The arresting police officer who killed George Floyd was charged on Friday with murder and manslaughter following protests and riots in Minneapolis on Thursday during the third day of unrest.
The protests began after a video of Floyd’s fatal arrest surfaced on Monday, showing a police officer pushing down on Floyd’s neck with his knee. Floyd yelled, “I cannot breathe.” The officer and three of his colleagues involved in the incident were fired after Floyd’s death by Thursday. However, prosecutors were still deciding on charges fueling protesters’ anger. The Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct was targeted on Thursday night because the four officers had been based there.
Peaceful protests had started earlier in the day as people marched and shouted, “These killer cops have got to go” and “I cannot breathe,”
Some protesters had set up an impromptu triage and first aid center next to the Third Precinct. They even stocked up on milk, which serves as an alternative remedy in preparation for the police’s use of tear gas, Mannix reported. Police in riot gear first began throwing tear gas at protesters on Tuesday to disperse the crowd.
Although some businesses had boarded up their windows and doors to avoid looting on Thursday, protesters made their way into big chain stores, including Target and TJ Maxx. Wednesday night had also seen looted stores, vandalized buildings. One man was shot dead .
“This is bigger than all of us,” said Sophie Peterson, a 21-year-old nursing student who is one of the first aid centers.
The demonstrations took a volatile turn on Thursday night: Protesters threw fireworks at police in riot gear. The officers fired back with projectiles, according to the New York Times. By 10 pm, the precinct building was evacuated as protesters broke in to smash equipment and lit fires. No serious injuries were reported.
Over the past few days of the conflict, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who had been supportive of the protesters and called for the arrest of the officer that killed Floyd, pleaded for peace. By early Friday morning, St. Paul police reported dozens of fires and more than 170 damaged or looted buildings. However, they said there were no indications of serious injuries.
The demonstrations prompted a tweet from President Donald Trump. He called the protesters “thugs” and suggested that they would be shot for looting. As a result, Twitter marked his tweet as “glorifying violence.” Although company policy suggests a tweet like this could be taken down, it has kept the post up for the “public’s interest.”
“This is a fight that’s going to take longer. Businesses can come back, but murdered men cannot.”
The demonstrations took a volatile turn on Thursday night: Protesters threw fireworks at police in riot gear. The officers fired back with projectiles, according to the New York Times. By 10 pm, the precinct building was evacuated as protesters broke in to smash equipment and lit fires. No serious injuries were reported.
Over the past few days of the conflict, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who had been supportive of the protesters and called for the arrest of the officer that killed Floyd, pleaded for peace. By early Friday morning, St. Paul police reported dozens of fires and more than 170 damaged or looted buildings. However, they said there were no indications of serious injuries. The demonstrations prompted a tweet from President Donald Trump. He called the protesters “thugs” and suggested that they would be shot for looting. As a result, Twitter marked his tweet as “glorifying violence.” Although company policy suggests a tweet like this could be taken down, it has kept the post up for the “public’s interest.”
By: Ricksel Penullar
George Floyd