Protests Continue Nationwide Over George Floyd Killing In Minneapolis
Nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd — the Black man who died Monday after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck — continued Friday evening as Americans demanded that those involved face justice.
On Friday, protesters took to the streets in Minneapolis; Washington; Louisville, Kentucky; New York City; Atlanta; Denver; Houston; Portland; Phoenix; San Jose and Bakersfield, California; Chicago; Detroit; and other cities.
After three nights of protests, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced a mandatory curfew going into effect at 8 p.m. But in the hours before that, hundreds of protesters marched across the Hennepin Avenue Bridge chanting Floyd’s name and holding signs emblazoned with three of his final words: “I can’t breathe.” As the curfew time approached, law enforcement appeared to deploy tear gas against protesters, according to multiple reports.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz warned in a press conference early Saturday the situation remains “incredibly dangerous.” Walz said he understood the “rage,” but not the “wanton destruction.”
Frey said he was “reeling” along with the rest of his city, but emphasized that “there is no honor in burning down your city.”
Major Gen. Jon Jensen announced that the state’s National Guard was preparing to deploy 1,700 soldiers. The action would be the largest deployment within Minnesota in the state’s history.
At the protest in New York, police were filmed hitting demonstrators with batons and spraying what appeared to be pepper spray, according to reporters on the scene. A dozen NYPD officers were injured and at least 200 protesters were arrested, WABC-7reported.,
Police in several cities, including Boston and Fort Wayne, Indiana, reportedly fired tear gas to disperse protesters.
In Atlanta, police also reportedly used tear gas on protesters outside CNN headquarters, where police were barricaded in the entry after some demonstrators shattered...