Multiple cities from coast to coast experienced heated protests and clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement Friday night, the day that a fired Minneapolis police officer was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of an African-American man.
George Floyd, 46, was stopped by officers on Memorial Day after an employee at a deli alleged that he used a counterfeit $20 bill. Bystander video showed Floyd, who was unarmed, face-down and handcuffed on the ground, with Officer Derek Chauvin pressing his knee into Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes as Floyd repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe and then became unresponsive.
“The video images of the incident that ended with the death of Mr. Floyd, while in custody of Minneapolis police officers, were harrowing to watch and deeply disturbing. The state prosecutor has been in the process of determining whether any criminal charges are appropriate under state law,” Attorney General Bill Barr said Friday. “On a separate and parallel track, the Department of Justice, including the FBI, are conducting an independent investigation to determine whether any federal civil rights laws were violated. Both state and federal officers are working diligently and collaboratively to ensure that any available evidence relevant to these decisions is obtained as quickly as possible.”
Protests over Floyd’s death escalated into buildings in Minneapolis being burned — including the police department’s 3rd Precinct, which was evacuated before it was torched — and looted on Thursday night. Chauvin was arrested Friday, with Floyd’s family saying through attorney Benjamin Crump that they want to see the former officer charged with first-degree murder and for the three other officers in the video to be arrested and charged. The family also called on Minneapolis and other cities to “fix the policies and training deficiencies that permitted this unlawful killing.”
Video from some of Friday night’s protests:
Minneapolis
Police are issuing dispersal orders as fireworks blast over the 5th precinct, dangerously close to crowds. Fires raging everywhere. I’m being told to evacuate. pic.twitter.com/5N0i5f87KT
— Liz Sawyer (@ByLizSawyer) May 30, 2020
Wells Fargo on W 31st on Fire. ATM’s being broken down. People breaking into the bank building while it’s blazing. #GeorgeFloyd pic.twitter.com/r3k4FKJo4Z
— Sara Sidner (@sarasidnerCNN) May 30, 2020
Washington
protestors have taken down two pieces of fencing and bricks have been thrown #dcprotest pic.twitter.com/Fzo4D9Nz7T
— jon chase (@jonathanchase_) May 30, 2020
protestors push up against riot cops with their hands raised #dcprotest pic.twitter.com/VQD7ZWfFau
— jon chase (@jonathanchase_) May 30, 2020
Los Angeles
LAPD seen trying to detain protesters after squad car windows smashed, officer attacked downtown https://t.co/uHrpaRp3xm pic.twitter.com/gmxNAdO1uM
— KTLA (@KTLA) May 30, 2020
Protestors headed onto the 110 Freeway at Eighth Street and blocked the northbound and southbound lanes for about 10 minutes just before 7:30 p.m. https://t.co/uHrpaRp3xm pic.twitter.com/Ft7FadOlIh
— KTLA (@KTLA) May 30, 2020
Some people were seen drawing graffiti on a police cruiser and trying to smash its windows as protests continued https://t.co/uHrpaRp3xm pic.twitter.com/KxoaqDAWsn
— KTLA (@KTLA) May 30, 2020
Atlanta
Glass getting broken outside the main entrance to CNN’s Atlanta headquarters; protesters cheer pic.twitter.com/EToiEj5Pom
— Fernando Alfonso III (@fernalfonso) May 29, 2020
.@CNNValencia and crew take cover after an explosion takes place in the space between protesters and police at the CNN Center in Atlanta. https://t.co/mHZFrcOZj7 pic.twitter.com/HLPzyoKgn9
— CNN (@CNN) May 30, 2020
San Jose
What a powerful scene. Protestors have shut down 101 in San Jose.
LIVE NOW: #GeorgeFloydprotest https://t.co/zUV3qisuFW pic.twitter.com/4iQZzkMVNW
— Dion Lim (@DionLimTV) May 29, 2020
SKY7 was overhead as a fight broke out between a demonstrator and police during a #GeorgeFloyd protest in San Jose. Live coverage here: https://t.co/X0t9xTE2ZQ pic.twitter.com/9y3fipnbHM
— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) May 30, 2020
Dallas
Dallas Police chief Hall spoke with a protestor. Tells them to stay off the streets and not hit police vehicles. @dallasnews pic.twitter.com/dKWlrprLQH
— Obed Manuel (@obedmanuel) May 30, 2020
March happening now in downtown Dallas. #GeorgeFloyd @NBCDFW pic.twitter.com/MJ8fXiLlL1
— Meredith Yeomans (@YeomansNBC5) May 30, 2020
New York
A lot just popped off at the protest for George Floyd at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Pepper spray, batons, and several arrests. pic.twitter.com/ZuciQA82fe
— Jon Campbell (@j0ncampbell) May 29, 2020
Nypd van on fire in fort Greene pic.twitter.com/NHhQFCd4Wf
— Scott Heins (@scottheins) May 30, 2020
Houston
When the crowd started to clash with officers in Downtown Houston. @FOX26Houston pic.twitter.com/TKcY7Ju54o
— Natasha Geigel (@NatashaFox26) May 29, 2020
HAPPENING NOW: Thousands march through downtown #Houston to protest the police killing of #GeorgeFloyd in Minneapolis. The Houston native dying in custody Monday night. pic.twitter.com/q3AgNOpidA
— Shelley Childers (@shelleyabc13) May 29, 2020
Louisville
On live tv, #wave3news reporter Kaitlin Rust and her photographer were shot at with pepper balls while covering the protest in #Louisville.
.#wave3igers #louisville #downtownlouisville #louisvilleky #igerslouisvilleCourtesy of: @wave3news pic.twitter.com/w3s9hTKCTo
— Cody Brock (@cody_brock19) May 30, 2020