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George Floyd protests, SpaceX Starlink mission, West Point graduation: 5 things to know this weekend

Editors  |  Paste BN

Protests in the wake of George Floyd's death to go on across the U.S.

The ongoing protests opposing police brutality, racial injustice and advocating for the removal of symbols of racism and slavery such as Confederate monuments are expected to continue across the U.S., this weekend.  The Associated Press noted Friday that the protest movement in the wake of George Floyd's death has quickly spread deep into predominantly white, small-town America, notably throughout areas that delivered the presidency for Donald Trump . Meanwhile, in Seattle, the "Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone" (CHAZ), an area in the city's Capitol Hill neighborhood that protesters have cornered off for peaceful demonstrations, has shown no sign of dissolving. In a move that could keep the CHAZ active, a federal judge Friday ordered Seattle to temporarily stop using tear gas, pepper spray and flash bang devices to break up peaceful protests.

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Clemson coach, players expected to lead on-campus demonstration

Members of the Clemson football team are expected to lead a demonstration Saturday  in wake of George Floyd's death last month and subsequent protests about police brutality, racism and mistreatment of Black people. According to Clemson City Administer Andy Blondeau, Tigers football coach Dabo Swinney will introduce players Trevor Lawrence and Darien Rencher at the public event. The scheduled protest comes after Swinney attempted to end the controversy that popped up around his program by releasing a 14-minute video, saying he supports Black Lives Matters and defending how he dealt with an assistant coach who uttered a racial slur during a 2017 practice. 

Flag Day to be celebrated amid national unrest 

Sunday is Flag Day and this year it comes at a politically charged moment on the heels of thousands of demonstrators taking to the streets to protest U.S. racial inequalities.Protests against police brutality have sparked debates of patriotism regarding kneeling in front of the American flag during the National Anthem on and off the field. The Second Continental Congress officially adopted the National Flag of the United States of America in 1777 and the day was later named Flag Day in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson, who urged citizens to hoist the flag high in celebration. The National Constitution Center will hold a virtual celebration of Flag Day. 

2020 West Point graduation breaks from tradition 

Their hats will still fly, but at the end of Saturday's socially distant graduation at the United States Military Academy, at which President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak, the cadets will have to retrieve them. Unlike in years past, there won't be scores of eager kids ready to swoop in for keepsakes. That's just one of several ways the Class of 2020's graduation will be different, owing to the coronavirus pandemic. With the president expected, security has been heightened and media access has been scaled back. Family will have to settle for watching a livestream of the ceremony. There's no ceremony in the stadium. Cadets will sit far apart. They won't shake hands.  

SpaceX launched its ninth batch of Starlink satellites

SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket early Saturday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 40,  supporting the company's rapid cadence of launching roughly once a week this month.  The 230-foot rocket took 58 Starlink internet satellites to low-Earth orbit. The launch also took on historical significance:: for the first time, the weather officers from the 45th Space Wing Weather Squadron working the launch were all women. SpaceX's goal is to have almost 12,000 satellites operating in low-Earth orbit, with plans to launch an additional 30,000 satellites in the future. Part of the goal of creating the Starlink broadband constellation is to help fund SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's dream of colonizing Mars.. 

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