Civil unrest ‘tends to favour Republicans’ at the ballot box

Despite the widespread violence, perpetrated by some protesters and some police, America is a “long way from teetering on the brink of collapse,” according to The Australian’s Foreign Editor Greg Sheridan.

America has endured its eighth straight day of protest in response to the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes as he told them “I can’t breathe”.

While most protesters were peaceful, riots have broken out across the US, with agitators setting police cars alight and smashing small businesses’ windows as police struggle to maintain order.

Mr Sheridan told Sky News while protesters had a right to be “incensed” by Floyd’s murder, the violence will likely “help Donald Trump in November.”

“The history of race riots and civil violence in the United States is that it helps the law and order party, and it doesn’t do much good for the cause it is meant to be backing,” he said.

“This is a very serious matter, and I think Donald Trump is uniquely ill-equipped to pour a soothing balm on these troubles as a president.

“On the other hand, I think America is long way away from teetering on the brink of collapse.

If the civil disorder continues, the pendulum of sympathy will swing away from shock and outrage at this terrible murder of this black man, and it will swing against the people doing the demonstrations.”