Viral

An eerie scene during a BLM rally is going viral, because it looks like a scary throwback to the '60s -- a line of armed white residents trying to intimidate protesters.

This went down in Crown Point, Indiana ... where a group of mostly college students had just finished marching, and took a back alley bike path to get back to their cars. As they walked and made their way, earlier this week, they were greeted by a lineup of at least a dozen white men and women ... many brandishing guns, and all staring down the students.

Indiana is a licensed open carry state, so everything you're seeing here is legal. Still, it's pretty menacing -- you see the protesters walking by with their signs out, but not chanting or even speaking. The group of older adults along the fence were also dead silent as they eyeballed the BLM group.

At one point, the demonstrators came across a couple of cops who were standing toward the end of the line ... and watched as they passed. The protester who's on camera here with the sign is Cedric Caschetta, and he tells us it was actually police officers who suggested they take the bike path in order to avoid a longer and more rowdy route back to their vehicles.

He says the officers escorted them all the way through.

Cedric says he and the rest of his group made sure to keep calm in the situation, as he says he felt at least a couple of the armed residents were trying to get reactions out of them.

He also says he never feared for his safety after a full day of being on the front lines of the protest in downtown Crown Point.

Toronto PD probably saved this jackass' life ... he showed up in blackface for a protest against racism -- seriously -- and yes, protesters were furious about the spectacle.

The wild moment was captured on video Saturday during a demonstration in the city's Nathan Phillips Square. The white guy walked into the crowd completely decked out in black makeup on his face and hands.

We can't imagine it took long for people to turn on him, and even as police whisked him away ... pissed off protesters were still screaming at him.

People were reportedly barking threats at him and calling for the police the whole time he was trying to wade through the rally. Eventually, bicycle officers did step in and escort the guy away -- almost completely surrounding him to keep the angry crowd off of him.

Cops say the agitator was arrested for breaching the peace -- yeah, he did that and then some. Oh, the beatdown he might have caught.

San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge sounds like a nonstop Halloween attraction right about now -- because it keeps on howling anytime there's a breeze ... and it's freaking people out.

The iconic structure has been making A LOT of noise lately, and Twitter took notice Friday ... with Bay Area residents filming a drive/ride-through along the bike paths. Basically, there's a constant loud humming sound emanating throughout -- which can be heard for miles.

No, it's not ghosts or spirits that have been conjured up from the waters below ... it's just the wind making contact with some fancy new devices local engineers just put in. They're new railing slats covering the edges of the bridge -- to help fight off wind resistance -- and when gusty air rolls through (which is pretty much always there) ... this is the end result.

So, yeah ... the bridge is plagued by this eerie singing/siren calling for the time being. Doesn't look like city officials have addressed a fix for now -- but something tells us if enough people complain, they'll have to do something.

One McDonald's drive-thru employee made the wait for a Big Mac pretty entertaining for some customers when he unleashed a performance of Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande's smash single.

Someone in line was blasting "Rain on Me" in their car speakers loud enough for the employee to hear ... and he took full advantage of the moment. In the video, the drive-thru employee gives customers everything from leg kicks to spins and even a hair flip.

We're told the employee is Gavyn Brewster from the UK -- who also performs as Diana D -- so if Lady Gaga and Ariana are looking for a back-up dancer ... look no further.

"Rain on Me" has been massively successful, making it's debut at #1 on The Billboard Hot 100 last week ... and the official music video already has close to 90 million views.

George Floyd's killing is impacting the world in a way we've never seen before ... and it's also inspiring more people than ever to donate to a cause.

Launched just a little more than a week ago, the Official George Floyd Memorial Fund has already received the highest number of individual donations for a GoFundMe page ... a spokesperson for the site tells TMZ.

With nearly 500k donations and counting, the fundraiser's amassed nearly $13 million. We're told the campaign has gone global, getting donations from 125 countries.

George's brother, Philonise, says the money will cover funeral and burial expenses, provide counseling, pay for lodging and travel for all court proceedings, and assist the family going forward as they seek justice for George. A portion of the funds will also go to George's estate to take care of his kids and provide for their education.

As we reported ... the first of 4 memorials for George was held Thursday in Minneapolis. There will be another in North Carolina on Saturday, and 2 in Houston next week.

Interestingly, number 2 on the GoFundMe donations list launched in December 2018 to raise money to build the wall at America's southern border. That has 300k donations, but it's raised more than $25 million.

A swarm of LAPD officers tracked down a sedan, smashed the hell out of the car's windows ... and quickly yanked out the occupants during a pretty violent arrest of alleged looters.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... a helicopter tracked the car leaving an Urban Outfitters Wednesday in Hollywood, a store that had been looted. When officers on the ground caught up to the car, we're told the driver revved the engine ... allegedly lurching toward a cop.

As you can see multiple officers destroyed the side windows to haul the driver and passengers out of the vehicle. They allegedly refused to exit on their own. One woman appeared to be slightly injured from broken glass, and another went down hard as officers tried to cuff her.

The trunk was allegedly chock full of clothes from Urban Outfitters -- complete with merchandise tags still on them -- according to our law enforcement sources.

We're told everyone in the car was booked for burglary, and the driver was also booked for assault with a deadly weapon -- for allegedly driving at one of the officers.

Kanye West has joined protesters in Chicago. The rapper is with Chicago Public Schools students to protest the killing of George Floyd as well as to demand CPS cancel their contract with the Chicago Police Department.

Kanye West's giving a huge assist to the families and legal teams fighting for Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd ... and helping in other ways too.

Kanye's donated $2 million, so far, to the cause and set up a 529 college savings fund to fully cover tuition for Floyd's 6-year-old daughter, Gianna. He's also made a separate donation to cover the legal costs for the Arbery and Taylor families.

Along with that, a rep confirms Kanye's donating to several black-owned businesses in his hometown of Chicago and nationwide that have been in crisis and impacted by the unrest in the U.S.

As you know ... widespread protests and riots have broken out since Floyd was killed in police custody on May 25. The demonstrations are a demand for an end to systematic racism and police brutality ... of which the killings of Arbery and Taylor are also prime examples.

Arbery was shot and killed in Georgia in February after being chased by 3 men who allegedly believed he fit the description of a burglary suspect in the area.

Taylor -- who was an emergency medical worker -- was shot and killed by Louisville cops in her own home in a "no-knock warrant" case, in which cops allegedly busted in without warning.

"You about to lose yo job, 'cause you are detaining me, for nothing!!!"

That's the hilarious freestyle one woman dropped off the dome while getting detained by a police officer ... and the viral video is already getting the meme treatment and a super cool remix!

The clip of a woman in police custody in "Somewhere, USA" started spreading like wildfire Wednesday on social media, and while the original version is gold ... the remix that dropped Thursday is platinum!!!

A cool cat by the name of Random J Pop just popped out the remix, adding a bumping beat to the woman's catchy little ditty ... and ya gotta give them both a listen. The lyrics are great, the tune is catchy, and the best part ... she even has her own dance!!! Watch, 'cause even the cop had to laugh.

Again, no clue where, when or why the woman was in custody -- all that really matters is, "You gotta git this dance!"

Karen has struck again -- this time at a park where a few little kids were taking a Power Wheels toy car for a spin ... and she was ready to pull 'em over.

Check it out ... the old lady -- who one Twitter user hilariously dubbed "grandkaren" -- is upset that the woman watching the children is letting them "drive all over the place."

When the woman says the kids are just playing in their toy vehicle, Karen says she's never seen a car in the park before ... and what really bothers her is that they don't have a driver's license.

Again, this is a Power Wheels ride ... which has a TOP speed of 5 mph.

Grandkaren gets one last gripe in about the kids being unsupervised ... by the woman recording them from yards away.

Al Sharpton just finished giving the eulogy and his words also brought the crowd to their feet. He said, "[George] did not die of common health conditions. He died of a common American criminal justice malfunction." Sharpton also took a shot at President Trump's recent photo-op and urged the Prez -- without ever mentioning his name -- to open the bible instead of using it as a prop. Sharpton said "George Floyd's story has been the story of black folks, because ever since 401 years ago the reason we could never be who we wanted and dreamed to being is because you kept your knee on our neck. It’s time for us to stand up in George's name and say get your knee off our necks."

Sharpton also had a message for the flawed criminal justice system: "We don’t have a problem denouncing violence, Mr governor. We don’t have a problem, Mr. Mayor, denouncing looting. But it seems like some in the criminal justice system have a problem looking at a tape and knowing there’s probable cause and it takes a long time for you to go and do what you see that you need to do."

Floyd's family remembered George as a magnetic presence regardless of who surrounded him. One said, "When he spoke to people, he made you feel special. They felt like they were the president because that's how he made you feel." They also remembered his big bear hugs. "No matter who you talked to, they all felt special. They never felt left out. He would embrace them. What I'll miss the most about him is his hugs. When he wrapped his arms around you, it felt like your problems would go away." They also talked about how George was a HUUUUGE LeBron James fan.

The lawyer repping Floyd's family, Ben Crump, also gave an inspiring speech that brought everyone to their feet. He invoked the names of those who fell at the hands of injustice ... from Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor to Eric Garner, Stephon Clark and Trayvon Martin. Crump also had these inspiring words justifying peaceful protests, "What we are doing is helping America be America for all Americans."

The first of four services to honor George Floyd is about to get underway in Minneapolis ... and you can follow it live right here.

Thursday's memorial service will begin at 11 AM PT at the Frank J. Lindquist Sanctuary at North Central University. It's a private event to be attended by family, friends and invitees of the Floyd family only.

Rev. Al Sharpton will deliver the eulogy.

On Saturday, a public viewing and a private memorial service will be held in Raeford, North Carolina. George was born nearby in Fayetteville, and his sister said "his family would remember him" in the state.

According to Hoke County Sheriff Hubert Peterkin ... no protesting will be allowed at this service. Peterkin said, "The memorial is about the life that Mr. George Floyd lived, and this is a time to embrace the family with expressions of love and kindness."

Finally, on Monday in Houston, there will be a public viewing at The Fountain of Praise Church, followed by a private service Tuesday. Floyd grew up in Houston but left several years ago when he moved to Minnesota.

Of course, Floyd was killed while Minneapolis PD arrested him on May 25. The video of his death -- showing ex-cop Derek Chauvin pressing his knee on Floyd's neck as he pled, "I can't breathe" -- set off a firestorm of outrage. Across the country, protests sprung up ... a few of which escalated to riots and violence.

All 4 Minneapolis PD officers involved in the incident were fired within one day, and 4 days later Chauvin was arrested -- initially charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

On Wednesday, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison added a 2nd-degree murder charge.

The 3 other ex-cops -- Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Keung and Tou Thao -- were also arrested and charged with felonies ... aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

The 3 defendants in Ahmaud Arbery's murder will face a judge in a preliminary hearing to determine whether there's enough evidence to move forward with the case ... and TMZ will be streaming live.

The attorneys for Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael and William "Roddie" Bryan Jr. are slated to appear at Glynn County Magistrate Court in Georgia ... nearly a month after the McMichaels were arrested for murder and denied bond and 13 days after Bryan, who recorded the deadly encounter, was arrested.

The alleged murderers will appear in court via teleconference. All 3 have been charged with murder in the February 23 death of Arbery, who was simply jogging down the street when he was stopped and confronted by the McMichaels. A struggle ensued and Travis shot Arbery. He fell to the ground and died.

Travis and Gregory were arrested for murder May 8. They later faced a judge and were denied bond. Bryan, who recorded the incident, was arrested 14-days later and was slapped with charges of felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.

As we reported ... authorities allege Bryan "did attempt to confine and detain Ahmaud Arbery without legal authority, by attempting to confine ..." adding, Bryan was "utilizing his vehicle on multiple occasions during the above time frame, with the intention of confining and detaining Arbery."

So, the felony is false imprisonment, and if such a felony results in someone's death, that person can be charged with felony murder.

Bryan has claimed he was simply a witness and had no involvement in the killing. He also said he feared for his life after the video was leaked. The handling of the case has drawn scrutiny -- with good reason -- prompting the Georgia Attorney General to formally request the Justice Department get to the bottom of what happened.

We're also told bail may become a bone of contention.

The hearing is set to begin at 6:30 AM PT.

The NYPD is under fire after video surfaced showing several cops beating a bicyclist to a pulp with batons as the man tried crossing the street.

The clip was shot Wednesday night after a full day of peaceful protests in the Big Apple. You can see a man, walking his bike and being violently struck by a police officer's baton before two other officers join in.

As for the "justification" of force? An NYPD source tells us, the man was out after curfew, and officers were trying to "clear the streets." We're told the video was shot after 10 PM and curfew was at 8.

The person who posted the video said the incident went down at the intersection of 50th Street and Third Avenue. The tweet was captioned, "People stuck in traffic are witnessing NYPD beat up folks on their way home.”

The brutal assault caught the attention of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who said, "Horrifying. You start with the tiny possibility that two officers may be walking over to deescalate the abusive one. Instead, they join in beating a man trying to get out of traffic."

We've reached out to the NYPD for comment, and we're told "we are aware of the video and it is under internal review."

George Floyd's funeral will feature a guest who knows all too well the pain of losing a son to racial violence -- because Ahmaud Arbery's mom, Wanda Cooper, will be in attendance.

Wanda's attorney, Lee Merritt, tells TMZ ... she will be among those there in person next week for George's funeral procession in his hometown of Houston. She'll be attending with Lee, although it doesn't sound like she's set to speak at this point in time.

We're told the program is still being worked out, so it's possible she may share a few words -- but for now ... she's simply attending and paying her respects. Merritt tells us Wanda got connected to George's fam through their own family attorney, Ben Crump.

Of course, Wanda herself is in her own battle for justice over the killing of her 25-year-old son, Ahmaud, who was chased and gunned down by Travis McMichael, with the help of his father, Gregory. Both have been arrested and charged with murder/aggravated assault.

We already knew Wanda had recently sought to connect with Trayvon Martin's family -- now, it looks like she's connected with a family who's dealing with an even more recent tragedy.

The band that provided the magic for Joe Exotic's unique set of songs on 'Tiger King' has good news for everyone itching for more of their good musical vibes.

Vince Johnson of The Vince Johnson Band -- who made up one half of the music duo who wrote and performed Joe's tracks featured on the Netflix series -- just inked an exclusive licensing and distribution deal with BMG Rights Management and Create Music Group.

As part of the agreement, all those Joe tunes (which are actually Vince's) will be compiled onto an album for the first time and be released on streaming services everywhere in the coming months. There'll also be some new tunes, including a cut called 'Killer Carole.' Probably won't be a big hit in Carole Baskin's crib.

We got a little taste of this gem before it officially drops Friday -- we're thinking you can add this one to your back road country playlist. No sign of Joe, though, in the pseudo-music video -- he's a little tied up right now, unfortunately.

In any case, it's great news for Vince and co. ... whom, as we previously told you, were gunning for a record deal of some sort in the wake of the show's massive popularity. Unclear if they've gotten signed to a label yet, but a licensing deal is kinda like getting halfway there.

Of course, Vince lost his longtime music collaborator -- Daniel Clinton -- who helped him pen a lot of the songs on 'Tiger King,' after he passed away from a heart attack late last year. Here's hoping Vince does him proud with this streak of good luck going forward.

We've obtained the mugshots of officers Thao, Kueng and Lane ... all 3 are now in custody and have bail set at $1 million.

Attorney General Keith Ellison says the evidence now supports the stronger charge for Chauvin along with the arrests and charges of the other 3 officers.

Ellison asked the public for more patience as they continue to thoroughly investigate and gather evidence, and issued ominous words of caution — winning a conviction "will be hard."

He says history has shown there will be clear challenges in getting guilty verdicts for the cops but pointed out that his partner on the case, Hennepin Co. Atty Mike Freeman is the right man for the job ... he’s the only lawyer in Minnesota to convict a cop of murder.

The AG also asked anyone who has information about Floyd’s death to come forward, and made it clear he will not rush the case to trial ... because he wants everything to be completely ready to go and as strong as possible when they go to court.

The 3 officers who stood by as Derek Chauvin killed George Floyd have all been arrested and charged with crimes, and Chauvin now faces a 2nd-degree murder charge.

As for the 3 officers -- Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao -- they've all been charged with felonies -- aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

It's interesting ... the complaint calls the 2nd-degree murder charge "unintentional while committing a felony." So, they're charging Chauvin on felony murder for the excessive force that led to Floyd's death.  The underlying felony is excessive force and an assault against Floyd.

It's extremely significant because the 3 officers who stood by will be noticed by every other cop in the country. Now, when a cop crosses the line and another cop observes it, that second cop will presumably think twice before just watching and doing nothing.

Chauvin now faces 40 years in prison -- that's the maximum penalty for 2nd-degree murder.

As for the other 3 ... they face 40 years each -- the same punishment for 2nd-degree murder.

Attorney Lee Merritt, who reps the Floyd family along with attorney Ben Crump, tells us the reason he and others have been pushing so hard for the officers involved in Floyd’s death to be held accountable ... is to encourage all cops to start becoming part of the solution to police brutality.

Lee hopes George’s murder case sends a message -- cops need to oppose bad cops in order to be good cops. He says this can be a positive step toward changing a system that’s enabled mistreatment of black people for so long ... and there’s already signs it’s happening.

Meanwhile, Ben Crump calls the upgraded charge for Chauvin and the arrest of the 3 other former officers a "bittersweet moment" for the Floyd family. He says ... "This is a significant step forward on the road to justice" and is providing some peace for George's family in this painful time.

You can clearly see it was more than just Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's body ... with 3 ex-officers total on him at one time.

The independent autopsy at the behest of Floyd's family revealed he died from asphyxia as a result of neck and back compression.

The Atlanta police officers involved in the violent arrest and tasing of 2 black college students who were in their vehicle during protests this weekend are now facing charges ... on the heels of 2 of them losing their jobs.

The Fulton County DA has charged 6 cops for using excessive force during the incident with Messiah Young and Taniyah Pilgrim Saturday night.

Four of the cops have been charged with aggravated assault -- Mark Gardner, for tasing Pilgrim; Ivory Streeter, for tasing Young and pointing a gun at him; Lonnie Hood for using a Taser on Pilgrim and Young; and Willie Sauls for pointing a Taser.

Another officer, Armond Jones, has been charged with aggravated battery for forcefully throwing Young down on the street and pointing a gun at him. The sixth officer, Roland Claud, is charged with criminal damage to property ... the couples' car.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms fired both Gardner and Streeter almost immediately after learning of the incident, and the other 4 were placed on desk duty.

The students claim they were out getting food when they got caught in traffic and the chaos around them. They later spoke about the scary ordeal, saying they felt lucky to be alive ... and demanded change so similar incidents stop happening.