Protesters call for probe into FBI director's sacking

CHICAGO/WASHINGTON: A day after President Donald Trump's dismissal of FBI Director James Comey, protesters gathered in Washington, Chicago and other cities to urge an independent investigation into alleged collusion between Russia and Mr Trump's presidential campaign.

Waving signs and chanting outside the White House and at Senate constituency offices in other states, demonstrators said Mr Trump's move had compromised the FBI's probe.

"I still don't have any love for Comey," said Mr Cody Davis, 29, among a small group of protesters near Chicago's Trump International Hotel and Tower.

"I'm not here to defend him. You could easily argue he lost the election for Hillary."

Mr Comey has been criticised by Democrats for his handling of an investigation surrounding 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's use of a private e-mail server while she was secretary of state.

"The reason I'm here today is not that he was fired but because it was so clearly because Trump was afraid of something," Mr Davis said.

White House officials have denied any political motivation behind the firing and Mr Trump said Mr Comey had not been doing a good job and had lost the confidence of everyone in Washington.

MoveOn.Org and a coalition of liberal groups hastily organised protests at senators' offices in more than a dozen states, including New York, Kentucky, Arizona, California and Florida.

"Donald Trump just fired the one man in America who was leading the most thorough and long-lasting investigation of Donald Trump," Ms Jo Comerford, campaign director for MoveOn.org, said in a statement.
- REUTERS