The Australian and international news stories you need to know today, Wednesday June 3.

Protests continue for eighth day, with Trump accused of misusing religious symbols.

President Trump says he’s deploying thousands of heavily armed soldiers and law enforcement officers to stop violence in the US capital, and has vowed to do the same in other cities if mayors and governors fail to regain control of their streets.

Unrest continued for an eighth day, as thousands in cities across America continued to march over the death of unarmed black man George Floyd.

Police used tear gas and flash-bang grenades to disperse demonstrators in downtown Seattle during protests against the death of George Floyd. https://t.co/y7oIke5cKp pic.twitter.com/KDipcjlkDU

— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) June 2, 2020

Following a brief address in the Rose Garden, Trump walked out of the White House grounds and toward St. John’s Church, which was damaged in the protests on Sunday.

The President held a bible as he stood in front of the boarded up church building in Lafayette Square, just north of the White House.

“We have the greatest country in the world,” he said outside the church, in a move critics say was a misuse of religious symbols for partisan purposes.

Sources tell NBC News that Trump’s unannounced walk to the church “was his idea” because he “wanted the visual.”

Trump was frustrated by news reports that Secret Service officers ushered him to the White House bunker during Friday night’s unrest. https://t.co/9zcDJtiAav

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) June 2, 2020

Joe Biden issued a blistering condemnation of Trump during a speech in Philadelphia, pledging to offer a break from the “selfishness and fear” that he said has marked Trump’s tenure in office and response to the protests .

“I won’t traffic in fear and division. I won’t fan the flames of hate. I’ll seek to heal the racial wounds that have long plagued our country, not use them for political gain. I’ll do my job and I’ll take responsibility – I won’t blame others,” Biden said.

Biden was also quick to condemn Trump’s photo opportunity with the bible, saying “I just wish he opened it every once in a while instead of just brandishing it. If he opened it, he could have learned something”.

That’s what the presidency is: a duty of care — to all of us, not just our voters, not just our donors, but all of us. pic.twitter.com/rWHywb5cHV

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) June 2, 2020

Five police officers have been shot and wounded, one of them critically, and in Atlanta six officers are facing charges for removing two college students from a car and tasering them.

An Australian news crew is receiving consular support, and preparing to make a formal police complaint, after being beaten by officers outside the White House.

The network Seven reporter and cameraman were clubbed with a truncheon and hit with a riot shield while covering the protests.

Police outside the WH just repeatedly bashed a cameraman as they pushed back protestors – just now on @ABC7News pic.twitter.com/XyE2sI6I3v

— Ben Siegel (@benyc) June 1, 2020

Black Lives Matter protesters march through Sydney and Perth.

Starting in Hyde Park and making their way through Sydney’s CBD, the 500 strong crowd marched in solidarity with those protesting in the US over the death of George Floyd.

As well as chanting Floyd’s last words “I can’t breathe,” the crowd could be heard yelling “always was, always will be Aboriginal land” as they simultaneously marched for the more than 400 Indigenous Australians who’ve died in police custody since 1991.

READ: 400 deaths, zero convictions. Australia’s national shame.

JUST IN: Hundreds of Black Lives Matter protesters are marching through Sydney’s CBD.

More here: https://t.co/LNKyCAUSrl

Full details, 6.00pm on #9News pic.twitter.com/VuwmFZbFQY

— Nine News Australia (@9NewsAUS) June 2, 2020

2000 protesters gathered in Perth last night yelling “Australia is not innocent” and “silence is betrayal,” as they marched for the same causes.

The organiser was only expecting 200 people to show up, and was “gobsmacked” by the huge turnout.

Police investigating violent arrest of teenage boy in Sydney.

The arrest, which was captured on a mobile phone, shows a 16-year-old Indigenous boy telling a police officer; “I’ll crack you in the f***ing jaw bro” before he is thrown to the ground.

The officer can be seen kicking his feet out from under him, with the teenager falling face first onto the ground, where he is knelt on and handcuffed.

A bystander can be heard yelling, “You just slammed him on his face. He’s in pain”.

The boy was taken to hospital with cuts and grazes on his knees, chipped teeth and a bruised shoulder, and released without charge. The constable involved has been placed on restricted duties, as the matter is investigated.

"Am I concerned after seeing the footage? Absolutely. But I'm equally concerned about others who many use the footage to inflame it and turn it into something it's not,"Assistant Commissioner Mark Willing said yesterday.

Redfern Legal Centre has referred the matter to the independent watchdog.

Tasmania lifting restrictions early.

Tasmania is relaxing COVID-19 restrictions ahead of schedule for the upcoming long weekend, allowing camping trips, pub drinks and greater intrastate travel.

The state will move to stage two restrictions from 3pm on Friday, instead of an expected shift on June 15.

Tasmania hasn't recorded any COVID-19 cases in 17 days and just four of a total 226 confirmed cases remain active.

Good news! The easing of stage two restrictions has been brought forward to 3.00pm Friday 5 June. More details available here: https://t.co/vyulFKkzGb pic.twitter.com/bmpZSaHYjf

— Business Tasmania (@BusinessTas) June 2, 2020

"While our journey isn't over by a long shot, we definitely are in a better place," Premier Peter Gutwein said on Tuesday.

Despite the early easing, Mr Gutwein remained firm on his decision to wait until early July before making a call on when to reopen the state's borders.

However, it's being reported Tasmania, South Australia and Canberra are considering a "travel bubble" between their states, which they want to enact in time for the July 3 school holidays.

Victoria enacts more lockdowns, as NSW gives gyms a reopen date.

A Victorian aged care centre and a kindergarten are in lockdown, after positive tests to coronavirus were linked to both facilities.

The carer at Embracia Aged Care in Reservoir and the Macleod Preschool teacher were confirmed to have the virus on Tuesday.

In NSW, gyms, yoga and dance studios, and massage and tattoo parlours, are set to open on June 13, as more restrictions ease. There will be a limit of 10 people per exercise class and a maximum of 100 people will be allowed inside gyms at one time.

Around the world.

- UK virus deaths near 50,000, a number which Reuters reported in April was the government's "worst case scenario".

- Riot police have fired tear gas at protesters in Paris, as several thousand people gathered in solidarity for George Floyd and Black Lives Matter.

- British Vogue has swapped supermodels for essential workers for their July issue, featuring a community midwife, train driver and supermarket worker on their front cover.

- With AAP

Feature image: Simon Stevens/AAP.