Protesters rally at state capitol over ‘attacks' on judicial system, minimum wage increase
Across the country, thousands of people took to the streets to protest what they say are attacks on the judicial system.
Channel 2's Richard Elliot and Courtney Francisco are at the Capitol, LIVE on Channel 2 Action News starting at 4:00 p.m.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
It appears that dozens of people are already there, but the crowd is continuing to grow.
One sign spotted by NewsChopper 2 advocated for Waffle House workers having their pay raised to $25 an hour. Others flew the Syrian flag, Ukrainian flag and LGBTQ+ flag.
Several groups appear to be gathering as part of different causes. Some of the groups expected to rally include union workers, rideshare drivers, delivery services and more demanding a raise in minimum wage.
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USA Today
a few seconds ago
- USA Today
3 Republican-led states are deploying National Guard troops to DC: What to know
The Republican governors of three states are deploying hundreds of National Guard troops to Washington at the request of the administration of President Donald Trump, who has portrayed the city as awash in crime. The announcements on Aug. 16 of troops from hundreds of miles away in West Virginia, South Carolina and Ohio came a day after DC officials and the Trump administration negotiated a deal to keep Mayor Muriel Bowser's appointed police chief, Pamela Smith, in charge of the police department after DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit to block the federal takeover of the department. Trump, a Republican, said this week he was deploying hundreds of DC National Guard troops to Washington and temporarily taking over the Democratic-led city's police department to curb what he depicted as a crime and homelessness emergency. Justice Department data, however, showed violent crime in 2024 hit a 30-year low in Washington, a self-governing federal district under the jurisdiction of Congress. West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey's office said in a statement he was deploying 300 to 400 National Guard troops to D.C. in "a show of commitment to public safety and regional cooperation." The statement said he also was providing equipment and specialized training. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster responded to a Pentagon request by announcing that 200 of his state's National Guard troops would be sent. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said he would send 150 military police members in the coming days, adding none of them were "currently serving as law enforcement officers in the state." After the announcements, Mayor Bowser posted on X: "American soldiers and airmen policing American citizens on American soil is #UnAmerican." Troops to other cities? The National Guard serves as a militia that answers to the governors of the 50 states except when called into federal service. The DC National Guard reports directly to the president. Trump, who has suggested he could take similar actions in other Democratic-controlled cities, has sought to expand the powers of the presidency in his second term, inserting himself into the affairs of major banks, law firms and elite universities. In June, Trump ordered 700 Marines and 4,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, against the wishes of California's Democratic governor, during protests over mass immigration raids by federal officials. South Carolina's McMaster said his troops would immediately return to South Carolina if needed to respond to a possible hurricane or other natural disaster. Hurricane Erin, now northeast of Puerto Rico, has become a catastrophic Category 5 storm that could bring ocean swells to the U.S. East Coast early next week, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. National Guard troops often respond to natural disasters and rarely police US civilians. Drew Galang, a spokesperson for West Virginia's Morrisey, said the state's National Guard received the order to send equipment and personnel to D.C. late on Friday and was working to organize the deployment. The White House said on Aug. 16 that DC National Guard members have conducted patrols on foot and in vehicles around the National Mall and Union Station. The White House said the National Guard troops are not making arrests now and that they may be armed. It is not clear how the administration could deploy National Guard troops elsewhere. A federal judge in San Francisco is expected in the coming weeks to issue a ruling on whether Trump violated the law with the Los Angeles deployments. (Reporting by AJ Vicens in Detroit, Richard Cowan in Washington and Bhargav Acharya in Toronto; Editing by Donna Bryson, Matthew Lewis, Paul Simao and William Mallard)


Newsweek
a minute ago
- Newsweek
Steve Witkoff Applauds 'Game-Changing' Security Guarantee for Ukraine
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated he is open to the U.S. agreeing a security guarantee with Ukraine resembling the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Article 5 protection. "We were able to win the following concession: That the United States could offer Article 5-like protection, which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in NATO," Witkoff told CNN's Jake Tapper, adding that it was "the first time we had ever heard the Russians agree to that." Newsweek reached out by submission form to the U.S. State Department on Sunday afternoon. Why It Matters President Donald Trump and Putin met on Friday in Alaska to discuss the war in ongoing war in Ukraine and what it would take for Russia to end its assault. Critics hit out at Trump for providing Putin with red-carpet treatment in exchange for seemingly little in the way of concessions, including a military fly-over, a gift to the Russian leader, and a joint ride in Trump's armored limousine. Putin is a wanted man with a warrant out for his arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC), although neither the U.S. nor Russia are signatories to the Rome Statutes. The meeting ended without any agreement on a ceasefire or peace deal, but Trump officials have talked up possible concessions made by the Russians, although details did not start to surface until Sunday. U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff is seen at the White House on August 8 in Washington, D.C. U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff is seen at the White House on August 8 in Washington, To Know Following the Alaska summit, the only information to surface indicated that land swaps had been discussed, much to the frustration of Ukrainian supporters and allies. Trump told European leaders that he backed a plan in which Ukraine would cede territory it still controlled to Russia, The New York Times reported, citing two senior European officials. However, Witkoff on Sunday said the Russians had agreed to a "game-changing" concession, which would allow the U.S. to establish security guarantees modeled after NATO's Article 5 protections, which states that an attack against any member of NATO is an attack against all members of NATO—also known as the collective defense clause. "I don't know that we have the time now to go through all the different issues on these five regions," Witkoff said when asked if Ukraine would have to give up all of the Donbas region to Russia. He added: "The Russians made some concessions at the table with regard to all five of those regions. There is an important discussion to be had with regard to Donetsk and what would happen there. And that discussion is going to specifically be detailed on Monday when [Ukrainian] President [Volodymyr] Zelensky arrives with his delegation." One of Putin's fears is that Ukraine would become a member of NATO, expanding the U.S. and European footprint even more along the border of Russia. Witkoff said on Sunday that Russia had agreed to enact a law that it would not "go after any other European countries and violate their sovereignty. And there was plenty more." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen applauded the move, saying that Europe was "ready to do its share" to contribute to the collective defense guarantee. Several European leaders will participate in a meeting between Trump and Zelensky this week, which will precede a possible trilateral meeting between Trump, Zelensky, and Putin. The trilateral meeting is still a far-off possibility, but Trump has set a soft deadline for the end of the month to arrange it. TAPPER: 'Is that what's on the table, that Ukraine has to agree to cede all of Donbas?' WITKOFF: 'I don't know that we have the time now to go through all the different issues on these five regions… The Russians made some concessions at the table with regard to all five of… — State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) August 17, 2025 What People Are Saying U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff during his appearance on CNN's State of the Union: "My view is that we are going to [do] a trilateral, and what we're trying to accomplish on Monday is get some consensus from President Zelensky and his team. We had some really good, specific, granular conversation on the plane ride home with President Zelensky about what he would be seeking, and we don't think there are any obstacles in that conversation that we heard, and so I'm hopeful that we have a productive meeting on Monday, we get to real consensus, we're able to come back to the Russians and push this peace deal forward, and get it done and stop the killing." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week wrote on X: "On the day of negotiations, the Russians are killing as well. And that speaks volumes. Recently, weʼve discussed with the U.S. and Europeans what can truly work. Everyone needs a just end to the war. Ukraine is ready to work as productively as possible to bring the war to an end, and we count on a strong position from America. Everything will depend on this – the Russians factor in American strength. Make no mistake – strength." What Happens Next? Zelensky and some European leaders will meet with Trump on Monday to discuss his requirements for a peace deal in the aftermath of Trump's meeting with Putin. This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.


CNN
3 minutes ago
- CNN
Witkoff hopeful of trilateral meeting
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