Police, protesters clash near the Minneapolis Police third precinct over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. File / Reuters

Twitter on Friday flagged a post by US President Donald Trump on the unrest in Minneapolis as 'glorifying violence', saying the tweet violated its rules but would not be removed.

"This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the public's interest for the Tweet to remain accessible," the social media giant said.

"...These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!" Trump's tweet read.

Earlier on Thursday, Trump said, "I feel very, very badly" about George Floyd's death while handcuffed and in the custody of Minneapolis police. "That’s a very shocking sight.”

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It was the kind of personal statement expected from a president in response to the disturbing video of a black man gasping for help as a white policeman pinned him to the street by the neck. But it was a very different tone for Trump, who has often been silent in the face of white-on-black violence and has a long history of defending police.

Trump’s language got more aggressive as violence boiled over in Minneapolis Thursday night. "These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen,” he tweeted. "Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!"

Once more likely to hew to the "blue lives matter” mantra, Trump and his allies have been questioning an officer’s conduct and calling for justice for Floyd. But some activists doubt that Trump has suddenly evolved on the issue of police brutality and instead see election-year political calculations.

"This is the first race-tinged case that I’ve ever heard him address” as president, said the Rev. Al Sharpton, a civil rights activist and Trump critic who has known the president for decades. "So therefore he cannot be upset when people feel that it’s empty words because it is so out of character.”

Agencies