashing shop windows near the iconic Rockefeller Centre. The New York Police Department confirmed nearly 700 people were arrested and several officers were injured in the overnight fracas.
Mayor Bill de Blasio's implementation of a citywide curfew did little to quell the violence.
"We're going to have a tough few days," he said, as reported by local media.
"We're going to beat it back."
Twenty-nine states - not including New York - have called up the National Guard, deploying more than 20,000 soldiers. De Blasio has publicly declared his opposition to the Guard, saying a military presence would incite a "dangerous scenario" - leading Governor Andrew Cuomo to confirm he will not call up the Guard against the mayor's wishes.
Tensions between protesters and police have continued to escalate, with officers bearing the brunt of the demonstrators' rage. Cops have been ploughed over by vehicles, pelted with debris and fired at with guns, although many have also resorted to increasingly violent means to control rioters.
Widely-circulated footage on social media has captured NYPD vehicles deliberately ramming protesters in Brooklyn, male cops violently pushing female demonstrators and frequent assaults on media personnel, including an Australian reporter and cameraman. Pepper spray, tear gas and rubber bullets are being used in a bid to subdue rioters, yet there have been multiple reports of the weapons being misused and abused - including a female photo-journalist blinded in one eye by a bullet and a nine-year-old child who was allegedly sprayed with mace.
As reported by the Associated Press, democratic governors and mayors have largely denounced Trump's threat to send in military personnel, with officials including De Blasio, Colorado Governor Jared Polis and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock claiming the move would only inflame the conflict.
An anonymous, senior White House has clarified that the President is not currently intending to use the Insurrection Act to send in the military, the outlet noted, the aim instead being to pressure governors into utilising the National Guard.
Yet in Minneapolis, Minnesota - the city in which 46-year-old Floyd was allegedly murdered by white officer Derek Chauvin last Monday - the disorder has somewhat stabilised. The cease in chaos is believed to be largely due to an impassioned speech by Floyd's brother, delivered at the spot where Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for roughly eight minutes, resulting in his death by asphyxiation.
On Friday, Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. He and the three officers involved in Floyd's arrest - who was apprehended on suspicion of forgery - have been fired. However, charges have yet to be laid against the three other policemen.
According to a tally by the Associated Press, more than 5600 people have been arrested nationwide over the past week for offences including looting, breaking curfew and blocking roads.
Shortly before midnight on Monday (local time), an officer who shot near a Las Vegas casino. His condition remains unclear. In St Louis, Missouri, four cops were also shot, but are expected to make full recoveries.
In Louisville, Kentucky, a police chief has been fired following the death of an African American restaurant owner. David McAtee was killed by police and National Guard soldiers in an attempt to break up a large crowd.
In Atlanta, Georgia, six cops have been charged after footage captured the officers dragging two young people from a vehicle amid the protests.
A number of governors and state officials have questioned whether the federal government has the authority to send in troops against the will of local governments, although federal law does permit the President to deploy the military into states to fight a rebellion or insurrection.
