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As more riots break out into straight-up looting across the U.S. in the wake of George Floyd's death ... high fashion luxury stores are preparing for the worst as well.

A bunch of top-shelf retail giants out in D.C. scrambled Saturday to have their windows and doors boarded up, once again, on the heels of massive looting that's been taking place in several cities ... where some protesters are starting to hit up and bust through the priciest shops to take what they can amid all the chaos. Case in point, Dior and Gucci out in ATL.

Someone captured video of some guys trying to break through Gucci's windows at Phipps Plaza about a day or so ago, and not too far away ... a Dior store had been ransacked and cleaned out. Reports of looting going down at the ritzy Lenox Square mall surfaced as well.

In light of all that craziness, it would seem managers heading up this strip of high fashion retail in the middle of CityCenterDC got the memo ... and hired construction crews to start barricading their shops. It's crazy -- some of these guys said they'd just gotten done taking the wood panels down at a lot of these stores ('cause of D.C. being allowed to open up again) but were called shortly thereafter and told to board these places back up once more.

Ditto for some shops out in Beverly Hills, including the Gucci location there. Workers were quickly putting up wood boards on their windows as well. Not just that ... they were clearing the sidewalk trash cans, too, which they said was being done as a safety precaution.

Check it out -- sounds like L.A. protesters are coming in hot around the corner. 😬

Elon Musk and co. are officially ready for round 2 of takeoff, just days after calling off their monumental space mission ... and TMZ is streaming the event live.

A couple of NASA astronauts are set to be launched into orbit Saturday via SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and accompanying the Crew Dragon capsule, which will be blasting off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission has been dubbed, Demo-2.

Of course, Saturday's mission was supposed to go down Wednesday -- but it got pushed back due to bad weather ... something the space team there didn't wanna toy with and risk. Now, they're running it back with a predicted 50/50 chance of acceptable conditions.

The team is sending these astronauts to the International Space Station -- 250 miles or so above the Earth. This would mark the first spaceflight launched from U.S. soil in just under a decade. The point of the mission is to see if we're able to taxi astronauts to and from the ISS and Earth -- something Elon's rocketship proved to be capable of a few years ago when SpaceX first secured a multi-billion dollar contract with NASA and passed some tests.

Looks like the two American astronauts being sent up there -- Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken -- are already suited up and aboard the spacecraft. SpaceX says all systems are a go (for now) ... and everything seems primed for an actual launch -- barring any unforeseen mishaps (like an explosion at the launchpad or a lightning storm or something).

Originally Published -- 11:53 AM PT

King Louis XVI lost more than his head in Kentucky -- a statue of the guillotined monarch lost its hand too ... and a long lost family member of the guy wants it good as new ASAP.

ICYMI ... a protester in Louisville hopped up on the historical landmark that's smack-dab in the middle of downtown with a massive crowd swarming about, and when he jumped down, he took ol' Louis' right hand with him! Literally, that piece broke clean off at the wrist.

A reporter there said the protester "made off" with the hand. It's unclear if that's entirely accurate or not -- although some of the protesters were reportedly seen passing it around and flaunting it shortly afterward -- but, in any case, the statue is currently hand-less ... and officials seem to have come up empty-handed in locating/replacing it quite yet. 👋🏽

All jokes aside, it would appear the vandalism on King Louis has caught the attention of an actual presumed blood relative of the man himself -- a guy by the name of Louis Alphonse of Bourbon ... whom, as recognized by Legitimist royalists, is the rightful successor to the French crown. Supposedly, he's a senior agnatic descendant of KLXVI ... meaning, he comes straight from the male side of the fam all the way through the 21st century.

LAB said of the defacement, "As the heir of #LouisXVI, and attached to the defense of his memory, I do hope that the damage will be repaired and that the statue will be restored. I already thank the Authorities for the measures they will take for that."

Some people are giving Louis Jr. here s**t for making a big deal about a piece of rock when there are way bigger issues at play right now. Also, people are pointing out that King Louis wasn't necessarily seen as a friend of the people back in the late 1700s -- remember, he got beheaded during the French Revolution when they did away with kings, etc.

Donald Trump said something Saturday that is gonna be hard to swallow for millions of Americans ... he said MAGA loves black people.

Trump's statement came just hours after he tweeted with glee how the Secret Service was about to open a can of whup-ass on demonstrators who were confronting authorities near the White House. Trump says the young agents were itchin' for some action, with the help of some vicious attack dogs.

And, the day before he harkened back to a proclamation from another leader back in the 60's ... when the looting starts, the shooting starts.

Looks like the outrage over George Floyd's death has trickled over to a part of society that doesn't usually hear about stuff right away -- yes, it's the Amish ... that, or their peaceful brethren.

A group of about 10 people dressed in Amish-esque garb (plain, old-fashioned clothes from the 1800s or something) were spotted out Friday in Minneapolis -- before the latest round of nighttime chaos began -- with signs showing solidarity with George Floyd protesters.

They were singing songs in a chorus together -- possibly hymns -- and a lot of them were holding signs that reflected what a lot of other protesters in town have been shouting at the top of their lungs ... "Justice for George Floyd." One sign said just that -- others read, "I Can't Breathe," "Thou Shall Not Kill Any Man," and "Standing Against Systems of Oppression."

They were getting rounds of applause from the crowd that had gathered around them, and a lot of surprised reactions online too. Many simply couldn't believe the Amish had even heard about George Floyd -- seeing how they're so isolated and technology-less and all -- which then led to some speculation that these good folks here might not be Amish at all.

Some people are speculating this group might be Mennonites -- which are slightly different from the Amish, in that they're allowed to use basic technology and usually pull up in actual vehicles as opposed to horse-and-cart buggies. Others said the might be mere Quakers.

Killer Mike was true to form Friday night, using his powerful voice and eloquence to empathize with everyone who feels rage and anger over George Floyd's brutal killing, but at the same time ... imploring Atlanta residents not to burn down their homes and their city.

Mike spoke at a news conference where Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms excoriated rioters for destroying parts of the City. Mike started by saying how much he did NOT want to be there but felt it was his duty.

His message was complex. He said the other day he woke up and wanted to burn the world down because he was tired of seeing black men die, but realized it's not the solution. As for what that solution is ... "plot, plan, strategize, organize and mobilize."

He and the Mayor were clear ... vote out the people who are not serving the community, including prosecutors.

He condemned the violence, but at the same time, he made it clear he understood it ... but it all comes down to this -- "Don't burn your own house down."

An Atlanta Cop stunned demonstrators Friday night, by simply commiserating with them.

The cop is awesome. In the middle of all the pandemonium, he reasoned with protesters by telling them he has children and can relate to the pain of the young demonstrators.

Apparently there were cops on loudspeakers telling people to leave. The officer told the crowd, "What was going on up here was wrong. That's why we brought it to a stop. The loudspeaker. The yakking and the yapping. We said, 'pause,' let these people remain here, let them stay in the street, let them express their grievances because they have a right to be pissed off."

Someone said, "Well, over there they don't feel the same way." The cop responded, "That's why I told them to shut the f*** up."

Donald Trump sounded like a southern governor in the '50s or early '60s Saturday morning, boasting that the protesters at The White House had a surprise in store -- attack dogs.

The President said nothing about the reason for the protests. Rather, he talked about how safe he felt inside 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. ... "Great job last night at the White House by the U.S. @SecretService ... I was inside, watched every move, and couldn't have felt more safe. They let the 'protesters' scream & rant as much as they wanted, but whenever someone got too frisky or out of line, they would quickly come down on them, hard -- didn't know what hit them."

He went on ... "The front line was replaced with fresh agents, like magic. Big crowd, professionally organized, but nobody came close to breaching the fence. If they had they would have been greeted by the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons I have ever seen."

And, then the most bizarre comment ... "Many Secret Service agents just waiting for action."

He suggested the young agents were the most aggressive, seemingly quoting a Secret Service officer ... "'We put the young ones on the front line, sir, they love it, and ... good practice.'"

The wife of the former cop who was arrested for killing George Floyd has filed for divorce.

Derek Chauvin's wife, Kellie, announced Friday night she's ending their marriage after 10 years.

Her rep says, "Her utmost sympathy lies with [Floyd's] family, with his loved ones and with everyone who is grieving this tragedy" ... "While Ms. Chauvin has no children from her current marriage, she respectfully requests that her children, her elder parents, and her extended family be given safety and privacy during this difficult time."

Kellie, who was born in Laos and was crowned Mrs. Minnesota back in 2018, says she's devastated by George Floyd's death.

Violence erupted all over the United States Friday night, in the wake of George Floyd's horrific death ... and there were some horrific moments on the streets.

A protester was bodyslammed early Saturday at Atlanta's Lenox Square Mall. She was running from cops with her male friend ... they ran to their car.  After she got in the passenger seat, a cop dragged her out of the car and a struggle ensued. The officer picks the woman off the ground and bodyslams her.

The woman was handcuffed and taken to jail. We don't know what lead to the confrontation.

There were many other violent incidents as protests took over the streets in D.C., New York City, Atlanta, Philly, Los Angeles, San Jose, Kentucky and many other cities. Buildings were burned, confrontations between police and protesters were abundant.

A protester in New York City was viciously thrown to the ground by a cop, and at least one NYC City Councilman is asking that assault charges be filed against him.

Atlanta's Mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms, was irate that protesters were looting the CNN building.

The White House was the site of an angry protest as well, while demonstrators fought with Secret Service and other law enforcement, knocking down barriers that resulted in the White House being placed on lockdown.

A reporter became a police target as she covered the protests surrounding the killing of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd ... getting hit with pepper balls live on air.

Protests erupted in cities across the country Friday night, including in Lousiville, Kentucky. Reporter Kaitlin Rust of WAVE was on the ground covering the events when a police officer intentionally opened fire on her and her camera operator, seemingly striking them both with pepper balls.

Rust was certainly not in any type of disguise -- she was wearing a reflective vest, holding a microphone and not in a crowded group of people -- so it begs the question ... what the hell was the officer doing?

Luckily, Rust appeared to be okay and continued to broadcast from the scene.

As we reported ... a police car was set on fire in Atlanta and The White House placed on lockdown as protests continued Friday.

Martin Luther King III says the rioters burning buildings over George Floyd's death have real reason to be upset with cops -- but he's still stopping short of condoning the violence.

MLK3 tells TMZ ... folks across the country, and particularly in Minneapolis, have a right to be frustrated and tired of police killing black people, and he's ripping President Trump for fanning the flames with that tweet seemingly calling for protesters to be shot.

King III says he understands why rioters resorted to setting fire to a Minneapolis police station and several other buildings the night before ex-cop Derek Chauvin was arrested and charged with Floyd's murder. Still, you can hear his father when he says the years of pent up frustration don't justify violence.

At the same time, King notes torched buildings can be rebuilt ... but George can't be given new life.

While King III says he simply can't condone violent acts of rebellion, he says it's hard for people to think about peace in today's environment ... and tells us why it's difficult to get people on board with non-violent protests these days.

MLK3 also drops some timeless knowledge from Martin Luther King Jr. ... and explains how Americans can prevail in the fight against evil.

Great news for Daniel Cormier ... the UFC star doesn't have to worry about career options after he retires from MMA, because the WWE sounds VERY interested!

Triple H -- one of the top execs at WWE -- tells TMZ Sports he LOVES everything about D.C. ... and thinks he would EASILY cross over into pro wrestling.

In fact, HHH says the two have already talked about a possible gig ... but ONLY if it won't conflict with his UFC deal.

"I love Daniel. We've obviously talked a lot in the past. We've had conversations about him doing stuff with us in the past whether that's in-ring or whether that's commentary or doing different things."

"I think we'd love to do something with him if the time is right -- obviously, respectful to UFC and to Dana and everything else."

"We'd love to chat with him and we have an open relationship as far as communication so I'm sure shortly we will when he figures out what he wants to do."

41-year-old Cormier has repeatedly said he has 1 fight left in him in the UFC and then he'll retire -- but so far, no fight date has been set. He's hoping to get his rematch with Stipe Miocic sometime this year.

There's more ... Triple H also talks about Conor McGregor possibly joining the McMahon family business somewhere down the line.

"I think that Conor McGregor versus Vince McMahon with that Billion Dollar Walk on the line?! I mean, I think that's a match made in heaven!"

And, don't forget about Rob Gronkowski -- the reigning WWE 24/7 champ.

Will he be able to defend his belt now that he's back in the NFL?

"It's on the line 24/7," Triple H says ... "You might end up seeing him score a touchdown, spike the ball, get rolled up and drop the title ... who knows?!"

Triple H even kicks around the idea of Tom Brady taking the title from Gronk!!

"I mean, geez. He throws the bomb, Gronk catches it, scores a touchdown, spikes it -- Brady rolls up to high five him, shoots behind, gets the roll-up! 1, 2, 3!  New 24/7 champion!

The brutal killing of George Floyd has riveted and, sadly, divided the country yet again. Millions of people were horrified by the violence and millions more were not at all surprised. And, then there's the President, who railed on the protesters. So we gotta ask ...

Elon Musk will tell ya, making history makes ya hungry ... which is why when bad weather scrapped his SpaceX launch earlier this week, he worked up a big burger-sized appetite.

The SpaceX honcho hit up Five Guys with his 2 bodyguards for some tasty burgers Wednesday, not long after the attempt to launch 2 NASA astronauts to the International Space Station got postponed ... until Saturday at 3:22 PM ET.

Les Hatter, Five Guys' VP of Operations of the Central Florida franchise, tells TMZ … Elon stopped at a location in West Melbourne -- which is about 45 minutes from the Kennedy Space Center, where the launch will hopefully happen for real this time.

Conveniently, there's a Tesla supercharging station less than 100 feet from the front door of the fast-food joint ... which had to have made parking a breeze for the electric vehicle company boss.

We're told, Musk sent his guys in to order the food while he stayed out front and chatted with some guests as they were coming and going.

As for what they got -- a round of Little Cheeseburgers (don't let the name fool ya, they're quite hefty), fries and a drink ... and got 'em to go.

As you know, SpaceX is trying to become the first commercial aerospace company to send humans into Earth's orbit. The mission is dubbed Demo-2, and SpaceX's Crew Dragon will take off from the historic Pad, 39A, which famously launched Apollo 11 in 1969 ... en route to the first moon landing.

The 2 veteran astronauts on this mission are 49-year-old Robert Behnken and 53-year-old Douglas Hurley, and it should take them about 19 hours to travel from Florida to the space station ... God willing, and weather permitting.

Although George Floyd's alleged murderer's been arrested, his family still might not see justice served ... according to Eric Garner's mother, who's been down this very road.

Gwen Carr tells TMZ ... she has her doubts about the system working in Floyd's favor, because she went through this nightmare when her son was choked to death during his 2014 NYC arrest.

Gwen says the cops involved in George's killing absolutely deserve to be held accountable, but she's warning Floyd's family not to bank on it, because she sees it as a roll of the dice in these cases.

Eric's mother tells us she's pleased Derek Chauvin -- the fired cop who pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds -- has been charged with murder. However, she also believes Minneapolis police were playing politics when they fired and arrested Chauvin.

Gwen says more needs to be done to stop the widespread riots, and while she's not promoting or condoning the violence, she tells us she understands folks' frustrations all too well. She's been there.

As you know ... the footage of Eric's death infamously captured his final words, "I can't breathe."

His mom says she thought it was a slam dunk the involved officers would be charged with murder because her son was killed on camera -- but only one cop was ever arrested, and all charges were eventually dropped.

Eric's daughter, Emerald Garner, tells TMZ ... police would think twice about killing unarmed black people if there were laws specifically for cops involved in incidents like Garner's and Floyd's.

Eric's mother added some friendly advice for the Floyd family -- she's encouraging them to not sit on the sidelines and let law enforcement handle the case.

Gwen says, in her experience, George's loved ones must speak out to anyone who will lend an ear -- especially lawmakers -- and adds they should not be discouraged by the uphill battle they're already facing.