Twitter hides Donald Trump's tweet about George Floyd riots for 'glorifying violence'

Twitter has hidden a Donald Trump tweet for glorifying violence amid riots in the city of Minneapolis after the police death of George Floyd.

Calling the rioters "thugs", the US president threatened "when the looting starts, the shooting starts" and offered to send in armed soldiers.

Met with immediate backlash, Trump's "shooting" threat was borrowed from a Florida police chief who declared "war" and pledged a violent reprisal on black people in Miami Beach, Florida, in 1967.

The tweet violated rules against "glorifying violence" and Twitter hid the message behind a disclaimer and banned likes based on fears the president's threat could inspire further acts of violence.

It came as the third night of protests in the US city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, gave way to arson, gunfire, looting and vandalism, with a police station and several shops being torched.

It also came amid a row between Trump and Twitter after the social media platform fact-checked two of his tweets.

Trump responded on Thursday by signing an executive order giving regulators the power to pursue legal action against sites such as Twitter and Facebook.

National Guard troops were already on the streets of Minneapolis in the early hours of Friday morning in a bid to restore order as many scenes of unrest went unchecked following fresh clashes between protesters and police.

As shops were ransacked and several buildings burned to the ground, Trump tweeted: "I can’t stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis.

"A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right."

He added: "These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen.