George Floyd protests: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|2020–2023 police brutality protests}} |
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{{about||lists of protests|Lists of George Floyd protests|the social movement mainly involved in the protests|Black Lives Matter}} |
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{{Use American English|date=March 2022}} |
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{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}} |
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{{Use American English|date=May 2020}} |
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{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2020}} |
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{{Infobox civil conflict |
{{Infobox civil conflict |
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| title = George Floyd protests |
| title = George Floyd protests |
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| partof = the [[United States racial unrest (2020–present)]] and the [[Black Lives Matter]] movement<!-- Do not change this sentence without reaching consensus. Most recent discussion of this sentence is at [[Talk:George Floyd protests/Archive 6#Proposal for a slight change in the infobox]]. --> |
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| partof = {{nowrap|[[human rights in the United States|human rights]] and [[police brutality in the United States|police brutality in the US]]}} |
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| image = {{multiple image|border=infobox|perrow=1/2/2|total_width=310 |
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| image = {{Photomontage |
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| image1 = Minneapolis 05-28-20 (49947863357).jpg |
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| alt1 = Crowd of protesters with signs, including one reading "I Can't Breathe" |
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| photo1b = a protester stands on a police car with a smashed windowshield outside the Target in the Midway area of St Paul, Minnesota (49946336068).jpg |
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| image2 = Minneapolis unrest May 28, 2020.jpg |
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| alt2 = |
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| photo2b = Minneapolis Police Department’s 3th Precinct 2020-05-28.jpg |
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| image3 = George Floyd protests in Philadelphia 15.jpg |
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| photo3a = Minneapolis 05-28-20 (49947574981).jpg |
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| alt3 = |
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| photo3b = Minnesota State Patrol stand at E Lake St and 29th Ave S in Minneapolis, Minnesota (49949772331).jpg |
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| image4 = Minnesota State Patrol Troopers on Scene of George Floyd Protest, 29 May 2020.jpg |
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| photo4a = A man stands on a burned out car on Thursday morning as fires burn behind him in the Lake St area of Minneapolis, Minnesota (49945886467).jpg |
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| alt4 = |
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| image5 = A man stands on a burned out car on Thursday morning as fires burn behind him in the Lake St area of Minneapolis, Minnesota (49945886467).jpg |
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| size = 300 |
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| image6 = White House (49961479193).jpg |
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| border = 2 |
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| color_border = black |
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| image7 = George Floyd police brutality protests - Portland Oregon - July 22 - tedder - 03.jpg |
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| spacing = 1 |
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| alt7 = |
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| footer_align = center |
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}} |
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| footer = {{resize|113%|'''Clockwise from top''': {{flatlist| |
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| caption = '''From top, left to right''':<br/>Protesters gathered in downtown Minneapolis, a protester standing on a damaged police vehicle, protesters with raised fists outside the [[Minneapolis Police]]'s 3rd Precinct, protesters overtaking and burning the precinct, protesters confronting police, armored police with military accompaniment, and demonstrators on a torched street with firefighters working in the background. |
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*Protesters in [[Minneapolis]] where George Floyd was murdered and the unrest began |
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| date = May 26, 2020 – present<br />({{Age in years, months, weeks and days|month1=5|day1=25|year1=2020}}) |
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*Police and National Guard at a protest in [[Philadelphia]], Pennsylvania |
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| casualties_label = Deaths, injuries and arrests |
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*Bystanders and firefighters at a torched street in Minneapolis |
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| fatalities = 5+<ref name="NYT20200601">{{Cite news|last=Robertson|first=Campbell|last2=Rojas|first2=Rick|last3=Taylor|first3=Kate|date=2020-06-01|title=After George Floyd’s Death, Toll Rises in Protests Across the Country|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/01/us/george-floyd-unrest-toll.html|access-date=2020-06-02|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>{{efn|See [[#Deaths|Deaths]] subsection.}} |
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*Protest near the [[Multnomah County Justice Center]] in [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], Oregon |
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| arrests=5,600+<ref name="auto">{{cite web |last1=Khalil |first1=Ashraf |last2=Morrison |first2=Aaron |last3=Sullivan |first3=Tim |title=Unrest overshadows peaceful US protests for another night |url=https://apnews.com/55933b8695e36337a6bfe96728b3e7f3 |website=AP News |accessdate=June 1, 2020 |date=May 31, 2020}}</ref> |
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*Police and National Guard in front of the [[White House]] in Washington, D.C. |
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*[[Minnesota State Patrol]] troopers in formation in front of a burning building in Minneapolis |
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*The [[Minneapolis Police]]'s 3rd Precinct set ablaze}} |
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}}}} |
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| date = In whole of the [[United States]]: May 26, 2020 – May 26, 2021 ({{Age in years, months, weeks and days|month1=5|day1=25|year1=2020|month2=5|day2=25|year2=2021}}) |
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---- |
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[[George Floyd protests in Minneapolis–Saint Paul|In Minneapolis–Saint Paul]]: May 26, 2020 – May 2, 2023 ({{Age in years, months, weeks and days|month1=5|day1=25|year1=2020|month2=5|day2=2|year2=2023}})<br /> |
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---- |
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[[George Floyd Square occupied protest|George Floyd Square]]: May 26, 2020 – present ({{Age in years, months, weeks and days|month1=5|day1=25|year1=2020|}})<br /> |
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| casualties_label = Deaths, arrests and damages |
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| arrests = 14,000+<ref name=olson/> |
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| damage = |
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| injuries = |
| injuries = |
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| place = [[List of George Floyd protests in the United States|United States]]<br /> [[International George Floyd protests|Global]] |
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| place = {{flag|United States}}<br/><!--Don't use small text-->(solidarity protests outside U.S. embassies and consulates in other countries) |
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| causes = *[[Murder of George Floyd]] while being arrested by [[Minneapolis Police Department|Minneapolis Police]]<ref name="Jerome Adams">{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/01/surgeon-general-protests-coronavirus-294270 |date=June 1, 2020 |title=Surgeon general: 'You understand the anger' |website=[[Politico]] |first=Sarah |last=Owermohle |access-date=June 15, 2020}}</ref> |
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| causes = |
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*[[Police brutality in the United States|Police brutality]]<ref name="Jerome Adams"/> |
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*[[Killing of George Floyd]] while being arrested by [[Minneapolis Police Department|Minneapolis Police]] |
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*[[Blue wall of silence|Lack of police accountability]]<ref name="Jerome Adams"/> |
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*[[Police brutality in the United States|Police brutality]] |
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*[[Racial inequality|Inequality]] and [[Racism in the United States|racism]]<ref> |
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*[[Blue wall of silence|Lack of police accountability]] |
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* {{cite web |last1=VOA News |title=Anti-Racism Protests Continue in US |date=June 20, 2020 |url=https://www.voanews.com/usa/race-america/anti-racism-protests-continue-us |website=voanews.com |publisher=[[Voice of America]] |access-date=July 7, 2020 |language=en}} |
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*[[Racism in the United States|Racism]] against [[Race and ethnicity in the United States|minorities]]<ref name="Jerome Adams">{{Cite web|title=US surgeon general says "there is no easy prescription to heal our nation"|url=https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/george-floyd-protests-05-30-20/h_27ad9fc2045f3cdccdc3aa7800e964a7|last=Robertson|first=Nicky|date=May 30, 2020|website=CNN|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> |
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* {{cite web|last=Bronner|first=Laura|date=June 25, 2020|title=Why Statistics Don't Capture The Full Extent Of The Systemic Bias In Policing|url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-statistics-dont-capture-the-full-extent-of-the-systemic-bias-in-policing/|access-date=July 8, 2020|website=FiveThirtyEight|language=en-US}} |
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| goals = |
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* {{cite news|last=Cheung|first=Helier|date=June 8, 2020|title=Why US protests are so powerful this time|language=en-GB|work=[[BBC]]|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52969905|access-date=July 8, 2020}} |
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| methods = [[Protest]]s, [[Demonstration (people)|demonstration]]s, [[civil disobedience]], [[civil resistance]], [[looting]], [[assault]], [[arson]] and [[property damage]] |
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* {{cite news|last1=Sabur|first1=Rozina|last2=Sawer|first2=Patrick|last3=Millward|first3=David|date=June 7, 2020|title=Why are there protests over the death of George Floyd?|language=en-GB|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/us-america-riots-george-floyd-death-protests/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/us-america-riots-george-floyd-death-protests/ |archive-date=January 11, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=July 8, 2020|issn=0307-1235}}{{cbignore}}</ref> |
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| status = Ongoing |
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| methods = Protests, [[Demonstration (people)|demonstrations]], [[civil disobedience]], [[civil resistance]], [[online activism]], [[strike action]], [[riot]]s |
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| result = |
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| result = * [[List of police reforms related to the George Floyd protests|Police reforms]] in some cities and states, but no successful federal legislation. Political debate over the [[defund the police]] and [[Police abolition movement|police abolition]] movements and [[police militarization]]. |
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* Plans to disband the Minneapolis Police Department announced; provision for a city charter amendment passed by the [[Minneapolis City Council]] |
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* Referendum on city charter amendment revision originally announced for [[2020 United States elections|November 2020]], but would later be postponed |
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* [[2020 deployment of federal forces in the United States|Federal forces began to be deployed in June 2020]] |
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* [[Operation Legend]] began in July 2020 |
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* Wave of [[List of changes made due to the George Floyd protests|changes to practices perceived as racially insensitive]], including [[List of name changes due to the George Floyd protests|names]], [[List of monuments and memorials removed during the George Floyd protests|monuments]], songs, marketing, depictions in all media from television to museums to emblems, [[blackface]], and casting white voice actors for black characters. Reduced media depictions of police, and the dissolution of a fraternity. |
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* Continued [[2020–2021 United States racial unrest|nationwide protests]] over racial and economic inequality, centering on broad social issues including [[police brutality]] |
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| sidebox = |
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| notes = |
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| fatalities = 19 confirmed (May 26 – October 31, 2020)<ref>{{cite news|date=October 31, 2020|title=At least 25 Americans were killed during protests and political unrest in 2020|work=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/31/americans-killed-protests-political-unrest-acled|access-date=June 5, 2023}}</ref> |
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| effect_label = Property damage |
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| effect = *$550 million in Minneapolis–Saint Paul (May 26{{endash}}June 6, 2020)<ref name="St. Anthony-2021" /> |
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*$1–2 billion in insured damages in the United States (May 26{{endash}}June 8, 2020)<ref name="Kingson-2020" /> |
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}} |
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The '''George Floyd protests''' were a series of riots and demonstrations against [[police brutality]] that began in [[Minneapolis]] in the United States on May 26, 2020.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/article/george-floyd-protests-timeline.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |last=Taylor |first=Derrick Bryson |title=George Floyd Protests: A Timeline |date=June 2, 2020 |access-date=June 2, 2020 |archive-date=June 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200602235547/https://www.nytimes.com/article/george-floyd-protests-timeline.html}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=December 16, 2020|title=2020 was the year America embraced Black Lives Matter as a movement, not just a moment|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-12-16/black-lives-matter-protests-george-floyd-coronavirus-covid-2020|access-date=January 16, 2022|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|language=en-US}}</ref> The protests and civil unrest began in Minneapolis as [[Reactions to the murder of George Floyd|reactions]] to [[Murder of George Floyd|the murder]] of [[George Floyd]], a 46-year-old unarmed African American man, by [[Minneapolis Police Department|city police]] during an arrest. They spread nationally and internationally. Veteran officer [[Derek Chauvin]] was recorded as kneeling on Floyd's neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds; Floyd complained of not being able to breathe,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Levenson|first=Eric|date=March 29, 2021|title=Former officer knelt on George Floyd for 9 minutes and 29 seconds -- not the infamous 8:46|work=[[CNN]]|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/29/us/george-floyd-timing-929-846/index.html|access-date=March 29, 2021}}</ref> but three other officers looked on and prevented passers-by from intervening.{{refn|<ref>{{cite news|title=Prosecutors say officer had knee on George Floyd's neck for 7:46 rather than 8:46|date=June 18, 2020|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-06-18/derek-chauvin-had-knee-george-floyd-neck-746-rather-than-846 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |access-date=November 5, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cooper |first=Gael Fashingbauer |title=Music industry players including Mick Jagger, Quincy Jones respond to George Floyd's death with Blackout Tuesday: 'This is what solidarity looks like' |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/blackout-tuesday-to-protest-george-floyds-death-music-industry-will-pause/ |date=June 2, 2020 |access-date=November 5, 2020 |website=CNET |language=en}}</ref><ref name="AP">{{cite web |last1=Hennessey |first1=Kathleen |last2=LeBlanc |first2=Steve |date=June 4, 2020 |title=8:46: A number becomes a potent symbol of police brutality |url=https://apnews.com/d39cf4e1460fa14f0e339d85f21ad3c2|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200609213018/https://apnews.com/d39cf4e1460fa14f0e339d85f21ad3c2|archive-date=June 9, 2020|access-date=June 9, 2020 |website=[[Associated Press]] |quote=But the timestamps cited in the document's description of the incident, much of which is caught on video, indicate a different tally. Using those, Chauvin had his knee on Floyd for 7 minutes, 46 seconds, including 1 minute, 53 seconds after Floyd appeared to stop breathing.}}</ref><ref name="abc">{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/charges-minneapolis-police-officers-involved-george-floyds-death/story?id=71045487 |title=Charges against former Minneapolis police officers involved in George Floyd's death |date=June 3, 2020 |first1=Christina |last1=Carrega |first2=Whitney |last2=Lloyd |website=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |access-date=June 17, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=June 15, 2020 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/06/15/george-floyd-killing-good-cops-must-stop-bad-cops-column/5342116002/ |title=Haunting question after George Floyd killing: Should good cops have stopped a bad cop? |first=Ruben Jr. |last=Navarrette |website=[[USA Today]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=플로이드 실제로 목 눌린 시간은 7분 46초 |url=https://www.seoul.co.kr/news/newsView.php?id=20200618500053|access-date=June 21, 2020 |website=서울신문 | date=June 18, 2020 |language=ko}}</ref>}} Chauvin and the other three officers involved were later arrested.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Condon|first1=Bernard|last2=Richmond|first2=Todd|last3=Sisak|first3=Michael R.|date=June 3, 2020|title=What to know about 4 officers charged in George Floyd's death|url=https://abc7chicago.com/6229951/|access-date=June 6, 2020|website=[[WLS-TV]]|language=en}}</ref> In April 2021, Chauvin was found guilty of [[Murder in Minnesota law#Second-degree murder|second-degree murder]], [[Murder in Minnesota law#Third-degree murder|third-degree murder]], and [[Manslaughter (United States law)|second-degree manslaughter]].<ref>{{Cite web |last3=Webber |first1=Amy |last1=Forliti |first2=Steve |last2=Karnowski |first3=Tammy |date=April 20, 2021|title=Ex-cop Derek Chauvin guilty of murder and manslaughter in death of George Floyd|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/ex-cop-derek-chauvin-guilty-of-murder-and-manslaughter-in-death-of-george-floyd-1.5394195|access-date=April 21, 2021|website=[[CTV News]]|language=en}}</ref> In June 2021, Chauvin was sentenced to {{frac|22|1|2}} years in prison.<ref name="sentencedc">{{Cite web|first1=Eric |last1=Levenson |first2=Ray |last2=Sanchez |date=June 25, 2021|title=Derek Chauvin sentenced to 22.5 years in death of George Floyd|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/25/us/derek-chauvin-sentencing-george-floyd/index.html |access-date=June 25, 2021|website=[[CNN]]}}</ref> |
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The '''George Floyd protests'''<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pengelly |first1=Martin |title=George Floyd protests: Trump threatens protesters with 'vicious dogs' and 'ominous weapons' – live |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2020/may/30/george-floyd-protests-minnesota-governor-riots-looting-police |accessdate=May 30, 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=May 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530125103/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2020/may/30/george-floyd-protests-minnesota-governor-riots-looting-police |archive-date=May 30, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="wp-america-braces">{{cite web |last1=Mettler |first1=Katie |last2=Kornfield |first2=Meryl |last3=Kim |first3=Seung Min |last4=Itkowitz |first4=Colby |last5=Knowles |first5=Hannah |last6=Horton |first6=Alex |last7=Hernández |first7=Arelis R. |last8=du Lac |first8=J. Freedom |last9=Fritz |first9=Angels |title=America braces for another night of chaos after police, protesters clash in dozens of cities |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/05/30/george-floyd-protests-live-updates/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |accessdate=May 31, 2020 }}</ref> are an ongoing series of protests and riots<ref>{{Cite web|title=George Floyd unrest: Riots, fires, violence escalate in several major cities|url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/george-floyd-cities-brace-riots-national-guard-troops-mobilize|last=Betz|first=Bradford|date=May 31, 2020|website=Fox News|language=en-US|access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> in response to [[Police brutality in the United States|police brutality]] that began as [[George Floyd protests in Minnesota|local protests]] in the [[Minneapolis–Saint Paul]] metropolitan area of [[Minnesota]] before spreading throughout the United States and then worldwide. The protests began in [[Minneapolis]] on May 26, 2020, following the [[killing of George Floyd]], in which [[Minneapolis Police Department]] officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for over eight minutes after pinning him to the ground during an arrest.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rumpf |first1=Sarah |title=Derek Chauvin Had Knee on George Floyd's Neck for Almost 3 Minutes AFTER Floyd Was Unresponsive: Officials |url=https://www.mediaite.com/uncategorized/officials-say-derek-chauvin-had-knee-on-george-floyds-neck-for-almost-3-minutes-after-floyd-was-unresponsive/ |website=[[Mediaite]] |language=en |date=May 29, 2020|quote=The defendant had his knee on Mr. Floyd's neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in total. Two minutes and 53 seconds of this was after Mr. Floyd was non-responsive, concludes the complaint.}}</ref> |
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The George Floyd protest movement began hours after his murder as bystander video and [[word of mouth]] began to spread.<ref name="Burch-2021">{{Cite news|last1=Burch|first1=Audra D. S.|last2=Harmon|first2=Amy|last3=Tavernise|first3=Sabrina|last4=Badger|first4=Emily|date=April 21, 2021|title=The Death of George Floyd Reignited a Movement. What Happens Now?|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/20/us/george-floyd-protests-police-reform.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/20/us/george-floyd-protests-police-reform.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-access=limited|access-date=April 22, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Protests first emerged at the East [[38th and Chicago]] Avenue street intersection in Minneapolis, the location of Floyd's arrest and murder, and other sites in the [[Minneapolis–Saint Paul]] metropolitan area of [[Minnesota]].<ref name="ugly2">{{cite news|last1=Wagner|first1=Jeff|date=June 18, 2020|title='It's Real Ugly': Protesters Clash With Minneapolis Police After George Floyd's Death|publisher=WCCO|url=https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/05/26/hundreds-of-protesters-march-in-minneapolis-after-george-floyds-deadly-encounter-with-police/}}</ref> Protests quickly [[List of George Floyd protests in the United States|spread nationwide]] and to over 2,000 cities and towns in [[List of George Floyd protests outside the United States|over 60 countries]] in support of the [[Black Lives Matter]] (BLM) movement.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Burch |first1=Audra D. S. |last2=Cai |first2=Weiyi |last3=Gianordoli |first3=Gabriel |last4=McCarthy |first4=Morrigan |last5=Patel |first5=Jugal K. |date=June 13, 2020 |title=How Black Lives Matter Reached Every Corner of America |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/06/13/us/george-floyd-protests-cities-photos.html|access-date=June 14, 2020 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Luscombe |first1=Richard |last2=Ho |first2=Vivian |date=June 7, 2020 |title=George Floyd protests enter third week as push for change sweeps America |language=en-GB |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/07/george-floyd-protests-enter-third-week|access-date=June 14, 2020 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref name="WSJ-2020">{{Cite web |title=George Floyd Protests on Race and Policing: Juneteenth Celebrations Across U.S. |url=https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/protests-george-floyd-death-2020-06-19 |date=June 19, 2020 |website=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |language=en}}</ref> Polls in the summer of 2020 estimated that between 15 million and 26 million people had participated at some point in the demonstrations in the United States, making the protests the [[List of protests and demonstrations in the United States by size|largest in U.S. history]].<ref>{{Cite web|first=Jay |last=Croft|title=Some Americans mark Fourth of July with protests|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/04/us/july-4-protests-tampa-pittsburgh/index.html |date=July 4, 2020 |access-date=July 6, 2020|website=[[CNN]]}}</ref><ref name="nyt_july3">{{Cite news|last1=Buchanan|first1=Larry|last2=Bui|first2=Quoctrung|last3=Patel|first3=Jugal K.|date=July 3, 2020|title=Black Lives Matter May Be the Largest Movement in U.S. History|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/07/03/us/george-floyd-protests-crowd-size.html|access-date=July 4, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2020/08/portland-protests-continue-on-3-month-anniversary-of-george-floyds-death.html |first=Jim |last=Ryan |work=Oregon Live|date=August 25, 2020|access-date=August 30, 2020|title=Riot declared as Portland protests move to City Hall on 3-month anniversary of George Floyd's death}}</ref> |
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As of June 1, there were [[List of George Floyd protests|protests in more than 200 cities]] in the United States and internationally supporting those seeking justice for Floyd as well as speaking out against [[Police brutality in the United States|police brutality]]. At least 12 major cities declared a [[curfew]] on the evening of Saturday, May 30,<ref name=Kesslen>{{Cite web|title=Curfews go into effect in cities around the country|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/curfews-go-effect-cities-around-country-george-floyd-protests-continue-n1219801|website=NBC News|language=en|access-date=May 31, 2020}}</ref> and as of June 2, governors in 23 states and Washington, D.C., had called in the [[United States National Guard|National Guard]], with over 17,000 troops activated.<ref name="BrowneCNN">{{cite news |last1=Browne |first1=Ryan |last2=Lee |first2=Alicia |last3=Rigdon |first3=Renee |title=There are as many National Guard members activated in the US as there are active duty troops in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/01/us/national-guard-protests-states-map-trnd/index.html |accessdate=2 June 2020 |work=CNN}}</ref> From the beginning of the protests to the morning of June 2, at least 5,600 people had been arrested.<ref name="auto"/> |
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While the majority of protests were peaceful,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lovett |first=Ian |date=June 4, 2020 |title=1992 Los Angeles Riots: How the George Floyd Protests Are Different |language=en-US |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-george-floyd-protests-in-los-angeles-differ-from-1992-riots-11591263005|url-access=subscription|access-date=June 7, 2020 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref> demonstrations in some cities escalated into [[Violence and controversies during the George Floyd protests|riots, looting]],<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 31, 2020 |title=Widespread unrest as curfews defied across US |language=en-GB |work=[[BBC]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52865206|access-date=June 7, 2020}}</ref> and street skirmishes with police and counter-protesters. Some police responded to protests with [[List of police violence incidents during George Floyd protests|instances of violence]], including against reporters.<ref name="Baker-2020">{{Cite web|last1=Baker|first1=Mike|last2=Dewan|first2=Shaila|date=June 2, 2020|title=Facing Protests Over Use of Force, Police Respond With More Force|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/us/police-tactics-floyd-protests.html|access-date=July 1, 2020|website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref><ref name="Kindy-2020">{{cite news|last1=Kindy|first1=Kimberly|last2=Jacobs|first2=Shayna|last3=Farenthold|first3=David|date=June 5, 2020|title=In protests against police brutality, videos capture more alleged police brutality|language=en|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/protests-police-brutality-video/2020/06/05/a9e66568-a768-11ea-b473-04905b1af82b_story.html|access-date=June 6, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Taylor-2020">{{Cite news|last=Taylor|first=Derrick Bryson|date=June 8, 2020|title=George Floyd Protests: A Timeline|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/article/george-floyd-protests-timeline.html|access-date=June 9, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> At least 200 cities in the U.S. had imposed [[curfew]]s by early June 2020, while more than 30 states and Washington, D.C. activated over 96,000 [[United States National Guard|National Guard]], [[State defense force|State Guard]], [[82nd Airborne Division|82nd Airborne]], and [[3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard)|3rd Infantry Regiment]] service members.<ref name="Bekiempis-2020">{{Cite news|last=Bekiempis|first=Victoria|date=July 3, 2020|title=Troops sent to DC during George Floyd protests had bayonets, top general says|work=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jul/03/us-troops-george-floyd-protest-bayonets-washington-dc|access-date=December 20, 2020}}</ref><ref name="dwghdf">{{Cite news |last=Norwood |first=Candice |title='Optics matter.' National Guard deployments amid unrest have a long and controversial history |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/optics-matter-national-guard-deployments-amid-unrest-have-a-long-and-controversial-history |agency=[[PBS NewsHour]] |date=June 9, 2020}}</ref><ref name="WarrenBI">{{cite news |last1=Warren |first1=Katy |last2=Hadden |first2=Joey |title=How all 50 states are responding to the George Floyd protests, from imposing curfews to calling in the National Guard |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/us-states-response-george-floyd-protests-curfews-national-guard-2020-6 |date=June 4, 2020 |access-date=June 8, 2020 |work=[[Business Insider]]}}</ref><ref name="Sternlicht-2020">{{Cite web |last=Sternlicht |first=Alexandra |title=Over 4,400 Arrests, 62,000 National Guard Troops Deployed: George Floyd Protests By The Numbers |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandrasternlicht/2020/06/02/over-4400-arrests-62000-national-guard-troops-deployed-george-floyd-protests-by-the-numbers/|access-date=June 13, 2020 |website=[[Forbes]] |language=en}}</ref> The deployment, when combined with preexisting deployments related to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19 pandemic]] and other natural disasters, constituted the largest [[Military operations other than war (US)|military operation other than war]] in U.S. history.<ref name="NGPR-2020">{{Cite news|date=June 8, 2020|title=National Guard response to civil unrest|work=National Guard Press Release|url=https://www.nationalguard.mil/Resources/Press-Releases/Article/2213005/national-guard-response-to-civil-unrest/|access-date=December 15, 2020|archive-date=October 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023075855/https://www.nationalguard.mil/Resources/Press-Releases/Article/2213005/national-guard-response-to-civil-unrest/|url-status=dead}}</ref> By the end of June 2020, at least 14,000 people had been arrested.<ref name=olson/><ref name="11000 arrested">{{Cite web |last=Pham |first=Scott |date=June 2, 2020 |title=Police Arrested More Than 11,000 People At Protests Across The US |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/scottpham/floyd-protests-number-of-police-arrests|website=[[Buzzfeed News]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=June 3, 2020 |title=Associated Press tally shows at least 9,300 people arrested in protests since killing of George Floyd |url=https://apnews.com/c51f66bd298157c52520ef56026e4857|access-date=June 3, 2020 |work=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> By June 2020, more than 19 people had died in relation to the unrest. A report from the [[Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project]] estimated that between May 26 and August 22, 93% of individual protests were "peaceful and nondestructive"<ref name="Craig-2020"/><ref>{{Cite web|date=September 3, 2020|title=Demonstrations & Political Violence in America: New Data for Summer 2020|url=https://acleddata.com/2020/09/03/demonstrations-political-violence-in-america-new-data-for-summer-2020/|access-date=January 24, 2022|website=ACLED}}</ref> and research from the Nonviolent Action Lab and Crowd Counting Consortium estimated that by the end of June, 96.3% of 7,305 demonstrations involved no injuries and no property damage.<ref>{{Cite news|date=October 16, 2020|last1=Chenoweth|first1=Erica|last2=Pressman|first2=Jeremy|title=This summer's Black Lives Matter protesters were overwhelmingly peaceful, our research finds|work=The Monkey Cage blog|publisher=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=January 23, 2022|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/10/16/this-summers-black-lives-matter-protesters-were-overwhelming-peaceful-our-research-finds/}}</ref> However, arson, vandalism, and looting that occurred between May 26 and June 8 caused approximately $1–2 billion in insured damages nationally, the highest recorded damage from [[civil disorder]] in U.S. history, and surpassing the record set during the [[1992 Los Angeles riots]].<ref name="Kingson-2020">{{Cite web|last=Kingson|first=Jennifer A.|date=September 16, 2020|title=Exclusive: $1 billion-plus riot damage is most expensive in insurance history|url=https://www.axios.com/riots-cost-property-damage-276c9bcc-a455-4067-b06a-66f9db4cea9c.html|access-date=October 10, 2020|website=[[Axios (website)|Axios]]|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Riot damage">{{Cite web|title=Vandalism, looting after Floyd's death sparks at least $1 billion in damages:report|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/news/516742-vandalism-looting-after-floyd-death-sparks-at-least-1-billion-in-damages-report |first=Kaelan |last=Deese |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |date=September 17, 2020|access-date=October 9, 2020}}</ref> |
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The protests precipitated a worldwide debate on policing and racial injustice that has led to [[#Societal impact|numerous legislative proposals]] on federal, state, and municipal levels in the U.S. intended to combat [[police misconduct]], [[systemic racism]], [[qualified immunity]] and [[police brutality]].<ref name="Fandos" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Hawkins |first=Derek |date=June 8, 2020 |title=9 Minneapolis City Council members announce plans to disband police department |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/06/07/george-floyd-protests-live-updates/|access-date=June 6, 2020 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> The protests led to a wave of [[List of monuments and memorials removed during the George Floyd protests|monument removals]], [[List of name changes due to the George Floyd protests|name changes]], and [[List of changes made due to the George Floyd protests|societal changes]] throughout the world<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chang |first1=Alvin |title=How centuries of racist images came down in one year – a visual guide |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2021/may/22/racist-statues-monuments-removed-us-world |date=May 22, 2021 |access-date=May 22, 2021 |work=[[The Guardian]] |language=en}}</ref> and occurred during the early part of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] and amid the [[2020 United States presidential election|2020 U.S. presidential election]] season.<ref>{{cite news |title=COVID-19 has not surged in cities with big protests, but it has in states that reopened early. Here are some possible reasons |first=Marie |last=McCullough |date=June 27, 2020 |url=https://www.inquirer.com/health/coronavirus/coronavirus-no-spike-cities-despite-protests-big-surge-in-states-that-reopened-20200627.html |newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title= The George Floyd Election: How the protests come to be viewed may determine who the next president is. |first= Thomas B.|last= Edsall|work=[[The New York Times]]| date=June 3, 2020 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/03/opinion/george-floyd-trump-biden.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603100225/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/03/opinion/george-floyd-trump-biden.html |archive-date=2020-06-03 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live}}</ref> Protests continued through 2020 and into 2021,<ref name="Schuman-2021">{{Cite news|last=Schuman|first=David|date=January 25, 2021|title='We Look At Our Protest As Art': Future Of George Floyd Square Becoming Clearer|work=WCCO|url=https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2021/01/07/we-look-at-our-protest-as-art-future-of-george-floyd-square-becoming-clearer/|access-date=}}</ref> most notably in Minneapolis at the 38th and Chicago Avenue street intersection where Floyd was murdered that activists have referred to as [[George Floyd Square]].<ref name="Mannix-2021" /><ref name="Nelson-2021" /> Several demonstrations coincided with the criminal trial of Chauvin in March and April 2021 and the one-year anniversary of Floyd's murder in May 2021. Officials in Minnesota and elsewhere proactively mobilized counter-protest measures for Chauvin's trial, but it did not result in unrest like what happened immediately after Floyd's murder.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Jany|first1=Libor|last2=Mannix|first2=Andy|date=December 29, 2021|title=Before Derek Chauvin trial, authorities warned of threat of cyberattacks, white supremacist violence|work=[[Star Tribune]]|url=https://www.startribune.com/before-chauvin-trial-authorities-warned-of-threat-of-cyberattacks-white-supremacist-violence/600131172/|access-date=December 29, 2021}}</ref> |
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Local officials in Minneapolis–Saint Paul prepared counter-protest measures in early 2022 for the start of the federal trial for the other three police officers at the scene of Floyd's murder.<ref name="Galioto-2021" /><ref name="KSTP-TV-2022" /> Relatively small protests took place during the trial and after the verdict announcement.<ref name="CNBC-2022" /> On May 25, 2021, the one-year anniversary of Floyd's murder, a number of protests took place; most of these were short-lived, with calm being restored on the early hours of May 26, 2021.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |work=[[KOIN]] |access-date=March 13, 2023 |first=Jenny |last=Young |url=https://www.koin.com/news/protests/george-floyd-death-anniversary-portland-protests-05252021/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526100257/https://www.koin.com/news/protests/george-floyd-death-anniversary-portland-protests-05252021/ |archive-date=May 26, 2021 |title=Marches, riot mark anniversary of George Floyd's death in Portland |date=May 25, 2021 }}</ref> While the nationwide protests ended, [[George Floyd Square occupied protest|the occupation of George Floyd Square in Minneapolis–Saint Paul]] persisted into 2024,<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 25, 2024 |title='No Justice, No Streets': 4 years after murder, George Floyd Square stands in protest |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/05/25/no-justice-no-streets-4-years-after-murder-george-floyd-square-stands-in-protest |access-date=June 1, 2024 |work=[[Minnesota Public Radio]]}}</ref> however as of 2022 vehicular traffic was finally allowed to pass through it.<ref name="Noma-2022" /><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Oursler |first1=Alyssa |last2=DalCortivo |first2=Anna |date=2022-02-23 |title=In Minneapolis, the Cycle of Police Violence Continues |work=[[The Nation]] |url=https://www.thenation.com/article/society/minneapolis-police-daunte-wright/ |access-date=2022-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Rowan |first=Nic |date=2022-05-20 |title=Minneapolis Hasn't Recovered From George Floyd's Death |language=en-US |work=[[Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/minneapolis-recover-george-floyd-death-violent-crime-shooting-black-lives-matter-blm-police-defund-murder-gun-ilhan-omar-don-samuels-11653064042 |access-date=2022-05-25 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref><ref name="Wurzer-2020">{{Cite news |last1=Wurzer |first1=Cathy |last2=Townsend |first2=Melissa |date=2020-05-25 |title='We are still there holding out for justice:' Marcia Howard on George Floyd Square |work=[[Minnesota Public Radio]] |format=Audio |url=https://www.mprnews.org/episode/2022/05/25/we-are-still-there-holding-out-for-justice-marcia-howard-on-george-floyd-square |access-date=2020-05-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Oursler |first=Alyssa |date=2022-08-31 |title=The ACLU Fights for Minneapolis |work=[[The Nation]] |url=https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/aclu-minneapolis-police-lawsuits/ |access-date=2022-09-05 |quote=The autonomous protest zone known as George Floyd Square is still occupied, but car traffic now snakes through it. And criminal cases for the other officers involved in Floyd’s murder are still winding through the bureaucratic maze we call the justice system.... Returning to the murder of George Floyd, officers J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane, and Tou Thao will face the state this fall. Lane, who pleaded guilty to second-degree state manslaughter charges, is expected to be sentenced in September. The remaining two will face trial in October.}}</ref> On May 2, 2023, Tou Thao was found guilty of aiding and abetting manslaughter—the last federal or state court case related to Floyd's murder. The conviction fulfilled a key demand of protesters that all four police officers be held legally accountable for murdering George Floyd.<ref name="Pan-2023">{{Cite news |last=Pan |first=H. Jiahong |date=2023-05-02 |title=Final officer in George Floyd murder case convicted of state charges |work=[[Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder]] |url=https://spokesman-recorder.com/2023/05/02/final-officer-in-george-floyd-murder-case-convicted-of-state-charges/ |access-date=2023-05-03}}</ref><ref name="Hyatt-2023">{{Cite news |last1=Hyatt |first1=Kim |last2=Walsh |first2=Paul |date=2023-05-02 |title=Tou Thao, ex-MPD officer charged in George Floyd's killing, found guilty |work=[[Star Tribune]] |url=https://www.startribune.com/hennepin-county-tou-thao-mpd-officer-george-floyd-killing-manslaughter-cahill-minneapolis-police/600271709/ |access-date=2023-05-02}}</ref> The protest at George Floyd Square continued into 2024.<ref name=":0" /> |
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==Background== |
==Background== |
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===History of police brutality in the United States=== |
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{{further|Police brutality in the United States}} |
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Frequent cases of [[police brutality in the United States|police brutality]] and [[Lists of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States|fatal use of force by law enforcement officers]] in the United States have long led the [[civil rights movement]] and various other activists to protest against the lack of [[police accountability]] in incidents involving the use of excessive force. The [[Watts riots]] in 1965 were a response to police brutality during the [[civil rights movement]]. Confrontations with police during the 1965 riots resulted in the deaths of 34 people, most of whom were African-Americans.<ref name="Hinton2">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ATS6CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA69&lpg=PA69&dq=Turn+left+or+get+shot#v=onepage|title=From the War on Poverty to the War on Crime: The Making of Mass Incarceration in America|last1=Hinton|first1=Elizabeth|date=2016|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=9780674737235|pages=68–72}}</ref> The [[1992 Los Angeles riots]] were a response to the [[Rodney King#Los Angeles riots and the aftermath|acquittal]] of the police officers responsible for excessive force used on [[Rodney King]]. In recent times, these have included the 2014 [[shooting of Michael Brown]] in [[Ferguson, Missouri]]; the negligence that led to the [[Death of Freddie Gray|death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore]] in 2015, the 2016 [[shooting of Philando Castile]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ellis |first1=Ralph |last2=Kirkos |first2=Bill |title=Officer who shot Philando Castile found not guilty |url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/06/16/us/philando-castile-trial-verdict/index.html |website=CNN |accessdate=May 30, 2020 |date=June 16, 2017}}</ref> and the 2017 [[shooting of Justine Damond]], both in Minnesota; and the 2014 [[death of Eric Garner]] in [[New York City]], who, similarly to George Floyd, said, "[[I can't breathe]]."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-the-black-lives-matter-movement-changed-america-one-year-later/ |title=Black Lives Matter: How the events in Ferguson sparked a movement in America |first=Shannon |last=Luibrand |date=August 7, 2015 |publisher=CBS News |accessdate=December 18, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624181634/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-the-black-lives-matter-movement-changed-america-one-year-later/ |archive-date=June 24, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> In March 2020, the [[Kentucky]] [[shooting of Breonna Taylor]] by police at her own apartment was widely publicized.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Family seeks answers in fatal police shooting of Louisville woman in her apartment|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/05/11/family-seeks-answers-fatal-police-shooting-louisville-woman-her-apartment/|last=Haines|first=Errin|date=May 11, 2020|website=The Washington Post|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200524113033/https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/05/11/family-seeks-answers-fatal-police-shooting-louisville-woman-her-apartment/|archive-date=May 24, 2020|access-date=}}</ref> |
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===Police brutality protests in the United States=== |
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===COVID-19 pandemic=== |
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<!-- no need to add "History of" since this is a subsection of the "Background" section --> |
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{{See also|#Concerns over COVID-19 transmission}} |
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{{ |
{{further|Police brutality in the United States|Crime in the United States|Race and crime in the United States}} |
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Cases of [[police brutality in the United States|police misconduct]] and [[Lists of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States|fatal use of force by law enforcement officers]]<ref>{{cite news |title=The Counted: People killed by police in the US |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2015/jun/01/the-counted-police-killings-us-database |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=October 30, 2021 }}</ref> in the U.S., particularly against [[African Americans]], have long led the [[civil rights movement]] and other activists to protest against a lack of [[police accountability]] in incidents they see as involving excessive force. Many protests during the civil rights movement were in response to the perception of police brutality, including the 1965 [[Watts riots]] which resulted in the deaths of 34 people, mostly African Americans.<ref name="Hinton2">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ATS6CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA69 |title=From the War on Poverty to the War on Crime: The Making of Mass Incarceration in America |last1=Hinton |first1=Elizabeth |date=2016 |publisher=Harvard University Press |isbn=9780674737235 |pages=68–72}}</ref> The largest post-civil rights movement protest in the 20th century was the [[1992 Los Angeles riots]], which were in response to the [[Rodney King#Los Angeles riots and the aftermath|acquittal of police officers]] responsible for excessive force against [[Rodney King]], an African American man.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sastry |first1=Anjuli |last2=Bates |first2=Karen |title=When LA Erupted In Anger: A Look Back At The Rodney King Riots |url=https://www.npr.org/2017/04/26/524744989/when-la-erupted-in-anger-a-look-back-at-the-rodney-king-riots |website=[[NPR]] |access-date=April 11, 2021 |date=April 26, 2017}}</ref> |
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Measures taken against the growing [[COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota|COVID-19 pandemic]], including closure of non-essential businesses<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mn.gov/governor/assets/2020_03_16_EO_20_04_Bars_Restaurants_tcm1055-423380.pdf|title=Emergency Executive Order 20-04|access-date=May 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528014220/https://mn.gov/governor/assets/2020_03_16_EO_20_04_Bars_Restaurants_tcm1055-423380.pdf|archive-date=May 28, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> and implementation of a [[stay-at-home order]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mn.gov/governor/assets/3a.%20EO%2020-20%20FINAL%20SIGNED%20Filed_tcm1055-425020.pdf|title=Emergency Executive Order 20-20|access-date=May 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200420215946/https://mn.gov/governor/assets/3a.%20EO%2020-20%20FINAL%20SIGNED%20Filed_tcm1055-425020.pdf|archive-date=April 20, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> had significant economic and social impact on many Americans as millions lost their jobs and were made more economically vulnerable.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Richmond |first1=Todd |title=George Floyd had started a new life in Minnesota before he was killed by police |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/05/28/nation/george-floyd-had-started-new-life-minnesota-before-he-was-killed-by-police/ |website=Boston Globe |accessdate=May 28, 2020 |date=May 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528200530/https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/05/28/nation/george-floyd-had-started-new-life-minnesota-before-he-was-killed-by-police/ |archive-date=May 28, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Keith Ellison]], [[Attorney General of Minnesota]], said he was of the opinion that people "have been cooped up for two months, and so now they're in a different space and a different place. They're restless. Some of them have been unemployed, some of them don't have rent money, and they're angry, they're frustrated."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Goldberg |first1=Michelle |title=Opinion - America Is a Tinderbox |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/29/opinion/george-floyd-protests-minneapolis.html |website=The New York Times |accessdate=May 30, 2020 |date=May 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530044312/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/29/opinion/george-floyd-protests-minneapolis.html |archive-date=May 30, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> |
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The Black Lives Matter movement was originally started in 2013, after [[Trayvon Martin|Trayvon Martin’s]] murderer was found not guilty in court.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Henry |first=Carmel |title=A Brief History of Civil Rights in the United States |url=https://library.law.howard.edu/civilrightshistory/BLM |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=library.law.howard.edu |language=en}}</ref> In 2014, the [[shooting of Michael Brown]] by police in [[Ferguson, Missouri]], resulted in local protests and unrest while the [[killing of Eric Garner]] in New York City resulted in numerous national protests. In 2015, the [[death of Freddie Gray]] in [[Baltimore]] police custody resulted in riots in the city and nationwide protests as part of the [[Black Lives Matter]] movement.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-the-black-lives-matter-movement-changed-america-one-year-later/ |title=Black Lives Matter: How the events in Ferguson sparked a movement in America |first=Shannon |last=Luibrand |date=August 7, 2015 |work=[[CBS News]] |access-date=December 18, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624181634/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-the-black-lives-matter-movement-changed-america-one-year-later/ |archive-date=June 24, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Several nationally publicized incidents occurred in Minnesota, including the 2015 [[shooting of Jamar Clark]] in [[Minneapolis]]; the 2016 [[shooting of Philando Castile]] in [[Falcon Heights, Minnesota|Falcon Heights]];<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ellis |first1=Ralph |last2=Kirkos |first2=Bill |date=June 16, 2017 |title=Officer who shot Philando Castile found not guilty |website=[[CNN]] |url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/06/16/us/philando-castile-trial-verdict/index.html |access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> and the 2017 [[shooting of Justine Damond]]. In 2016, [[Killing of Tony Timpa|Tony Timpa]] was killed by [[Dallas]] police officers in the same way as George Floyd.<ref>{{cite news |title='This Rage That You Hear Is Real': On the Ground at the Dallas Protests |first=Trace |last=Miller |url=https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2020/06/this-rage-that-you-hear-is-real-on-the-ground-at-the-dallas-protests/ |work=[[D Magazine]] |date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> In August 2019, [[Death of Elijah McClain|Elijah McClain died]] after [[Aurora, Colorado|Aurora]] police ordered paramedics to administer ketamine under dubious circumstances.<ref>{{cite web |title=Officers And Paramedics Are Charged In Elijah McClain's 2019 Death In Colorado |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/09/01/1033289263/elijah-mcclain-death-officers-paramedics-charged |agency=[[Associated Press]] |work=[[NPR]] |access-date=October 30, 2021 |date=September 1, 2021}}</ref> In March 2020, the fatal [[shooting of Breonna Taylor]] by police executing a [[search warrant]] at her Kentucky apartment was also widely publicized.<ref>{{cite news |title=Family seeks answers in fatal police shooting of Louisville woman in her apartment |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/05/11/family-seeks-answers-fatal-police-shooting-louisville-woman-her-apartment/ |last=Haines |first=Errin |date=May 11, 2020 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200524113033/https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/05/11/family-seeks-answers-fatal-police-shooting-louisville-woman-her-apartment/ |access-date=October 30, 2021 |archive-date=May 24, 2020}}</ref> After Eric Garner and George Floyd repeatedly said "[[I can't breathe]]" during their arrests, the phrase became a protest slogan against police brutality. |
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In April, [[2020 United States anti-lockdown protests|anti-lockdown protests]] were held in several U.S. states, including Minnesota, calling governors to lift some restrictions and start "re-opening the country."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shepherd |first1=Katie |last2=Balingit |first2=Moriah |title=A noose, an ax and Trump-inspired insults: Anti-lockdown protesters ratchet up violent rhetoric |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/05/15/noose-fight-coronavirus-protest/ |accessdate=May 31, 2020 |work=[[Washington Post]] |date=May 15, 2020}}</ref> |
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The murder of George Floyd sparked mass protests and calls for police reform in the face of ongoing police violence against African-Americans. Large companies such as Nike and Walmart aimed to express their support for the movement through branding themselves as antiracist. Despite some politicians expressing backlash for the Black Lives Matter protests, politicians such as Republican Senator Mitt Romney participated.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-07-27 |title=Black Lives Matter: From Protests to Lasting Change |url=https://businessforimpact.georgetown.edu/uncategorized/black-lives-matter-from-protests-to-lasting-change/ |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=Business for Impact {{!}} Georgetown University |language=en-US}}</ref> The movement sought to express their understanding of police brutality as a result of anti-black sentiment, which is seen as structural in nature.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Walker |first1=Sharon |last2=Strong |first2=Krystal |last3=Wallace |first3=Derron |last4=Sriprakash |first4=Arathi |last5=Tikly |first5=Leon |last6=Soudien |first6=Crain |date=2021-02-01 |title=Special Issue: Black Lives Matter and Global Struggles for Racial Justice in Education |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/712760 |journal=Comparative Education Review |volume=65 |issue=1 |pages=196–198 |doi=10.1086/712760 |issn=0010-4086}}</ref> |
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=== Killing of George Floyd === |
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{{main|Killing of George Floyd}} |
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[[File:George Floyd Memorial at 38th and Chicago Avenue South, Minneapolis (49942178738).jpg|thumb|Memorial at the site of Floyd's death]] |
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On May 25, 2020, at 8:08{{nbsp}}p.m. [[Central Daylight Time|CDT]],<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ries |first1=Brian |title=8 notable details in the criminal complaint against ex-Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/29/us/derek-chauvin-criminal-complaint-trnd/index.html |website=cnn.com |publisher=Cable News Network |accessdate=May 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529212019/https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/29/us/derek-chauvin-criminal-complaint-trnd/index.html |archive-date=May 29, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> MPD officers responded to a [[9-1-1]] call regarding a "forgery in progress" on Chicago Avenue South in [[Powderhorn, Minneapolis]]. According to police, George Floyd, a 46-year-old [[African American]] man, was in a nearby car and "appeared to be under the influence." A spokesman for the police department said the officers ordered him to exit the vehicle, at which point he "physically resisted." A video taken by a bystander shows Floyd being removed from his vehicle without any resistance.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Owen |first1=Tess |title=New Videos Appear to Undermine Police Account That George Floyd 'Resisted' Officers |url=https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/4ayv4p/new-videos-appear-to-undermine-police-account-that-george-floyd-resisted-officers |accessdate=May 28, 2020 |work=[[Vice (website)|Vice]] |date=May 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528135136/https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/4ayv4p/new-videos-appear-to-undermine-police-account-that-george-floyd-resisted-officers |archive-date=May 28, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> |
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=== Murder of George Floyd === |
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According to the MPD, officers "were able to get the suspect into handcuffs and noted he appeared to be suffering medical distress. Officers called for an [[ambulance]]." However, a [[Facebook Live]] [[live streaming|livestream]] recorded by a bystander showed that Derek Chauvin, a 48-year-old white police officer, had pinned Floyd on the ground and was kneeling on his neck.<ref name=Hauser>{{cite news |last1=Hauser |first1=Christine |title=F.B.I. to Investigate Arrest of Black Man Who Died After Being Pinned by Officer |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/26/us/minneapolis-police-man-died.html |accessdate=May 26, 2020 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=May 26, 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526143016/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/26/us/minneapolis-police-man-died.html |archivedate=May 26, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=Dakss>{{cite news |last1=Dakss |first1=Brian |title=Video shows Minneapolis cop with knee on neck of motionless, moaning man who later died |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/minneapolis-police-fatal-arrest-officer-kneeling-neck-man-died/ |accessdate=May 26, 2020 |work=[[CBS News]] |date=May 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526153154/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/minneapolis-police-fatal-arrest-officer-kneeling-neck-man-died/ |archive-date=May 26, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> Floyd repeatedly tells Chauvin "Please" and "[[I can't breathe]]," while a bystander is heard telling the police officer, "You got him down. Let him breathe."<ref name=Nawaz>{{cite news |last1=Nawaz |first1=Amna |title=What we know about George Floyd's death in Minneapolis police custody |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/what-we-know-about-george-floyds-death-in-minneapolis-police-custody |accessdate=May 27, 2020 |work=[[PBS Newshour]] |date=May 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200527171813/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/what-we-know-about-george-floyds-death-in-minneapolis-police-custody |archive-date=May 27, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> After some time, a bystander points out that Floyd was bleeding from his nose while another bystander tells the police that Floyd is "not even resisting arrest right now," to which the police tell the bystanders that Floyd was "talking, he's fine." A bystander replies saying Floyd "ain't fine." A bystander then protests that the police were preventing Floyd from breathing, urging them to "get him off the ground ... You could have put him in the car by now. He's not resisting arrest or nothing."<ref name="Dakss" /> Floyd then goes silent and motionless. An ambulance arrives and Chauvin does not remove his knee until [[emergency medical services]] put Floyd on a stretcher. Not only had Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for about seven minutes (including four minutes after Floyd stopped moving) but another video showed an additional two officers had also knelt on Floyd while another officer watched.<ref name=atleastsevenminutes>{{cite news |last1=Montgomery |first1=Blake |title=Black Lives Matter Protests Over George Floyd's Death Spread Across the Country |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/black-lives-matter-protests-over-george-floyds-death-spread-to-houston-chicago-los-angeles-memphis |accessdate=May 28, 2020 |work=[[The Daily Beast]] |date=May 27, 2020|quote=Floyd, 46, died after a white Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeled on his neck for at least seven minutes while handcuffing him.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=New video appears to show three police officers kneeling on George Floyd|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/29/us/george-floyd-new-video-officers-kneel-trnd/index.html|date=May 29, 2020|website=CNN|language=en|access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> |
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{{main|Murder of George Floyd}} |
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[[File:George Floyd Memorial at 38th and Chicago Avenue South, Minneapolis (49942178738).jpg|thumb|Memorial at the site of Floyd's murder|alt=Tribute items left at site of Floyd's murder forming a makeshift memorial]] |
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According to a police statement, on May 25, 2020, at 8:08{{nbsp}}p.m. [[Central Daylight Time|CDT]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ries |first1=Brian |title=8 notable details in the criminal complaint against ex-Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin |date=June 2, 2020 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/29/us/derek-chauvin-criminal-complaint-trnd/index.html |website=[[CNN]] |publisher=Cable News Network |access-date=May 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529212019/https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/29/us/derek-chauvin-criminal-complaint-trnd/index.html |archive-date=May 29, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Minneapolis Police Department]] (MPD) officers responded to a [[9-1-1]] call regarding a "forgery in progress" on Chicago Avenue South in [[Powderhorn, Minneapolis]]. MPD Officers Thomas K. Lane and J. Alexander Kueng arrived with their body cameras turned on. A store employee told officers that the man was in a nearby car. Officers approached the car and ordered [[George Floyd]], a 46-year-old African American man, who according to police "appeared to be under the influence", to exit the vehicle, at which point he "physically resisted". According to the MPD, officers "were able to get the suspect into handcuffs, and noted he appeared to be suffering medical distress. Officers called for an ambulance." Once Floyd was handcuffed, officers Kueng and Lane attempted to help Floyd to their squad car, but at 8:14 p.m., Floyd stiffened up and fell to the ground. MPD Officers [[Derek Chauvin]] and [[Murder of George Floyd|Tou Thao]] then arrived and made more failed attempts to get Floyd into the squad car.<ref name=hennepin>{{cite web |url=https://www.hennepinattorney.org/-/media/Attorney/Derek-Chauvin-Criminal-Complaint.pdf |title=State of Minnesota v. Derek Michael Chauvin |date=May 29, 2020 |author1=Michelle M Frascone |first2=Amy |last2=Sweasy |access-date=June 4, 2020 |archive-date=May 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530173331/https://www.hennepinattorney.org/-/media/Attorney/Derek-Chauvin-Criminal-Complaint.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> |
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Floyd, who was still handcuffed, went to the ground face down. Officer Kueng held Floyd's back and Lane held his legs. Chauvin placed his left knee in the area of Floyd's head and neck. A [[Facebook Live]] [[live streaming|livestream]] recorded by a bystander showed Officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck.<ref name=Hauser>{{cite news |last1=Hauser |first1=Christine |title=F.B.I. to Investigate Arrest of Black Man Who Died After Being Pinned by Officer |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/26/us/minneapolis-police-man-died.html |access-date=May 26, 2020 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=May 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526143016/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/26/us/minneapolis-police-man-died.html |archive-date=May 26, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Dakss>{{cite news |last1=Dakss |first1=Brian |title=Video shows Minneapolis cop with knee on neck of motionless, moaning man who later died |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/minneapolis-police-fatal-arrest-officer-kneeling-neck-man-died/ |access-date=May 26, 2020 |work=[[CBS News]] |date=May 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526153154/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/minneapolis-police-fatal-arrest-officer-kneeling-neck-man-died/ |archive-date=May 26, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> Floyd repeatedly tells Chauvin "Please" and "I can't breathe", while a bystander is heard telling the police officer, "You got him down. Let him breathe."<ref name=Nawaz>{{cite news |last1=Nawaz |first1=Amna |title=What we know about George Floyd's death in Minneapolis police custody |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/what-we-know-about-george-floyds-death-in-minneapolis-police-custody |access-date=May 27, 2020 |work=[[PBS Newshour]] |date=May 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200527171813/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/what-we-know-about-george-floyds-death-in-minneapolis-police-custody |archive-date=May 27, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> After some time, a bystander points out that Floyd was bleeding from his nose while another bystander tells the police that Floyd is "not even resisting arrest right now", to which the police tell the bystanders that Floyd was "talking, he's fine". A bystander replies saying Floyd "ain't fine". A bystander then protests that the police were preventing Floyd from breathing, urging them to "get him off the ground ... You could have put him in the car by now. He's not resisting arrest or nothing."<ref name="Dakss" /> Floyd then goes silent and motionless. Chauvin does not remove his knee until an ambulance arrives. [[Emergency medical services]] put Floyd on a stretcher. Not only had Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for about seven minutes (including four minutes after Floyd stopped moving) but another video showed an additional two officers had also knelt on Floyd while another officer watched.<ref name=atleastsevenminutes>{{cite news |last1=Montgomery |first1=Blake |title=Black Lives Matter Protests Over George Floyd's Death Spread Across the Country |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/black-lives-matter-protests-over-george-floyds-death-spread-to-houston-chicago-los-angeles-memphis |access-date=May 28, 2020 |work=[[The Daily Beast]] |date=May 27, 2020 |quote=Floyd, 46, died after a white Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeled on his neck for at least seven minutes while handcuffing him.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=New video appears to show three police officers kneeling on George Floyd |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/29/us/george-floyd-new-video-officers-kneel-trnd/index.html |date=May 29, 2020 |website=[[CNN]] |language=en|access-date=May 30, 2020 |first=Paul P. |last=Murphy}}</ref> |
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Medics were unable to detect a pulse, and Floyd was pronounced dead at the hospital.<ref>{{Cite web|title=First responders tried to save George Floyd's life for almost an hour|url=https://nypost.com/2020/05/28/george-floyd-showed-no-signs-of-life-en-route-to-hospital/|last=Steinbuch|first=Yaron|date=May 28, 2020|website=New York Post|language=en|access-date=May 29, 2020}}</ref> An [[autopsy]] of Floyd was conducted on May 26, and the next day, the preliminary report by the [[Hennepin County]] Medical Examiner's Office was published, stating "no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation." Floyd's underlying health conditions included [[coronary artery disease]] and [[hypertensive heart disease]]. The initial report said that "[t]he combined effects of Mr. Floyd being restrained by the police, his underlying health conditions and any potential intoxicants in his system likely contributed to his death."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Medical examiner concludes George Floyd didn't die of asphyxia|url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/medical-examiner-concludes-george-floyd-didnt-die-of-asphyxia?fbclid=IwAR3LK2rBCROTwiZAtgo3nD98g1My7T-X63fXZBXpl-spg3KUrIhQoR9nsXs|last=Soellner|first=Mica|date=May 29, 2020|website=[[Washington Examiner]]|language=en|access-date=May 29, 2020}}</ref> The medical examiner further said Floyd was "high on [[fentanyl]] and had recently used [[methamphetamine]] at the time of his death."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Wilson|first=Jim|date=June 2, 2020|title=Competing autopsies say Floyd’s death was a homicide, but differ on causes.|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/01/us/floyd-protests-live.html|url-status=live|access-date=June 2, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.is/NmqFr|archive-date=June 2, 2020|quote=The medical examiner also cited significant contributing conditions, saying that Mr. Floyd suffered from heart disease, and was high on fentanyl and had recently used methamphetamine at the time of his death.}}</ref> However, on June 1, a private autopsy commissioned by the family of Floyd ruled the death a homicide and found that Floyd had died due to asphyxiation from sustained pressure, which conflicts with the original autopsy report done earlier that week.<ref>{{cite web|title=Independent autopsy finds George Floyd's death a homicide due to 'asphyxiation from sustained pressure'|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/01/us/george-floyd-independent-autopsy/index.html|last=Vera|first=Amir|date=June 1, 2020|website=CNN|language=en|access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> Shortly after, the official post-mortem declared Floyd's death a homicide.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-06-01|title=Floyd death homicide, official post-mortem says|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52886593|access-date=2020-06-01}}</ref> |
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Although the police report stated that medical services were requested prior to the time Floyd was placed in handcuffs,<ref>{{cite web |title=Investigative Update on Critical Incident |url=https://www.insidempd.com/2020/05/26/man-dies-after-medical-incident-during-police-interaction/ |website=Minneapolis police |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526121443/https://www.insidempd.com/2020/05/26/man-dies-after-medical-incident-during-police-interaction/ |first=John |last=Elder |access-date=June 28, 2020|archive-date=May 26, 2020 }}</ref> according to the Minneapolis ''Star Tribune'', Emergency Medical Services arrived at the scene six minutes after getting the call.<ref name="no signs">{{cite web |last1=Sawyer |first1=Liz |title=George Floyd showed no signs of life from time EMS arrived, fire department report says |url=https://www.startribune.com/first-responders-worked-nearly-an-hour-to-save-floyd-before-he-was-pronounced-dead/570806682/ |date=May 28, 2020 |website=Minneapolis Tribune |access-date=June 28, 2020}}</ref>{{Synthesis inline|date=April 2021}} Medics were unable to detect a pulse, and Floyd was pronounced dead at the hospital.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Nicholas|last1=Bogel-Burroughs|accessdate=July 10, 2021|title=George Floyd was dead by the time medical help arrived, a paramedic testified.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/01/us/george-floyd-emt-paramedics.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/01/us/george-floyd-emt-paramedics.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-access=limited|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=April 1, 2021|issn=0362-4331 }}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="no signs"/> A May 26 [[autopsy]] conducted by the [[Hennepin County]] Medical Examiner's Office found that there were "no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation"; the preliminary findings stated that underlying health conditions, the police restraint, and potential intoxicants likely contributed to Floyd's death.<ref>{{cite web |title=Medical examiner concludes George Floyd didn't die of asphyxia |url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/medical-examiner-concludes-george-floyd-didnt-die-of-asphyxia |last=Soellner |first=Mica |date=May 29, 2020 |website=[[Washington Examiner]] |language=en|access-date=May 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Wilson |first=Jim |date=June 2, 2020 |title=Competing autopsies say Floyd's death was a homicide, but differ on causes. |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/01/us/floyd-protests-live.html |url-status=live |access-date=June 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200602054757/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/01/us/floyd-protests-live.html%23click=https://t.co/AZM0svvNSv |archive-date=June 2, 2020 |quote=The medical examiner also cited significant contributing conditions, saying that Mr. Floyd suffered from heart disease, and was high on fentanyl and had recently used methamphetamine at the time of his death. }}</ref> |
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Chuck Wexler, executive director of the [[Police Executive Research Forum]], said, "no police academy that we know of teaches a police officer to use their knee, to put it on their neck. That's just not taught because that can impact their breathing and their [[carotid artery]] (a crucial vessel that supplies blood to the brain)."<ref name=expcond>{{cite news|last1=Pane|first1=Lisa Marie|title=Police, experts condemn knee restraint used on George Floyd|url=https://www.cp24.com/police-experts-condemn-knee-restraint-used-on-george-floyd-1.4959532|work=[[Associated Press]] |date=May 31, 2020 |accessdate=May 31, 2020 |8= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200509150138/https://www.cp24.com/police-experts-condemn-knee-restraint-used-on-george-floyd-1.4959532|archive-date=May 31, 2020 |url-status=}}</ref><ref name=movdis>{{cite news|last1=Andrew|first1=Scottie|title=The move used to restrain George Floyd is discouraged by most police. Here's why|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/28/us/george-floyd-knee-to-neck-excessive-force-trnd/index.html|work=[[CNN]] |date=May 31, 2020 |accessdate=May 31, 2020 |8= |archive-url=|archive-date=May 31, 2020 |url-status=}}</ref> Video footage of the incident generated widespread national attention and raised questions about the appropriate [[use of force]] by law enforcement.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}} |
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On May 26, Chauvin and the other three officers were fired.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/01/us/derek-chauvin-what-we-know-trnd/index.html |title=Derek Chauvin: What we know about the former officer charged in George Floyd's death |first=Scottie |last=Andrew |work=[[CNN]] |date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> Chauvin was charged with [[third-degree murder]] and second-degree [[manslaughter (United States law)|manslaughter]];<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/national-news-2/2020/05/29/minneapolis-police-officer-derek-chauvin-arrested-george-floyd |title=Fired Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on George Floyd's neck, arrested |date=May 29, 2020 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |work=[[The Boston Globe]]|access-date=May 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530095544/https://www.boston.com/news/national-news-2/2020/05/29/minneapolis-police-officer-derek-chauvin-arrested-george-floyd|archive-date=May 30, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> the former charge was later changed to [[second-degree murder]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/3-more-minneapolis-officers-charged-george-floyd-death-derek-chauvin-n1222796 |title=3 more Minneapolis officers charged in George Floyd death, Derek Chauvin charges elevated |work=[[NBC News]] |first=Doha |last=Madani |date=June 3, 2020 |access-date=June 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603194424/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/3-more-minneapolis-officers-charged-george-floyd-death-derek-chauvin-n1222796|archive-date=June 3, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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==Minneapolis–St. Paul protests== |
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{{main|George Floyd protests in Minnesota}} |
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[[File:Protest against police violence - Justice for George Floyd, May 26, 2020 11.jpg|thumb|Minneapolis protesters marching on May 26, the day after Floyd's death]] |
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Protests began around midday on May 26, the day after Floyd's death.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/27/us/gallery/george-floyd-demonstrations/index.html | title = In pictures: Protesting the death of George Floyd | date = May 27, 2020 | accessdate = May 27, 2020 | publisher = [[CNN]] | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200528081222/https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/27/us/gallery/george-floyd-demonstrations/index.html | archive-date = May 28, 2020 | url-status = live }}</ref> The protests continued into May 27.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Protestors Gather Where George Floyd Was Killed, As well as MPD 3rd Precinct|url=https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/05/27/protesters-gather-where-george-floyd-was-killed-as-well-as-mpd-3rd-precinct-oakdale-home/|quote=|website=minnesota.cbslocal.com|access-date=May 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528112621/https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/05/27/protesters-gather-where-george-floyd-was-killed-as-well-as-mpd-3rd-precinct-oakdale-home/|archive-date=May 28, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> A man was fatally shot by a pawn shop owner who thought the man was looting, and the Third Precinct's windows were smashed. Multiple stores were looted, and other buildings were attacked and [[arson|set ablaze]].<ref name=":startribune28">{{cite news|last1=Faircloth|first1=Ryan|last2=Navratil|first2=Liz|last3=Sawyer|first3=Liz|last4=McKinney|first4=Matt|date=May 28, 2020|title=Looting and flames erupt in Minneapolis amid growing protests over George Floyd's death|newspaper=[[Star Tribune]]|url=https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-mayor-frey-calls-for-peace-as-looting-flames-erupt-around-police-station/570816112/|url-status=live|accessdate=May 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528223117/https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-mayor-frey-calls-for-peace-as-looting-flames-erupt-around-police-station/570816112/|archive-date=May 28, 2020}}</ref> Protests at the MPD's Third Precinct<ref name="ABC7">{{Cite web|title=Violent protests rock Minneapolis for 2nd straight night over in-custody death|url=https://abc7.com/6216662/|last=AP|date=May 28, 2020|website=ABC7 Los Angeles|language=en|access-date=May 28, 2020}}</ref> saw some demonstrators skirmishing with law enforcement officers, who fired [[tear gas]] and [[rubber bullet]]s.<ref>{{cite web|title=As heated protests over George Floyd's death continue, Minnesota governor warns of 'extremely dangerous situation'|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/27/us/minneapolis-protests-george-floyd/index.html|last1=Jimenez|first1=Omar|last2=Chavez|first2=Nicole|date=May 28, 2020|website=CNN|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528033353/https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/27/us/minneapolis-protests-george-floyd/index.html|archive-date=May 28, 2020|access-date=May 29, 2020|last3=Hanna|first3=Jason}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Deadly shooting near George Floyd protest as looting, arson grip Minneapolis|url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/armed-citizens-guard-stores-amid-looting-in-minneapolis-report|last1=DeMarche|first1=Edmund|date=May 28, 2020|website=Fox News|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528110043/https://www.foxnews.com/us/armed-citizens-guard-stores-amid-looting-in-minneapolis-report|archive-date=May 28, 2020|access-date=May 29, 2020|quote=Some protesters skirmished with officers, who fired rubber bullets and tear gas in a repeat of Tuesday night's confrontation.}}</ref> A [[state of emergency]] was declared in Minneapolis on May 28 by [[List of mayors of Minneapolis|Mayor]] [[Jacob Frey]], and 500 [[Minnesota National Guard]] troops were deployed to the Twin Cities area.<ref>{{cite web|title=Minnesota Calls National Guard to Quell Violent Protests in Minneapolis|url=https://www.voanews.com/usa/minneapolis-mayor-declares-state-emergency|website=VOA|accessdate=May 29, 2020 |date=May 29, 2020}}</ref> By morning, more than 30 businesses in Minneapolis had been damaged by rioters.<ref name=":startribune28" /> The [[Saint Paul Police Department]] reported that 170 businesses were damaged or looted on Thursday, and dozens of fires started.<ref name="cbslocal">{{cite web|title=George Floyd Riots: Violence Spans Twin Cities: 3rd Precinct Overtaken & Burned, Looting Continues, Businesses Torched|url=https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/05/29/protesters-take-minneapolis-police-3rd-precinct-building-during-3rd-night-of-george-floyd-protests/|website=Minnesota CBS Local|accessdate=May 29, 2020|date=May 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529092856/https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/05/29/protesters-take-minneapolis-police-3rd-precinct-building-during-3rd-night-of-george-floyd-protests/|archive-date=May 29, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> There was no police, fire, or EMS presence in the area where the riots occurred from around 10:00{{nbsp}}p.m. CDT on May 28 into the early hours of May 29.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sidner |first1=Sarah |last2=Campbell |first2=Josh |title=CNN's Sara Sidner: 'Zero' police presence as precinct burns |url=https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/05/29/george-floyd-minneapolis-protest-vpx.cnn |website=CNN |accessdate=May 29, 2020 |date=May 28, 2020}}</ref> MPD in the Third Precinct building attempted to hold off the protesters with [[tear gas]], but at around 11:00{{nbsp}}p.m. on May 28, protesters overran the building and set it ablaze after it was evacuated.<ref>{{cite web|title=Angry crowds set fire to Minneapolis police station as George Floyd protest turns violent|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-george-floyd-protests-minneapolis-napa-auto-parts-bad-looks-20200529-ibhkytxef5cutga7wuuyqxfpj4-story.html|last1=Wilkinson|first1=Joseph|date=May 29, 2020|website=New York Daily News|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529090458/https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-george-floyd-protests-minneapolis-napa-auto-parts-bad-looks-20200529-ibhkytxef5cutga7wuuyqxfpj4-story.html|archive-date=May 29, 2020|access-date=}}</ref> Later that morning at 5:11 am CDT, [[CNN]] reporter [[Omar Jimenez|Omar Jiménez]], who is of [[Black Hispanic and Latino Americans|African-American and Colombian]] descent,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Police Arrest Black CNN Reporter Covering Minneapolis Protests: 'You Don't Have to Doubt My Story, You Saw It For Your Own Eyes'|url=https://www.theroot.com/police-arrest-black-cnn-reporter-covering-minneapolis-p-1843751101|website=The Root|language=en-us|access-date=May 29, 2020}}</ref> and camera crew were arrested by [[Minnesota State Patrol]] officers as Jiménez reported live on television.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=A CNN crew has been arrested while covering Minneapolis protests|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/29/us/minneapolis-cnn-crew-arrested/index.html|last=Hanna|first=Jason|date=May 29, 2020|website=[[CNN]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529120214/https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/29/us/minneapolis-cnn-crew-arrested/index.html|archive-date=May 29, 2020|access-date=May 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=CNN reporting crew arrested on camera by police in Minneapolis|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/cnn-reporting-crew-arrested-camera-police-minneapolis-n1217651|website=NBC News|language=en|access-date=May 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529122546/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/cnn-reporting-crew-arrested-camera-police-minneapolis-n1217651|archive-date=May 29, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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On June 1, a private autopsy commissioned by the family of Floyd found the death to be a homicide and that Floyd had died due to [[asphyxia]]tion from sustained pressure, which conflicted with the original autopsy report done earlier that week.<ref>{{cite news |title=Independent autopsy finds George Floyd's death a homicide due to 'asphyxiation from sustained pressure' |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/01/us/george-floyd-independent-autopsy/index.html |last=Vera |first=Amir |date=June 1, 2020 |website=[[CNN]] |language=en|access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> Shortly after, the official post-mortem declared Floyd's death a [[homicide]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 1, 2020 |title=Floyd death homicide, official post-mortem says |language=en-GB |work=[[BBC]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52886593|access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> Video footage of Officer Derek Chauvin applying 8 minutes 15 seconds of sustained pressure to Floyd's neck generated global attention and raised questions about the [[use of force]] by law enforcement.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Hill |first1=Evan |last2=Tiefenthäler |first2=Ainara |last3=Triebert |first3=Christiaan |last4=Jordan |first4=Drew |last5=Willis |first5=Haley |last6=Stein |first6=Robin |date=May 31, 2020 |title=How George Floyd Was Killed in Police Custody |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/us/george-floyd-investigation.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200601040003/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/us/george-floyd-investigation.html |archive-date=2020-06-01 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=June 23, 2020 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> On June 25, 2021, Chauvin was sentenced to 22 years and 6 months in prison with the possibility of supervised release after serving two-thirds of his sentence or 15 years for second-degree murder.<ref name="sentencedc" /> |
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For several days following Floyd's death, hundreds of protesters gathered at the driveway of Chauvin's house, which prompted police response.<ref>{{cite web|title=More George Floyd protesters arrested in Oakdale; chief says police must 'protect life and property' in city|url=https://www.twincities.com/2020/05/29/more-george-floyd-protesters-arrested-in-oakdale-chief-says-police-must-protect-life-and-property-in-city/|last=Divine|first=Mary|date=May 29, 2020|website=|publisher=[[St. Paul Pioneer Press]]|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref> |
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==Protests== |
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On May 29, Walz imposed a curfew for the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul that would run from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. on Friday, May 29 and Saturday, May 30.<ref>{{cite tweet|user=TheoKeith|number=1266476548321882114|date=May 29, 2020|title=BREAKING: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz imposes an 8 p.m.-6 a.m. curfew in Minneapolis and St. Paul for both Friday and Saturday nights as Minnesota tries to restore order in the state's two biggest cities.|access-date=May 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet|user=TheoKeith|number=1266476867055386626|date=May 29, 2020|title=Walz nighttime curfew: "No one may travel on Minneapolis and Saint Paul streets or public places, except for first responders, members of the media, people going back and forth to work, individuals seeking emergency care or fleeing danger, and people experiencing homelessness."|access-date=May 29, 2020}}</ref> Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey also issued a similar curfew.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://kttc.com/2020/05/29/minneapolis-mayor-imposes-curfew-for-friday-saturday/|title=Curfew to go into effect for Minneapolis-St. Paul starting at 8 p.m. on Friday|date=May 29, 2020|website=[[KTTC]]|access-date=May 29, 2020}}</ref> Derek Chauvin was charged with [[Third-degree murder#Minnesota|third-degree murder]] and [[Manslaughter (United States law)#Involuntary manslaughter|second-degree manslaughter]] on May 29.<ref>Under Minnesota law, third-degree murder is defined as causing another's death without intent to kill, but "evincing a depraved mind, without regard for human life". Second-degree manslaughter also does not imply lethal intent, but that the perpetrator created "an unreasonable risk" of serious harm or death. Chauvin was not charged with second- or first-degree murder, which stipulate that the perpetrator intended to kill the victim; the lawyer for Floyd's family called for a first-degree charge.</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=<!-- no author given--> | title=What charges is former officer Derek Chauvin facing in the death of George Floyd? | website=FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul | date=May 30, 2020 | url=https://www.fox9.com/news/what-charges-is-former-officer-derek-chauvin-facing-in-the-death-of-george-floyd | access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> Despite the announcement of the charges and the new curfew, riots broke out again on Friday night and well into early Saturday morning.<ref name=":5" /> Law enforcement presence was reportedly "undetectable", as violence in Minneapolis quickly expanded until just before midnight, when police officers, state troopers, and members of the National Guard began confronting rioters with tear gas and mass force.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|title='You need to go home,' Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says as new fires, looting hit Minneapolis|url=https://www.startribune.com/walz-this-is-about-chaos-as-new-fires-looting-hit-mpls/570882282/|website=Star Tribune|access-date=May 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530115556/https://www.startribune.com/walz-this-is-about-chaos-as-new-fires-looting-hit-mpls/570882282/|archive-date=May 30, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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[[File:Map of George Floyd protests worldwide.png|alt=World map showing sites of protests|link=[[Template:George Floyd protests map#/map/0]]|thumb|upright=1.9|Map of protests around the world with over 100 participants. Minneapolis-St. Paul is marked in red. [[Template:George Floyd protests map#/map/0|(click for a dynamic version of the map)]]]] |
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===In Minneapolis–Saint Paul=== |
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As of May 30, 2,500 officers were deployed and 50 people have been arrested in relation to the protests. [[U.S. President|President]] [[Donald Trump]] assured Walz of [[United States Armed Forces|military]] support if needed.<ref name=":2"><{{Cite web|title=A lynching without a rope has galvanized and divided America — and that's nothing new|url=https://www.salon.com/2020/05/30/a-lynching-without-a-rope--and-in-america-thats-nothing-new/|last=Truscott|first=Lucian K.|date=May 30, 2020|website=[[Salon (website)|Salon]]|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Romm|first1=Tony|last2=Chiu|first2=Allyson|date=May 29, 2020|title=Twitter flags Trump for 'glorifying violence' after he says Minneapolis looting will lead to 'shooting'|work=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/05/29/trump-minneapolis-twitter-protest/|url-status=live|access-date=May 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530015240/https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/05/29/trump-minneapolis-twitter-protest/|archive-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> Major General Jon Jensen of the Minnesota National Guard said that by May 31, over 1,700 National Guard soldiers could be deployed. This would be the largest national deployment in the state's history.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|title=Mass riots erupt in at least 20 US cities|url=https://www.news.com.au/world/breaking-news/us-protesters-torch-police-station/news-story/c192f51a394a71a485f81a43a49c4310|last=Ravindran|first=Manori|date=May 30, 2020|website=News.com.au|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> Jensen confirmed that 2,500 guards would be deployed by noon.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Minnesota will have 2,500 National Guard personnel deployed by noon today, official says|url=https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/george-floyd-protests-05-30-20/h_63b0bee1feb26157b0f14a0e05f8900a|date=May 30, 2020|website=CNN|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> The 4,100 troops of the Minnesota National Guard is scheduled to increase to 10,800 on May 31.<ref>{{Cite web|title='We're all in': Minnesota National Guard sending 10,800 troops to tackle protests|url=https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/george-floyd-protests-05-30-20/h_f42fc576cf6a1324cbc9b91ee8ff0cee|date=May 30, 2020|website=CNN|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=May 31, 2020}}</ref> |
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{{Main|George Floyd protests in Minneapolis–Saint Paul|George Floyd Square occupied protest}} |
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Organized protests began in [[Minneapolis]] on May 26, the day after George Floyd's murder and when a video of the incident had circulated widely in the media. By midday, people had gathered by the thousands and set up a makeshift memorial.<ref name="CNN (May 28, 2020)">{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/27/us/gallery/george-floyd-demonstrations/index.html | title = In pictures: Protesting the death of George Floyd | date = May 27, 2020 | access-date = May 27, 2020 | publisher = [[CNN]] | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528081222/https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/27/us/gallery/george-floyd-demonstrations/index.html | archive-date = May 28, 2020 | url-status = live }}</ref><ref name="KSTP_May26">{{cite news |title=Demonstrators gather around Minneapolis to protest death of George Floyd |url=https://kstp.com/news/protesters-block-minneapolis-intersection-near-site-of-mans-in-custody-death-george-floyd/5741748/ |access-date=May 26, 2020 |work=KSTP |date=May 26, 2020 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528193258/https://kstp.com/news/protesters-block-minneapolis-intersection-near-site-of-mans-in-custody-death-george-floyd/5741748/ |archive-date=May 28, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> Organizers of the rally emphasized keeping the protest peaceful.<ref name="ugly">{{cite news |last1=Wagner |first1=Jeff |title='It's Real Ugly': Protesters Clash With Minneapolis Police After George Floyd's Death |url=https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/05/26/hundreds-of-protesters-march-in-minneapolis-after-george-floyds-deadly-encounter-with-police/ |publisher=WCCO |date=June 18, 2020}}</ref> Protesters and Floyd's family demanded that all four officers at the scene of his arrest and killing be charged with [[murder]] and that judicial consequences be swift.<ref name="time">{{Cite magazine|url=https://time.com/5842687/george-floyd-killed-minneapolis-police/|title=Family and Friends Mourn Minneapolis Police Killing Victim George Floyd|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|access-date=May 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528184828/https://time.com/5842687/george-floyd-killed-minneapolis-police/|archive-date=May 28, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="KTSP_May27">{{cite news |last1=KTSP staff |title='This is the right call': Officers involved in fatal Minneapolis incident fired, mayor says |url=https://kstp.com/minnesota-news/minneapolis-police-george-floyd-death-/5741256/ |access-date=June 15, 2020 |publisher=KTSP |date=May 27, 2020 |archive-date=May 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528191850/https://kstp.com/minnesota-news/minneapolis-police-george-floyd-death-/5741256/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> That evening, the protest rally turned into a march to the [[Minneapolis Police Department]]'s third precinct station where the officers were believed to work. After the main protest group disbanded on the night of May 26, a much smaller group, numbering in the hundreds, spray-painted the building, threw rocks and bottles, broke a window at the station, and vandalized a squad car. A skirmish soon broke out between the vandals and protesters trying to stop them.<ref name="KSTP_May26" /><ref name="ugly" /><ref name="Caputo et al (June 30, 2020)">{{cite news |last1=Caputo |first1=Angela |last2=Craft |first2=Will |last3=Gilbert |first3=Curtis |date=June 30, 2020 |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/06/30/the-precinct-is-on-fire-what-happened-at-minneapolis-3rd-precinct-and-what-it-means |title='The precinct is on fire': What happened at Minneapolis' 3rd Precinct — and what it means |work=MPR News |access-date=July 1, 2020 }}</ref><ref name="Stockman (July 4, 2020)">{{cite news |last=Stockman |first=Farah |date=July 4, 2020 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/03/us/minneapolis-government-george-floyd.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200703221016/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/03/us/minneapolis-government-george-floyd.html |archive-date=2020-07-03 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title='They have lost control': How Minneapolis leaders failed to stop their city from burning |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] }}</ref> At around 8 p.m., police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at demonstrators, some of whom had thrown water bottles at police officers.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Kaul|first=Greta|date=June 1, 2020|title=Seven days in Minneapolis: a timeline of what we know about the death of George Floyd and its aftermath|work=MinnPost|url=https://www.minnpost.com/metro/2020/05/what-we-know-about-the-events-surrounding-george-floyds-death-and-its-aftermath-a-timeline/|access-date=January 21, 2021}}</ref> |
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Protests were held at several locations throughout the [[Minneapolis–Saint Paul]] metropolitan area in subsequent days. The situation escalated the nights of May 27 to 29 where widespread arson, rioting, and looting took place, which were noted as a contrast to daytime protests that were characterized as mostly peaceful events.<ref name="Stockman (July 4, 2020)" /> Some initial acts of property destruction on May 27 by a 32-year-old man with ties to [[white supremacist]] organizations, who local police investigators said was deliberately inciting racial tension, led to a chain reaction of fires and looting.<ref name="Jany, Libor (July 28, 2020)">{{cite news |last=Jany |first=Libor |date=July 28, 2020 |url=https://www.startribune.com/police-umbrella-man-was-a-white-supremacist-trying-to-incite-george-floyd-rioting/571932272/ |title=Police: 'Umbrella Man' was a white supremacist trying to incite George Floyd rioting |work=[[Star Tribune]] |access-date=July 28, 2020 }}</ref> The unrest, including people overtaking the Minneapolis third precinct police station and setting it on fire the night of May 28, garnered significant national and international media attention.<ref name="Caputo et al (June 30, 2020)"/><ref name="Mannix-2020"/> After state officials mobilized [[Minnesota National Guard]] troops in its largest deployment since [[World War II]],<ref name="Bakst, Brian (July 10, 2020)">{{cite news |last=Bakst |first=Brian |date=July 10, 2020 |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/07/10/guard-mobilized-quickly-adjusted-on-fly-for-floyd-unrest |title=Guard mobilized quickly, adjusted on fly for Floyd unrest |work=MPR News |access-date=July 10, 2020 }}</ref><ref name="KSTP_June17" >{{cite news |last1=Doran |first1=Kevin |title=How the Minnesota National Guard connected with protesters during the George Floyd demonstrations |url=https://kstp.com/news/how-the-minnesota-national-guard-connected-with-protesters-during-the-george-floyd-demonstrations/5757579/ |access-date=June 17, 2020 |publisher=KSTP |date=June 11, 2020}}</ref> the violent unrest subsided and mostly peaceful protests resumed.<ref name="Caputo et al (June 30, 2020)" /> However, the violence by early June 2020 had resulted in two deaths,<ref name="Furst 2020">{{cite news |url=https://www.startribune.com/mystery-remains-over-death-outside-pawn-shop-during-mpls-unrest/571426662/ |date=June 23, 2020 |first1=Randy |last1=Furst |first2=Greg |last2=Stanley |title=Mystery remains weeks after a pawnshop owner fatally shot a man during Minneapolis unrest |work=[[Star Tribune]] }}</ref><ref name="Jany, Libor (July 20, 2020)">{{cite news |last=Jany |first=Libor |date=July 20, 2020 |url=https://www.startribune.com/body-found-in-wreckage-of-mpls-pawn-shop-burned-during-george-floyd-unrest/571838681/ |title=Authorities: Body found in wreckage of S. Minneapolis pawn shop burned during George Floyd unrest |work=[[Star Tribune]] |access-date=July 20, 2020 }}</ref> 604 arrests,<ref name="604 arrested">{{Cite web|last=Pham|first=Scott|date=June 2, 2020|title=Police Arrested More Than 11,000 People At Protests Across The US|url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/scottpham/floyd-protests-number-of-police-arrests|website=[[Buzzfeed News]]}}</ref><ref name="Lurie, Julia (July 15, 2020)">{{cite news |last=Lurie |first=Julia |date=July 15, 2020 |url=https://www.motherjones.com/crime-justice/2020/07/weeks-later-500-people-still-face-charges-for-peacefully-protesting-in-minneapolis/ |title=Weeks Later, 500 People Still Face Charges for Peacefully Protesting in Minneapolis |work=[[Mother Jones (magazine)|Mother Jones]] |access-date= July 17, 2020 }}</ref> an estimated $550 million<ref name="St. Anthony-2021" /> in property damage to 1,500 locations, making the Minneapolis–Saint Paul events alone the second-most destructive period of local unrest in United States history, after the [[1992 Los Angeles riots]].<ref name="STrib_June14">{{Cite web|title=For riot-damaged Twin Cities businesses, rebuilding begins with donations, pressure on government|url=https://www.startribune.com/twin-cities-rebuilding-begins-with-donations-pressure-on-government/571075592/|access-date=June 14, 2020|website=[[Star Tribune]]|date=June 7, 2020 }}</ref><ref name="damage by June19">{{Cite news|title=Buildings damaged in Minneapolis, St. Paul after riots|url=https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-st-paul-buildings-are-damaged-looted-after-george-floyd-protests-riots/569930671/|last1=Penrod|first1=Josh|date=June 19, 2020|work=[[Star Tribune]]|last2=Sinner|first2=C.J.|last3=Webster|first3=MaryJo}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Braxton |first=Grey |date=June 16, 2020 |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2020-06-16/george-floyd-black-lives-matter-la-riots-1992-documentaries |title=They documented the '92 L.A. uprising. Here's how the George Floyd movement compares |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=July 6, 2020 }}</ref><ref name="Lurie, Julia (July 15, 2020)" /> About 60% of the local financial losses were uninsured.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Du |first=Susan |date=2020-05-21 |title=A better Lake Street? A daring hope for riot-torn corridor |work=[[Star Tribune]] |url=https://www.startribune.com/lake-street-fights-on-minneapolis-george-floyd-riot/600174854/ |access-date=2020-05-21}}</ref> |
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== Protests elsewhere == |
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{{main|List of George Floyd protests}} |
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{{George Floyd protests map}} |
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In Minneapolis, protesters barricaded the street intersection at East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue where Floyd was murdered and transformed it into a makeshift memorial site, which was adorned with [[public art]] installments and described as like a "[[shrine]]". Thousands of visitors protested and grieved at the site.<ref name="Walsh-2020">{{cite news|last1=Walsh|first1=James|date=June 12, 2020|title=Shrine to George Floyd could be permanent at Minneapolis intersection|publisher=[[Star Tribune]]|url=https://www.startribune.com/shrine-to-george-floyd-could-be-permanent-at-38th-and-chicago/571211342/}}</ref><ref name="Nguyen-2020">{{Cite news|last1=Nguyen|first1=Christine T.|last2=Burks|first2=Megan|last3=Frost|first3=Evan|date=December 2, 2020|title=Making George Floyd's Square: Meet the people transforming 38th and Chicago|work=[[Minnesota Public Radio]]|url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/12/02/making-george-floyds-square|access-date=January 25, 2021}}</ref> When Minneapolis city officials attempted to negotiate the re-opening of the intersection in August 2020, protesters demanded that before removing cement barricades the city meet a list of 24 demands,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Al-Arshani|first=Sarah|title=Protesters in Minneapolis say they won't clear barricades around the George Floyd Memorial until the city leaders meet their 24 demands|url=https://www.insider.com/protesters-say-demands-met-before-removal-barricades-floyd-memorial-2020-8|access-date=November 25, 2020|website=[[Business Insider]]}}</ref> which included holding the trial for the four officers present during Floyd's murder.<ref>{{Cite news|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|first=|date=August 11, 2020|title=Protesters Call For Minneapolis Leaders To Meet Demands Before Clearing Barricades Around George Floyd Memorial|work=WCCO|url=https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/08/11/protesters-demand-minneapolis-leaders-meet-demands-before-clearing-barricades/|access-date=January 25, 2021}}</ref> |
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There were simultaneous protests in hundreds of cities in the United States and internationally, with demonstrators supporting those seeking justice for Floyd and the [[Black Lives Matter]] movement, and speaking out against police brutality. Cities with major protests included [[Atlanta]], [[Boston]], [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]], [[Denver]], [[Los Angeles]], [[New York City]], [[Miami, Florida|Miami]], [[Philadelphia]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]], [[Pittsburgh]], [[Richmond, Virginia]], [[Salt Lake City, Utah|Salt Lake City]], [[Seattle]], and [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref>https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/they-smashed-everything-surveillance-footage-shows-destructive-looting-of-boston-stores/2135393/</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/george-floyd-protest-updates-05-28-20/h_e04cb48586e847146dddc94fd58ff62d |title=These are the US cities where George Floyd protests have happened |first1=Melissa |last1=Macaya |first2=Mike |last2=Hayes |first3=Fernando |last3=Alfonso III |first4=Daniella |last4=Diaz |first5=Jessie |last5=Yeung |first6=Steve |last6=George |first7=Ivana |last7=Kottasová |first8=Nick |last8=Thompson |date=May 28, 2020 |website=CNN |access-date=May 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529142133/https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/george-floyd-protest-updates-05-28-20/h_e04cb48586e847146dddc94fd58ff62d |archive-date=May 29, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/demonstrators-clash-with-atlanta-police-in-violent-protest-against-death-of-george-floyd|title=Demonstrators clash with Atlanta police in violent protest against death of George Floyd|date=May 29, 2020|website=FOX 5 Atlanta}}</ref><ref name="charlotte.observer">{{Cite news|last1=Zhou|first1=Amanda|last2=Clasen-Kelly|first2=Fred|last3=Lindstrom|first3=Lauren|last4=Kuznitz|first4=Alison|date=May 29, 2020|title=Charlotte protest of George Floyd's death turns destructive|work=The Charolotte Observer|url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article243091021.html|url-status=live|access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref><ref name="kdka">{{cite news |title=Store Windows Broken, Police Cruisers Set On Fire, As Downtown Pittsburgh Protest Over The Death Of George Floyd Turns Violent |url=https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2020/05/30/violent-george-floyd-protest/ |accessdate=June 1, 2020 |agency=CBS Pittsburgh |date=May 30, 2020}}</ref><ref name="phillycbs">{{Cite web|title=Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney Implements Mandatory Curfew As George Floyd Protests Turn Violent|url=https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2020/05/30/philadelphia-mandatory-curfew-george-floyd-protests-turn-violent/|date=May 30, 2020|language=en-US|access-date=May 31, 2020}}</ref><ref name=Kesslen/> The bulk of these protests were peaceful, but many of them turned violent as the violence in the Twin Cities riots increased and police response escalated. |
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On September 11, 2020, hundreds rallied outside a downtown Minneapolis court building where a pretrial hearing was held for the four police officers involved in Floyd's murder.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Lauritsen|first=John|date=September 11, 2020|title='I Believe In Justice': Hundreds Of Protesters Gather Outside George Floyd Pretrial Hearing|work=WCCO|url=https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/09/11/hundreds-of-protesters-stage-die-in-outside-hearing-in-george-floyds-death/|access-date=September 11, 2020}}</ref> On October 7, 2020, several protests were held in [[Minneapolis]] to express anger over Chauvin's release from jail pending trial after he posted bond for his $1 million [[bail]]. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz deployed 100 National Guards troops, 100 Minnesota state police troops, and 75 conservation officers.<ref>{{Cite web |first1=Eliott C. |last1=McLaughlin |first2=Brad |last2=Parks|title=Protesters take to streets following release on bond of former officer charged in George Floyd's killing|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/07/us/derek-chauvin-george-floyd-bail/index.html|access-date=October 23, 2020|website=[[CNN]]|date=October 7, 2020 }}</ref> Fifty-one arrests were reported that night, mostly for misdemeanor offenses, such as unlawful assembly.<ref>{{Cite web|title=More than 50 protesters arrested during faceoff with law enforcement in Minneapolis after Derek Chauvin release|url=https://www.startribune.com/51-arrested-near-fifth-precinct-hq-after-protesting-chauvin-release/572670582/|access-date=October 23, 2020|website=[[Star Tribune]]|date=October 8, 2020 }}</ref> |
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Outside the United States, early protests against the killing of George Floyd, anti-black racism and police brutality also took place, notably in [[Berlin]], [[Copenhagen]], [[London]], [[Paris]], [[Perth]], [[Toronto]], and [[Vancouver]].<ref name="intlprotests">{{Cite web|title=Thousands around the world protest George Floyd's death in global display of solidarity|first1=Zamira|last1=Rahim|first2=Rob|last2=Picheta|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/01/world/george-floyd-global-protests-intl/index.html|date=June 1, 2020|website=CNN|language=en-US|access-date=June 2, 2020}}</ref> |
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In early 2021, Minneapolis and [[Hennepin County, Minnesota|Hennepin County]] officials spent $1 million on fencing and other barricades for police stations and other government buildings to prepare for potential civil unrest during the [[State v. Chauvin|trial of Derek Chauvin]] in March. State and local officials also made plans to deploy thousands of police officers and National Guard soldiers.<ref name="Navratil-2021">{{Cite news|last=Navratil|first=Liz|date=March 4, 2021|title=Minneapolis, Hennepin County to spend more than $1M on barricades ahead of Derek Chauvin trial|work=[[Star Tribune]]|url=https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-hennepin-county-to-spend-more-than-1m-on-barricades-ahead-of-derek-chauvin-trial/600030286/|access-date=March 4, 2021}}</ref> In early March, in the days preceding Chauvin's trial, local organizers staged peaceful protests<ref name="Xiong-2021">{{Cite news|last=Xiong|first=Chao|date=March 8, 2021|title=World watches as Chauvin trial begins in George Floyd killing|work=[[Star Tribune]]|url=https://www.startribune.com/world-watches-as-chauvin-trial-begins-in-george-floyd-killing/600031606/|access-date=March 8, 2021}}</ref> with thousands of people marching in the streets.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Falconer|first=Rebecca|date=March 8, 2021|title=In photos: Minnesota protesters rally for George Floyd on eve of Derek Chauvin's trial|url=https://www.axios.com/chauvin-trial-protesters-rally-george-floyd-photos-351fa4d3-b522-4c32-8011-c3f4fa7efe94.html|access-date=May 21, 2021|website=[[Axios (website)|Axios]]|language=en}}</ref> The situation at George Floyd Square in Minneapolis grew tense when a person was fatally shot inside the protester-held "autonomous zone" during an altercation on March 6, 2021.<ref name="Xiong-2021" /><ref>{{Cite news|last=Brown|first=Kyle|date=March 6, 2021|title=Shooting kills 1 near George Floyd memorial|work=KTSP|url=https://kstp.com/news/shooting-kills-1-near-george-floyd-memorial/6033788/?cat=1|access-date=March 6, 2021|archive-date=March 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307022056/https://kstp.com/news/shooting-kills-1-near-george-floyd-memorial/6033788/?cat=1&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter_KSTP|url-status=dead}}</ref> In March and April 2021, groups of protesters gathered at George Floyd Square and outside [[Hennepin County Government Center]] in Minneapolis during Chauvin's trial,<ref name="Martinez-2021">{{Cite news|last1=Martínez|first1=Andrés R.|last2=Arango|first2=Tim|date=March 29, 2021|title=First Witnesses in Derek Chauvin Trial Testify About George Floyd's Death|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/03/29/us/derek-chauvin-trial-live|access-date=April 2, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> but the streets of Minneapolis were largely empty of mass demonstrations like those in late May and early June 2020.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Hughes|first=Trevor|date=April 4, 2021|title='No justice, no streets': Still grieving, Minneapolis residents wonder how city will move forward after Derek Chauvin trial|work=[[USA Today]]|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/04/04/derek-chauvin-trial-minneapolis-reckons-george-floyds-death/4848181001/|access-date=April 5, 2021}}</ref> |
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==Activation of military== |
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[[File: |
[[File:05 18 21 George Floyd Square (51191852173).jpg|thumb|A sign at the [[George Floyd Square]] occupied protest, May 18, 2021]] |
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In April 2021, 3,000 National Guard troops and law enforcement officers were called from neighboring states in preparation for potential unrest over the outcome of the Derek Chauvin trial. On April 20, 2021, Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering George Floyd. By then, Floyd's murder had resulted in one of the largest civil rights protest movements in recent decades, and the Minneapolis–Saint Paul region had experienced a prolonged series of protests and intermittent unrest over issues of police brutality and racial injustice.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Plambeck|first=Sean|date=April 20, 2021|title=Derek Chauvin Trial Live Updates: Chauvin Found Guilty of Murdering George Floyd|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/04/20/us/derek-chauvin-verdict-george-floyd|access-date=April 20, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Dernbach |first1=Becky Z. |last2=Peters |first2=Joey |last3=Ansari |first3=Hibah |last4=Hazard |first4=Andrews |date=April 20, 2021 |title=For George Floyd, justice. For Minneapolis, a long-delayed reckoning with racism and police violence|work=Sahan Journal |url=https://sahanjournal.com/the-killing-of-george-floyd/derek-chauvin-trial-verdict/ |access-date=April 20, 2021}}</ref> As news of the Chauvin's guilty verdict spread on April 20, 2021, a crowd of one-thousand people marched in downtown Minneapolis and others gathered at 38th and Chicago Avenue to celebrate the outcome.<ref name="Mannix-2021">{{Cite news|last=Mannix|first=Andy|date=April 20, 2021|title=Minneapolis streets erupt in elation over guilty verdicts for Derek Chauvin|work=[[Star Tribune]]|url=https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-streets-erupt-in-elation-over-guilty-verdicts-for-derek-chauvin/600048215/|access-date=April 20, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Nelson-2021"/> Demonstrations in Minneapolis during Chauvin's criminal trial and verdict announcement were largely peaceful.<ref name="Barrett-2022">{{Cite news|last=Barrett|first=Joe|date=January 3, 2022|title=Minneapolis Area Prepares for Another Trial Over George Floyd's Killing|language=en-US|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/twin-cities-george-floyd-trial-11641161583|access-date=January 13, 2022|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> |
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As of June 2, governors in 23 states and Washington, D.C. had called in the [[United States National Guard|National Guard]] to respond to the protests. Over 17,000 troops have been activated.<ref name="BrowneCNN">{{cite news |last1=Browne |first1=Ryan |last2=Lee |first2=Alicia |last3=Rigdon |first3=Renee |title=There are as many National Guard members activated in the US as there are active duty troops in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/01/us/national-guard-protests-states-map-trnd/index.html |accessdate=2 June 2020 |work=CNN}}</ref> |
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Following Chauvin's verdict, many activists in Minneapolis did not perceive that "Justice for Floyd" was final as J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao still awaited trial, and issues of systemic racism and police reform had not been addressed satisfactorily.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Iati|first1=Marisa|last2=Foster-Frau|first2=Silvia|last3=Bellware|first3=Kim|date=April 25, 2021|title=After the Chauvin verdict, Minneapolis activists fuel up and prepare for the long fight ahead|language=en-US|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/04/25/chauvin-minneapolis-activists-fight-continues/|access-date=May 17, 2021|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> [[George Floyd Square]] occupation protest organizers, who had transformed the street intersection where Floyd was murdered into an "autonomous zone" adorned with public art, said they would continue to protest.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ismail|first=Aymann|date=April 21, 2021|title=A Few Feet From Where George Floyd Died, the Verdict Hit Different|url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/04/george-floyd-verdict-minneapolis-square-reaction.html|access-date=April 22, 2021|website=Slate Magazine|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Nelson-2021">{{Cite web|last1=Nelson |first1=Tim |last2=Frost |first2=Evan |last3=Burks |first3=Megan |date=April 20, 2021 |title=Photos: Crowds cheer, celebrate after Chauvin convicted of murder and manslaughter|url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2021/04/20/photos-crowds-cheer-celebrate-after-chauvin-convicted-of-murder-manslaughter |access-date=April 22, 2021 |website=MPR News }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Oursler |first1=Alyssa |last2=DalCortivo |first2=Anna |date=April 20, 2021 |title=Chauvin Trial Verdict: All Roads Lead to 38th & Chicago|journal=[[The Nation]]|language=en-US|url=https://www.thenation.com/article/society/chauvin-trial-verdict-report/|access-date=April 22, 2021|issn=0027-8378}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Washington|first=Jesse|date=April 19, 2021|title=At George Floyd Square, the work continues regardless of a verdict|url=https://andscape.com/features/at-george-floyd-plaza-the-work-continues-regardless-of-a-verdict/|access-date=April 22, 2021|website=[[Andscape]]|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Betz|first=Bradford|date=April 21, 2021|title=Minneapolis' George Floyd Square features special instructions for White people|url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/minneapolis-george-floyd-square-special-instructions-white-people|access-date=April 22, 2021|website=[[Fox News]]|language=en-US}}</ref> Activists changed a marquee that had counted down the days to Chauvin's trial to read, "Justice served?", and chanted, "One down! Three to go!", in reference to the looming trials of officers of the other three officers who participated in Floyd's arrest and subsequent murder.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Ismail|first=Aymann|date=April 20, 2021|title=When the Verdict Came Down|work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/04/george-floyd-verdict-minneapolis-square-reaction.html|access-date=April 20, 2021}}</ref> The street intersection area had been a "continuous site of protest" since the day Floyd was murdered,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Hendricks|first=Trisha|date=April 25, 2021|title=ASU professor creates 'George Floyd Square' documentary|work=12 News KPNX.|url=https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/valley/asu-professor-creates-george-floyd-square-documentary/75-065b08aa-b496-4c95-aecb-a1138652cb88|access-date=May 19, 2021}}</ref> and at nearly a year after his murder, thousands of people from multiple countries had visited the active,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Buncombe|first=Andrew|date=May 7, 2021|title=What will happen to the George Floyd memorial – and all the others of Black men killed by Minneapolis police?|work=[[The Independent]]|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/george-floyd-memorial-what-will-happen-b1843458.html|access-date=May 19, 2021}}</ref> ongoing<ref name="Walsh-2021">{{Cite news|last=Walsh|first=Paul|date=May 18, 2021|title=Celebration of life planned at George Floyd Square to mark year since he was killed by Minneapolis police|work=[[Star Tribune]]|url=https://www.startribune.com/celebration-of-life-planned-at-george-floyd-square-to-mark-year-since-he-was-killed-by-minneapolis-p/600058500/|access-date=May 18, 2021}}</ref> protest and memorial site there.<ref name="Walsh-2021" /> |
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During an address on Monday, June 1, Trump threatened to deploy the [[United States Armed Forces|U.S. military]] in response to the unrest: "If a city or state refuses to take the actions necessary to defend the life and property of their residents, then I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them".<ref name="Wilkie">{{cite news |last1=Wilkie |first1=Christina |last2=Macias |first2=Amanda |title=Trump threatens to deploy military as George Floyd protests continue to shake the U.S. |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/01/trump-threatens-to-deploy-military-as-george-floyd-protests-continue-to-shake-the-us.html |accessdate=2 June 2020 |work=CNBC |date=1 June 2020 |language=en}}</ref> This would require invoking the [[Insurrection Act of 1807]]<ref name="Wilkie"/>, which was last invoked to quell the [[1992 Los Angeles riots]] on May 1st, 1992 by {{cite wikisource|title=Executive Order 12804|last=|first=|year=|publisher=|page=|wspage=|scan=}} |
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People gathered at multiple locations in Minneapolis for the announcement of Chauvin's sentencing on June 25, 2021, when he received a 22.5-year prison term. Family and civil rights activists expressed disappointment and said it should have been for the 30-year maximum, and they advocated for passage of the federal [[George Floyd Justice in Policing Act]] legislation. Several demonstrations were held in Minneapolis the evening of June 25. Civil rights activists and protesters noted the forthcoming civil rights case against the four police officers at the scene of Floyd's murder, and the criminal case against former officers Kueng, Lane, and Thao scheduled for March 2022.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Champan|first=Reg|date=June 25, 2021|title='Happy, But Also Not Happy': Community Reaction Mixed After Chauvin Sentencing|work=[[WCCO-TV]]|url=https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2021/06/25/im-happy-but-also-not-happy-mixed-reaction-from-community-after-derek-chauvins-sentencing/|access-date=June 25, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Lick|first=Val|date=June 25, 2021|title='A slap on the wrist', George Floyd's family reacts to Derek Chauvin sentencing|work=[[KARE-TV]]|url=https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/george-floyd-family-reacts-to-derek-chauvin-sentencing-minneapolis/89-3588b1c6-f78b-4a5e-b69d-f9d0c2dfa2a2|access-date=June 25, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Norfleet|first1=Nicole|last2=Forgrave|first2=Reid|date=June 26, 2021|title=Derek Chauvin's sentencing sparks relief but also resolve to keep fighting injustice|work=[[Star Tribune]]|url=https://www.startribune.com/derek-chauvin-s-sentencing-sparks-relief-but-also-resolve-to-keep-fighting-injustice/600072205/|access-date=June 26, 2021}}</ref> |
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Also on June 1, Arkansas senator [[Tom Cotton]] pushed for the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]]'s [[101st Airborne Division]] to be deployed to quell the unrest, calling protestors "[[Antifa (United States)|Antifa]] terrorists".<ref name="Relman">{{cite news |last1=Relman |first1=Eliza |title=GOP Sen. Tom Cotton calls for the US Army's toughest soldiers to quell 'domestic terrorism' and suggests protesters should be shown no mercy |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/gops-tom-cotton-calls-for-military-force-against-anarchist-protesters-2020-6 |accessdate=2 June 2020 |work=Business Insider |date=1 June 2020}}</ref> |
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Though the City of Minneapolis began the process of reopening the street intersection at George Floyd Square to vehicular traffic in June 2021, organizers of the protest movement rooted there still considered their presence an "occupation" and "resistance".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Winter|first=Deena|date=July 22, 2021|title=Quietly, gradually, George Floyd Square is open to traffic for the first time since his murder|work=[[Minnesota Reformer]]|url=https://minnesotareformer.com/2021/07/22/quietly-gradually-george-floyd-square-is-open-to-traffic-for-the-first-time-since-his-murder/|access-date=July 22, 2021}}</ref> The square hosted a celebration of life for Floyd on October 14, 2021.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Jones|first=Justine|date=October 13, 2021|title=A Celebration of Life at George Floyd Square|work=Mpls.St.Paul Magazine|url=https://mspmag.com/arts-and-culture/a-celebration-of-life-at-george-floyd-square/|access-date=October 13, 2021}}</ref> By December 23, 2021, the occupied protest had persisted at George Floyd Square for 19 consecutive months.<ref name="Noma-2022">{{Cite news|last=Noma|first=Shosuke|date=January 5, 2022|title=Kim Potter found guilty of first and second-degree manslaughter|work=The Mac Weekly|url=https://themacweekly.com/80561/news/kim-potter-found-guilty-of-first-and-second-degree-manslaughter/|access-date=January 5, 2022}}</ref> Activists in Minneapolis had vowed to continue protesting until the outcome of the criminal case of all involved officers at the scene of Floyd's murder. The criminal trial was scheduled to begin on June 13, 2022.<ref>{{Cite news|date=January 19, 2022|title=State Trial Moved To June For 3 Fmr. MPD Officers Charged In George Floyd's Death|work=[[WCCO-TV]]|url=https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2022/01/19/state-trial-moved-to-june-for-3-fmr-mpd-officers-charged-in-george-floyds-death/|access-date=January 19, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Yancey-Bragg|first=N'dea|date=June 25, 2021|title=At George Floyd Square, Derek Chauvin's sentencing is 'first step' toward police accountability|work=[[USA Today]]|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/06/25/chauvin-sentencing-george-floyd-square-mixed-emotions/5344967001/|access-date=June 25, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Xiong|first=Chao|date=May 13, 2021|title=State trial postponed to March 2022 for ex-officers charged with aiding and abetting murder in George Floyd death|work=[[Star Tribune]]|url=https://www.startribune.com/state-trial-postponed-to-march-2022-for-ex-officers-charged-with-aiding-and-abetting-murder-in-georg/600056791/|access-date=May 13, 2021}}</ref> |
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==Deaths== |
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As of June 1, 2020, several deaths have been linked to the George Floyd demonstrations by investigators or noted for their proximity to demonstrations. |
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* On May 27 in [[Minneapolis]], Calvin Horton Jr. died after being fatally shot during a protest. A local shopowner was arrested, and police sources indicated that the suspect had blamed Horton for the looting of his store.<ref name="Death1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.startribune.com/man-shot-dead-outside-lake-street-pawnshop-during-unrest-is-identified/570865962/|title=Man shot dead outside Lake Street pawnshop during unrest is identified|website=Star Tribune}}</ref> |
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* On May 30 in [[St. Louis]], a man died after being run over by a [[FedEx]] truck trailer that, according to police, was fleeing from a mob.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Man dragged by FedEx truck dies during night of George Floyd protests in St. Louis|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/man-dragged-by-fedex-truck-dies-during-night-of-george-floyd-protests-in-st-louis|last=Sanders|first=Nicole|date=May 31, 2020|website=The Mercury News|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref> |
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* On May 30 in [[Omaha]], 22-year-old protester [[Shooting of James Scurlock|James Scurlock]] was fatally shot outside of a bar.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|title=Omaha Police investigate Saturday night shooting death of protester|url=https://www.3newsnow.com/news/local-news/omaha-police-investigate-saturday-night-shooting-death-of-protester|last=Meadows|first=Danielle|date=May 31, 2020|website=3 News Now KMTV|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=May 31, 2020}}</ref> The shooter was the owner of the bar, who had a scuffle with a group of protesters and ended up firing several shots, one of which struck Scurlock in the clavicle, killing him.<ref name=":4" /> Two days later, it was announced by authorities that there will be no charges for the bar's owner and that he had opened fire in self-defense.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/george-floyd-protests-06-01-20/index.html|title=Live updates: George Floyd protests across America|author1=Jessie Yeung|author2=Steve George|author3=Nick Thompson|author4=Melissa Macaya|author5=Meg Wagner|author6= Mike Hayes|author7=Daniella Diaz|date=June 1, 2020|website=CNN}}</ref> |
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* On June 1 in [[Louisville]], local restaurateur [[Shooting of David McAtee|David McAtee]] was killed when the [[Louisville Metro Police Department|Louisville Metro Police]] and the [[Kentucky National Guard]] opened fire on a crowd of protesters. These authorities alleged that they returned fire after shots were fired at them. According to the victim's sister, the gathering was not a protest but rather a regularly scheduled social gathering at which McAtee served food from his barbecue restaurant.<ref name="WAVE3_1">{{cite news |last1=Wise |first1=John P. |title=Man shot dead at 26th and Broadway identified |url=https://www.wave3.com/2020/06/01/man-shot-dead-th-broadway-identified/ |accessdate=June 1, 2020 |work=WAVE3 News |date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> An investigation of the killing is ongoing.<ref name="CNN Kentucky man dead">{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/george-floyd-protests-06-01-20/h_8551077f7c15d238735f04f508d138fe|title=Man dead in Kentucky after authorities fired at crowd as they cleared parking lot|website=[[CNN]]|last1=Burnside|first1=Tina|last2=Henderson|first2=Jennifer|date=June 1, 2020|accessdate=June 1, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=One dead in Louisville after police and National Guard 'return fire' on crowd|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/one-dead-louisville-after-police-national-guard-return-fire-protesters-n1220831|website=NBC News|language=en|access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> LMPD Chief Steve Conrad was fired later that day, as officers and troops involved in the shooting did not wear or failed to activate body cameras.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Louisville-mayor-fires-police-chief-570930851.html|title=Louisville mayor fires police chief|first=John P.|last=Wise|website=www.wkyt.com}}</ref> |
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*On June 1 in [[Davenport, Iowa]], two people were fatally shot on a night with significant rioting. One police officer was also wounded in a shooting.<ref name="auto3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2020/06/01/davenport-iowa-rioting-two-people-shot-dead-police-officers-ambushed/5306484002/|title=2 people dead after rioting in Davenport; police officer shot after being 'ambushed'|first=Philip|last=Joens|website=Des Moines Register}}</ref> |
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* On June 1 in [[Cicero, Illinois]] (a suburb of Chicago), two people were killed following an "afternoon of unrest"; this was confirmed by Cicero Police.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=George Floyd fallout: 2 killed as unrest erupts in Cicero; Pritzker deploys National Guard to suburbs; 7 counties declared a disaster zone; CTA again suspends service |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-george-floyd-chicago-protests-20200601-mrgv3rsz3fgztlu5lyrsyuolr4-story.html |work=Chicago Tribune |location=Chicago, Illinois |date=June 2, 2020 |access-date=June 2, 2020 }}</ref> According to ''[[Al Jazeera English]]'', "additional information about those killed or the circumstances of their deaths" was not provided.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Two killed in Chicago suburb as Trump threatens military force—Al Jazeera Live |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/06/george-floyd-america-pain-weekend-rallies-grip-live-200601132229392.html |work=Al Jazeera English |location=Doha, Qatar |date=June 2, 2020 |access-date=June 2, 2020 }}</ref> |
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* On June 1 in [[Las Vegas]], police shot and killed an armed man wearing body armor. The man was walking among protesters as a demonstration was coming to an end and reached for his weapon when he was shot.<ref>[https://www.rgj.com/story/news/2020/06/01/las-vegas-protest-george-floyd-black-lives-matter-protesters-trump-tower/5312668002/ LIVE: 2 shootings reported in Las Vegas after protests: Victims are a police officer, man]</ref> |
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In early 2022, local officials prepared counter-protest measures and for potential unrest ahead of the January 20 schedule start of the federal civil rights trial of Kueng, Lane, and Thao. Officials erected security fencing around the Warren E. Burger Federal Building in Saint Paul, Minnesota, that contained the courtroom for the trial.<ref name="Galioto-2021">{{Cite news|last=Galioto|first=Katie|date=December 4, 2021|title=St. Paul to host federal civil rights trial for ex-Minneapolis cops in Floyd's death|work=[[Star Tribune]]|url=https://www.startribune.com/george-floyd-case-st-paul-court-federal-civil-rights-trial-for-ex-minneapolis-cops/600123865/|access-date=December 4, 2021}}</ref><ref name="KSTP-TV-2022">{{Cite news|date=January 4, 2022|title=Fence erected around St. Paul federal courthouse ahead of former Minneapolis officers' trial|work=[[KSTP-TV]]|url=https://kstp.com/minnesota-news/fence-erected-around-st-paul-federal-courthouse-ahead-of-former-minneapolis-officers-trial/6348924/|access-date=January 4, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=January 6, 2022|title=3 other cops in George Floyd death to stand trial this month|work=[[Star Tribune]]|url=https://www.startribune.com/3-other-cops-george-floyd-death-trial-january/600133262/|access-date=January 6, 2022|archive-date=January 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107151009/https://www.startribune.com/3-other-cops-george-floyd-death-trial-january/600133262/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Barrett-2022" /> Protest demonstrations were held in the streets surrounding the courtroom building during the trial.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Arango|first=Tim|date=January 24, 2022|title=Trial Starts for 3 Officers in George Floyd's Death|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/01/24/us/police-officers-trial-george-floyd|access-date=January 25, 2022|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Ajasa|first=Amudalat|date=January 24, 2022|title=Trial begins of three ex-police officers present at George Floyd murder|work=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jan/24/trial-george-floyd-murder-minneapolis-three-ex-police-officers|access-date=January 24, 2022}}</ref> On February 24, 2022, Kueng, Lane, and Thao were convicted on all federal civil rights charges they faced at trial. A small group of protesters gathered outside the court building in Saint Paul and at the location in Minneapolis where Floyd was murdered while the verdict was read.<ref name="CNBC-2022">{{Cite news|date=February 24, 2022|title=3 ex-cops convicted of rights violations in George Floyd killing|work=[[CNBC]]|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/24/3-ex-cops-convicted-of-civil-rights-violations-in-george-floyd-killing-.html|access-date=February 24, 2022}}</ref> |
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Four more deaths, including of a police officer, were reported on during the protests, but investigations were ongoing into whether those deaths were related to the unrest.<ref>[https://apnews.com/864cb5c14ba08b4411a16577042d0773 Death toll grows in national protests]</ref> |
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George Floyd Square in Minneapolis continued to be a place of protest for over two years after Floyd's murder,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Onile-Ere |first=Bisi |date=2022-10-21 |title=Minneapolis asks for public's help to 're-envison' George Floyd Square |work=[[KMSP-TV]] |url=https://www.fox9.com/news/george-floyd-square-38th-chicago-minneapolis-plan |access-date=2023-01-17}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-12-09 |title=Minneapolis to buy gas station at site of Floyd's murder |work=[[KARE-TV]] |url=https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/minneapolis-to-buy-gas-station-at-site-of-floyds-murder/89-3d3ce7a4-bcd9-44df-847f-84bfc6106620 |access-date=2023-01-17}}</ref> with the movement there persisting into 2023.<ref name="Pan-2023a">{{Cite news |last=Pan |first=H. Jiahong |date=2023-01-05 |title=New year, new George Floyd Square? |url=https://spokesman-recorder.com/2023/01/05/new-year-new-george-floyd-square/ |access-date=2023-01-24 |work=[[Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder]]}}</ref> On May 2, 2023, Tou Thao was found guilty of aiding and abetting manslaughter, which marked the conclusion of all state and federal court cases for the four Minneapolis police officers. Thao's conviction signaled that a key demand of the George Floyd Square's Justice Resolution 001 had been met, that all four police officers be held legally accountable for murdering George Floyd.<ref name="Pan-2023" /><ref name="Hyatt-2023" /> By the forth anniversary of Floyd's murder in 2024, the streetway remained a continued place of protest.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=May 25, 2024 |title='No Justice, No Streets': 4 years after murder, George Floyd Square stands in protest |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/05/25/no-justice-no-streets-4-years-after-murder-george-floyd-square-stands-in-protest |access-date=June 1, 2024 |work=[[Minnesota Public Radio]]}}</ref> |
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===Elsewhere in the United States=== |
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{{Main|List of George Floyd protests in the United States}} |
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==== 2020 ==== |
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[[File:Reported George Floyd protest arrests as of June 6, 2020.svg|thumb|upright=2|George Floyd protest arrests reported to the [[United States Department of Justice|DOJ]] or [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] as of June 6, 2020]] |
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Protests outside the Minneapolis area were first reported on May 27 in [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]] and [[Los Angeles]]. By May 28, protests had sprung up in several major U.S. cities with demonstrations increasing each day.<ref name="usatime2">{{cite web |last1=Sergent |first1=Jim |last2=Loehrke |first2=Janet |last3=Padilla |first3=Ramon |last4=Hertel |first4=Nora |date=June 1, 2020 |title=George Floyd protests: How did we get here? |url=https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/2020/05/29/george-floyd-protests-how-did-we-get-here/5283225002/|access-date=June 6, 2020 |website=[[USA Today]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ortiz |first=Fernie |date=June 10, 2020 |title=ICE now says detainees held hunger strike in honor of George Floyd |url=https://www.borderreport.com/hot-topics/migrant-centers/ice-now-says-detainees-held-hunger-strike-in-honor-of-george-floyd/|access-date=June 12, 2020 |website=Border Report}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Frias |first=Lauren |date=May 29, 2020 |title=Watch inmates at a federal prison in downtown Chicago bang on walls and flash lights in solidarity with George Floyd protesters |url=https://www.insider.com/mcc-chicago-inmates-bang-on-walls-solidarity-protests-george-floyd-2020-5|access-date=June 12, 2020 |website=[[Insider Inc.|Insider]]}}</ref> By June, protests had been held in all U.S. states. At least 200 cities had imposed [[curfew]]s, and at least 27 states and Washington, D.C., activated over 62,000 [[United States National Guard|National Guard]] personnel in response to the unrest.<ref name="bbctime">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52921418 |title=George Floyd death: US protests timeline |date=June 4, 2020 |website=[[BBC]]|access-date=June 6, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Sternlicht-2020" /> |
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In [[Seattle]], starting in early June, protesters occupied an area of several city blocks after the police vacated it, declaring it the [[Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone]], where according to protesters "the police are forbidden, food is free and documentaries are screened at night". On June 11, President Trump challenged mayor [[Jenny Durkan]] and governor [[Jay Inslee]] to "take back your city", and implying, according to Durkan, the possibility of a military response.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/06/11/trump-seattle-autonomous-zone-inslee/ |title=Seattle mayor blasts Trump's threat to 'take back' city after protesters set up 'autonomous zone' |first1=Tim |last1=Elfrink |last2=Iati |first2=Marisa |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/11/us/seattle-autonomous-zone.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611105019/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/11/us/seattle-autonomous-zone.html |archive-date=2020-06-11 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Free Food, Free Speech and Free of Police: Inside Seattle's 'Autonomous Zone' |first=Mike |last=Baker |date=June 11, 2020 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> |
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[[File:Entering Free Capitol Hill.jpg|thumb|left|On June 8, 2020, the police-free [[Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone]] was established in the [[Capitol Hill (Seattle)|Capitol Hill]] neighborhood of Seattle.]] |
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On June 10, thousands of academics, universities, scientific institutions, professional bodies and publishing houses around the world shut down to give researchers time to reflect and act upon anti-Black racism in academia.<ref>{{Cite web|title=#ShutDownAcademia #ShutDownSTEM|url=https://www.shutdownstem.com/|access-date=December 4, 2020|website=#ShutDownAcademia #ShutDownSTEM|language=en-US|archive-date=November 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104080336/https://www.shutdownstem.com/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Organizations involved with [[Strike for Black Lives (academic protest)|#ShutDownSTEM]] day included [[Nature Research]], [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] and the [[American Physical Society]]. |
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On June 14, an estimated 15,000 people gathered outside the [[Brooklyn Museum]] at Grand Army Plaza for the Liberation March, a silent protest in response to [[police brutality]] and violence against black transgender women. Frustrated by the lack of media coverage over the deaths of [[Killing of Nina Pop|Nina Pop]], who was stabbed in Sikeston, Missouri, on May 3 and [[Shooting of Tony McDade|Tony McDade]], who was shot by police in Tallahassee, Florida, on May 27, artist and drag performer [[West Dakota]] and her mentor, drag queen Merrie Cherry, decided to organize a silent rally inspired by the 1917 [[NAACP]] [[Silent Parade]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Patil |first=Anushka |date=June 15, 2020 |title=How a March for Black Trans Lives Became a Huge Event |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/15/nyregion/brooklyn-black-trans-parade.html|access-date=June 28, 2020 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Patil |first=Anushka |date=June 15, 2020 |title=How a March for Black Trans Lives Became a Huge Event |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/15/nyregion/brooklyn-black-trans-parade.html|access-date=June 23, 2020 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The march generated widespread media attention as one of the largest peaceful protests in modern New York City history.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wortham |first=Jenna |date=June 5, 2020 |title=A 'Glorious Poetic Rage' |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/05/sunday-review/black-lives-matter-protests-floyd.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200605200012/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/05/sunday-review/black-lives-matter-protests-floyd.html |archive-date=2020-06-05 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=June 23, 2020 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Adams |first1=M. |last2=Johnson |first2=Janetta |title=We Must Do Better Fighting For Black Trans Lives |url=https://www.essence.com/feature/black-trans-lives-lgbtqia-m4bl/|access-date=June 23, 2020 |website=Essence |language=en-US}}</ref> |
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On June 19, [[Juneteenth]], the [[International Longshore and Warehouse Union]] (ILWU) shut down ports on the West Coast in solidarity with protesters. An educator from the [[University of Washington]] said that the union has a history of protest and leftist politics since its founding: "[The ILWU] understood that division along the lines of race only benefited employers, because it weakened the efforts of workers to act together and to organize together.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ILWU to Shut Down West Coast Ports on Juneteenth in Solidarity with George Floyd Protesters |url=https://www.kqed.org/news/11824911/ilwu-to-shut-down-west-coast-ports-on-juneteenth-in-solidarity-with-george-floyd-protesters|access-date=June 20, 2020 |website=KQED|date=June 18, 2020 }}</ref> The [[United Auto Workers|UAW]] also asked members to join the protests by standing down for [[8 minutes and 46 seconds]], the amount of time Chauvin was initially reported to have held his knee to Floyd's neck.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wayland |first=Michael |date=June 17, 2020 |title=United Auto Workers organizing 'peaceful and orderly stand downs' on Juneteenth for George Floyd and racial protests |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/17/uaw-organizing-peaceful-and-orderly-stand-downs-on-juneteenth.html|access-date=June 20, 2020 |website=[[CNBC]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Bogel-Burroughs |first1=Nicholas |title=8 Minutes, 46 Seconds Became a Symbol in George Floyd's Death. The Exact Time Is Less Clear. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/18/us/george-floyd-timing.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200619023002/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/18/us/george-floyd-timing.html |archive-date=2020-06-19 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=June 23, 2020 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=June 18, 2020|quote=The precise length of time that Mr. Floyd was pinned beneath the officer's knee, however, is no longer as exact.}}</ref> |
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[[File:George Floyd Protest, Columbus (May 30th) George Floyd Protest, Columbus (May 30th) IMG 2873 (49953566713).jpg|thumb|A protester being arrested in [[Columbus, Ohio]], on May 30, 2020]] |
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On June 17, in response to the protests, three different police reform plans, plans from the Republicans, the Democrats, and the White House, were unveiled aiming to curb police brutality and the use of violence by law enforcement.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53083560 |title=Which US police reform plan might become law? |work=[[BBC]] |date=June 17, 2020 }}</ref> On June 25, ''NPR'' reported that the hopes for passage were doubtful because they were "short-circuited by a lack of bipartisan consensus on an ultimate plan [and] the issue is likely stalled, potentially until after the fall election".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Grisales |first1=Claudia |title=House Approves Police Reform Bill, But Issue Stalled Amid Partisan Standoff |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/06/25/883263263/house-approves-police-reform-bill-but-issue-stalled-amid-partisan-standoff |website=[[NPR]] |date=June 25, 2020 |access-date=June 29, 2020}}</ref> |
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Protests continued over the weekend of June 19 in many cities, and observations of Juneteenth gained a new awareness.<ref name="WSJ-2020" /> [[Jon Batiste]], bandleader for ''[[The Late Show with Stephen Colbert]]'', took part in a Juneteenth day of protests, marches, rallies and vigils to "celebrate, show solidarity, and fight for equal rights and treatment of Black people" in [[Brooklyn]]. Batiste also appeared in concert with [[Matthew Whitaker (pianist)|Matt Whitaker]] in a performance presented in partnership with [[Sing For Hope]], performed on the steps of the Brooklyn Public Library.<ref name="Juneteenth">{{cite web |author=<!--Not stated--> |title=Juneteenth in Brooklyn |url=https://bklyner.com/juneteenth-in-brooklyn/ |date=June 19, 2020 |website=[[Bklyner]] |access-date=June 26, 2020}}</ref> |
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By the end of June, more than 4,700 demonstrations had occurred in the United States{{Em dash}}a daily average of 140{{Em dash}}with an estimate of 15 million and 26 million total participants.<ref name="Buchanan-2021" /> Protests had occurred in over 40% of the [[County|counties]] in the United States.<ref name="nyt_july3"/> Protests in the aftermath of Floyd's murder were then considered the largest in United States history.<ref name="nyt_july3"/><ref name="Buchanan-2021" /> |
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As of July 3, protests were ongoing.<ref name="nyt_july3" /> On July 4, the [[Independence Day (United States)|Independence Day]] holiday in the United States, several protests were held, including in several cities where protests had been going on since the day after Floyd's murder.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Beck|first=Kellen|date=July 5, 2020|title=Protests surged nationwide on July 4 in a collective call for a better America|url=https://mashable.com/article/independence-day-protests/|access-date=May 21, 2021|website=Mashable|language=en}}</ref> On July 20, the [[Strike for Black Lives (coalition protest)|Strike for Black Lives]], a mass [[walkout]] intended to raise awareness of systemic racism, featured thousands of workers across the United States walking off their jobs for approximately 8 minutes, in honor of Floyd.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Jacobson|first=Don|date=July 20, 2020|title=National 'Strike for Black Lives' to fight racism, low wages|url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2020/07/20/National-Strike-for-Black-Lives-to-fight-racism-low-wages/7281595239459/|access-date=July 22, 2020|website=[[United Press International]]|publisher=[[News World Communications]]|language=en}}</ref> |
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The theme for the [[March on Washington, D.C.|March on Washington]] held in Washington, D.C., on August 28, 2020, was, "Commitment March: Get Your Knee Off Our Necks", a reference to Floyd's arrest by Chauvin.<ref>{{Cite news|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=August 28, 2020|title=March on Washington: George Floyd family urge protesters to 'be his legacy'|language=en-GB|work=[[BBC]]|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53954111|access-date=May 21, 2021}}</ref> |
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[[File:Civil Unrest 2020 5C2A6287R.jpg|thumb|Masked protesters in [[Philadelphia]] on June 2, 2020]] |
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Over the [[Labor Day]] holiday weekend, which the Saturday marked 100 nights of protests since Floyd's murder, marches and rallies where held in many cities.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Levinson|first=Eric|date=September 8, 2020|title=Labor Day weekend saw protests across the country as summer nears its end|work=[[CNN]]|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/08/us/protests-labor-day-weekend/index.html|access-date=September 8, 2020}}</ref> In [[Miami, Florida]], protesters on September 7, 2020, commemorated Floyd's murder and pressured local authorities to enact changes to policing policies, such as banning chokeholds during arrests.<ref>{{Cite web|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=September 7, 2020|title=Protesters March In Wynwood, Commemorating 100 Days Since George Floyd's Death|url=https://miami.cbslocal.com/2020/09/07/protesters-march-wynwood-commemorating-100-days-george-floyd-death/|access-date=May 22, 2021|website=WFOR-TV|language=en-US}}</ref> |
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To mark what would have been Floyd's 47th birthday, groups across the United States staged protest events on October 14, 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://katu.com/news/local/protesters-stage-sit-in-at-portlands-revolution-hall-to-mark-george-floyds-47th-birthday|title=Protesters stage sit-in at Portland's Revolution Hall to mark George Floyd's 47th birthday|author=KATU Staff|date=October 14, 2020|website=KATU}}</ref> Rallies and vigils were held in Minneapolis, Brooklyn, and Los Angeles, among other places. In Portland, Oregon, where Black Lives Matter protests had been held daily since Floyd's murder, demonstrators staged a [[sit-in]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Togoh|first=Isabel|date=October 15, 2020|title=Mourners Across The U.S. Gather For What Would Have Been George Floyd's 47th Birthday|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/isabeltogoh/2020/10/15/mourners-across-the-us-gather-for-what-would-have-been-george-floyds-47th-birthday/|access-date=May 21, 2021|website=[[Forbes]]|language=en}}</ref> |
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For some Black Americans, particularly a group interviewed in George Floyd's hometown in Houston, Texas, the protests over Floyd's murder transformed to greater political activity and increased voter turnout in the November [[2020 election in the United States|2020 election]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Brooks|first=Brad|date=November 1, 2020|title=In George Floyd's hometown, a season of protest ends at the polls|language=en|work=[[Reuters]]|url=https://in.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-houston-idUSKBN27H1DK|access-date=December 20, 2020|archive-date=November 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110151104/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-houston-idUSKBN27H1DK?edition-redirect=in|url-status=dead}}</ref> Terrance Floyd, George's brother, and other family members rallied voters in support of the candidacy of [[Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign|Joe Biden]], and they made an appearance with the Biden family at a campaign event in [[Tallahassee, Florida]]. Terrence Floyd also rallied voters in New York City on the November 3, 2020, Election Day.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Morrison|first=Aaron|date=November 3, 2020|title=George Floyd's brother rallies voters on Election Day|work=[[Associated Press]]|url=https://apnews.com/article/terrence-floyd-election-day-george-floyd-d3190e81a1a5fddea7131ead2f92efbf|access-date=May 21, 2021}}</ref> |
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By December, the protest movement was still "deeply rooted" at George Floyd Square, an occupied protest of the East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue intersection in Minneapolis where Floyd was killed.<ref name="Nguyen-2020" /> |
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==== 2021 ==== |
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In many parts of the United States, protests over Floyd's murder gradually diminished over time. In Portland, Oregon, however, Floyd's murder resulted in a yearlong period of "near-continuous protests" over racial injustice and police violence, at times featuring clashes between demonstrators and authorities and resulting in property damage.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Baker|first=Mike|date=April 27, 2021|title=After Nearly a Year of Unrest, Portland Leaders Pursue a Crackdown|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/27/us/portland-protests-mayor-ted-wheeler.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/27/us/portland-protests-mayor-ted-wheeler.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-access=limited|access-date=May 19, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}{{cbignore}}</ref> |
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In [[Boston]], activists rallied on March 4, 2021, to demand the conviction of all four officers present at the scene of Floyd's murder and for local authorities to investigate past cases where police officers used excessive force.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Falk|first=Gabi|date=March 4, 2021|title=Activists Rally in Mass., Calling for Justice for George Floyd|work=[[WBTS-CD]]|url=https://www.nbcboston.com/racial-justice-protests/activists-to-rally-in-mass-calling-for-justice-for-george-floyd/2319481/|access-date=March 4, 2021}}</ref> Two days later, thousands marched in Boston to call for justice for Floyd as part of a coordinated, 17-state set of rallies.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Manzoni |first=Matt|date=March 6, 2021|title=Protesters at Boston Rallies Call for Justice for George Floyd, Action on Police Killing Cases |url=https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/rally-in-boston-to-call-for-action-on-police-killing-cases/2321508/|url-status=live|access-date=May 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210522050853/https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/rally-in-boston-to-call-for-action-on-police-killing-cases/2321508/ |archive-date=May 22, 2021 |website=NBC News 10 Boston |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> In [[Salt Lake City]], activists protested Floyd's murder by staging a car caravan on March 6, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Tabin|first=Sara|date=March 6, 2021|title=Utahns protest George Floyd's death with car caravan|url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/2021/03/07/utahns-protest-george/|access-date=March 6, 2021}}</ref> Prayer vigils seeking justice for Floyd were held in conjunction with the Chauvin trial at several locations. In Houston, Texas, Floyd's family held an event on April 9, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Flores|first=Jennifer|date=April 9, 2021|title=Prayer Vigil for George Floyd to be held in Houston|url=https://www.crossroadstoday.com/prayer-vigil-for-george-floyd-to-be-held-in-houston/|access-date=May 22, 2021|website=Crossroads Today|language=en-US}}</ref> In Maryland, a group gathered to pray that for justice for Floyd and his family as the jury began deliberations in the Chauvin criminal trial on April 19, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Anderson|first=David|date=April 22, 2021|title=Participants in Aberdeen rally celebrate Chauvin guilty verdict, stress need to keep working on police reform|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/harford/aegis/cng-ag-harford-chauvin-rally-20210422-gmppser2hjcyhk36hic3mjhtzy-story.html|access-date=May 21, 2021|website=Baltimore Sun}}</ref> As a jury deliberated in Chauvin's criminal trial, a vigil for Floyd was held on April 19, 2021, in Melbourne, Florida.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 19, 2021 |last=Neale |first=Rick |title=Downtown Melbourne prayer vigil calls for justice and healing as Chauvin jury deliberates |url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2021/04/19/downtown-melbourne-prayer-vigil-take-place-during-george-floyd-trial-jury-deliberations/7286234002/ |access-date=May 22, 2021 |website=Florida Today|language=en-US}}</ref> |
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People in many cities in the United States reacted to Chauvin's murder conviction on April 20, 2021, with largely peaceful demonstrations. Some jurisdictions had proactively mobilized National Guard troops and declared states of emergency in preparation for possible violence,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hayes|first=Christal|title='GUILTY!' Across the US, cheers fill city streets after Derek Chauvin is convicted in the death of George Floyd|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/04/20/derek-chauvin-nation-reacts-verdict/7308287002/ |date=April 20, 2021 |access-date=May 20, 2021|website=[[USA Today]]|language=en-US}}</ref> and some businesses had boarded up to prevent potential looting.<ref>{{Cite web|last=D'Onofrio|first=Jessica|date=April 21, 2021|title=Chauvin reaction in downtown Chicago remains peaceful despite businesses boarding up, National Guard on standby|url=https://abc7chicago.com/10533474/|access-date=May 21, 2021|website=[[WLS-TV]]|language=en}}</ref> Many activists perceived the guilty verdict as just one step in the process to obtain justice over Floyd's murder.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Aradillas|first1=Elaine|last2=Kantor|first2=Wendy|date=April 21, 2021|title=Racial Justice Activists on What's Next After Derek Chauvin's Conviction for George Floyd's Murder|work=[[People (magazine)|People]]|url=https://people.com/crime/derek-chauvin-guilty-verdict-murdering-george-floyd-activists-next-steps/}}</ref> At nearly a year after Floyd's murder, civil rights activists continued to call for passage of the federal [[George Floyd Justice in Policing Act]].<ref name="Pena-2021">{{Cite news|last=Peña|first=Lindsey|date=May 19, 2021|title=George Floyd's cousin, Gary Jones, joins calls for change in San Diego|work=KGTV-TV|url=https://www.10news.com/community/stories-for-change/george-floyds-cousin-gary-jones-joins-calls-for-change-in-san-diego|access-date=May 19, 2021}}</ref><ref name="WWBT-2021">{{Cite news|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=April 20, 2021|title=Virginia state, local lawmakers react to former officer being found guilty of George Floyd's murder|work=WWBT|url=https://www.nbc12.com/2021/04/20/virginia-state-local-lawmakers-react-former-officer-being-found-guilty-death-george-floyd/|access-date=May 20, 2021}}</ref> Many activists believed that "justice for George Floyd" required changing the systems of policing and criminal justice in a way that would have prevented his murder.<ref name="Alfonseca-2021">{{Cite news|last=Alfonseca|first=Kiara|date=April 28, 2021|title=Police reform advocates on what 'justice' for George Floyd really means|work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/police-reform-advocates-justice-george-floyd-means/story?id=77213617|access-date=April 28, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Pena-2021" /><ref name="WWBT-2021" /> |
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On April 23, 2021, in [[Austin, Texas]], activists rallied outside the state's capitol to call for passage of the Texas’ George Floyd Act{{Em dash}}reform legislation introduced to ban chokeholds and require officers to intervene to stop excessive use of force{{Em dash}}that had stalled in the state legislature.<ref>{{Cite web|last=McCullough|first=Jolie|date=April 23, 2021|title=Relatives of Texans killed by police hope Derek Chauvin's conviction will advance the state's George Floyd Act|url=https://www.texastribune.org/2021/04/23/texas-police-george-floyd-act/|access-date=May 21, 2021|website=[[The Texas Tribune]]|language=en}}</ref> On May 6, 2021, Black mothers led a march in Washington, D.C., to encourage passage federal police reform legislation named after Floyd.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Azeem |first1=Athiyah |first2=Aoife |last2=Maher-Ryan |date=May 19, 2021|title=Mothers rally to pass police reform in George Floyd's name|url=https://www.streetsensemedia.org/article/george-floyd-blm-mothers/ |access-date=May 21, 2021|website=www.streetsensemedia.org|language=en-US}}</ref> On May 19, 2021, in [[Nevada]], protesters jammed phone lines to the [[Nevada Legislature|state legislature]] after police reform legislation introduced as result of the global protest movement begun by Floyd's murder did not advance.<ref>{{Cite news|last=DeHaven|first=James|date=May 19, 2021|title=A year after George Floyd murder, police reform is hitting a wall in Nevada Legislature|work=Reno Gazette-Journal|url=https://www.rgj.com/story/news/politics/2021/05/19/george-floyd-anniversary-police-reform-isnt-getting-far-nevada/5136010001/|access-date=May 19, 2021}}</ref> |
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By late May 2021, Floyd's murder, and the video of it, had given way to a yearlong, nationwide movement featuring the largest mass protests in United States history.<ref name="Burch-2021" /> To commemorate the one-year anniversary of his murder in a several-day event titled "One Year, What's Changed", the George Floyd Memorial Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Floyd's family, planned marches and rallies in Minneapolis, New York, and Houston for May 23, 2021, and called for two days of virtual activism everywhere in the United States in support of federal police reform legislation.<ref>{{Cite web|last=WTVD|date=May 20, 2021|title=Remembrance plans released for 1-year anniversary of George Floyd's death|url=https://abc11.com/10667517/|access-date=May 20, 2021|website=ABC11 Raleigh-Durham|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Haavik|first=Emily|date=May 20, 2021|title='God always gives me the strength': George Floyd's sister reflects on one year since his murder|url=https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/george-floyd/george-floyd-sister-speaks-murder-anniversary/89-1a1d5b42-05ec-4b02-b7bd-2e615a9f187f|access-date=May 20, 2021|website=KARE-11|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Bragg|first=Ndea Yancey|date=May 20, 2021|title='We will celebrate my brother's life': George Floyd's family to hold rallies, marches for one-year anniversary of his death|work=[[USA Today]]|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/05/20/george-floyd-anniversary-events-planned-minneapolis-houston-nyc/5181874001/|access-date=May 21, 2021}}</ref> |
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At a rally in New York City outside [[Brooklyn Borough Hall]] on May 23, 2021, Terrance Floyd, George's brother, called on the crowd to continue advocating for police reform and for communities to “stay [[woke]]”.<ref>{{Cite web|title=George Floyd Memorial Honoring Anniversary of Death Held in Brooklyn|url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/george-floyd-memorial-honoring-anniversary-211407405.html|access-date=May 23, 2021|website=uk.news.yahoo.com|date=May 23, 2021 |language=en-GB}}</ref> Civil rights activist Al Sharpton said, "convicting Chauvin is not enough", and encouraged congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, as well as continued activism ahead of the criminal trials of Lane, Kueng, and Thao and the federal civil rights trial of all four officers.<ref>{{Cite news|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=May 23, 2021|title='Convicting Chauvin is not enough': Leaders urge reform at rally marking 1 year since George Floyd's death|work=[[CBS News]]|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/george-floyd-memorial-foundation-rally-march-watch-live-stream-today-2021-05-23/|access-date=May 24, 2021}}</ref> |
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By May 25, 2021, the anniversary of Floyd's murder, the United States had experienced a yearlong movement to address racial injustice in policing.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cillizza|first=Chris Cillizza|date=May 26, 2021|title=Analysis: 1 picture to make you hopeful after a year of protests for racial justice|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/26/politics/gianna-floyd-photo-white-house/index.html|access-date=May 27, 2021|website=[[CNN]]}}</ref> Several street protests were held in many locations in the United States to mark the anniversary.<ref name="Buchanan-2021">{{Cite news|last1=Buchanan|first1=Larry|last2=Bui|first2=Quoctrung|last3=Patel|first3=Jugal K.|date=May 25, 2021|title=Live Updates: Biden Meets With George Floyd's Family as America Marks His Death|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/05/25/us/george-floyd-death-anniversary|access-date=May 25, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> There was mass disturbance on May 25, 2021, to mark the anniversary of George Floyd's murder including rioting but situations were finally said to have calmed down in the early hours of May 26, 2021.<ref name="auto"/> In New York City, protesters marched and then knelt for 9 minutes and 29 seconds while blocking traffic.<ref>{{Cite web|date=May 25, 2021|title=BLM activists, mayoral candidate Donovan arrested at George Floyd protest near Holland Tunnel|url=https://pix11.com/news/local-news/manhattan/blm-activists-mayoral-candidate-donovan-arrested-at-george-floyd-protest-near-holland-tunnel/|access-date=May 25, 2021|website=[[WPIX]]|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="Buchanan-2021" /> A rally in Portland, Oregon, was peaceful in the afternoon, but at night, 150 demonstrators set fire to a dumpster outside the [[Multnomah County Justice Center]] and damaged other property. Police declared the gathering a riot and made five arrests.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Police declare riot in Portland as protesters mark 1 year since George Floyd's death|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/police-declare-riot-portland-protesters-mark-year-george/story?id=77910797 |first=Morgan |last=Winsor |date=May 26, 2021 |access-date=May 26, 2021|website=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Riot declared in downtown Portland, police arrest 5 people|url=https://www.kptv.com/news/riot-declared-in-downtown-portland-police-arrest-5-people/article_f42ac0c0-bddc-11eb-bac6-63e22fc82b3a.html|access-date=May 26, 2021|website=KPTV.com|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Buchanan-2021" /> Most demonstrations{{Em dash}}which included street marches, prayer services, and festivals{{Em dash}}in the United States were peaceful. At many rallies, protesters expressed disappointment with the lack of change to policing policies and budgets, and some said they would continue protesting and advocating for their desired goals.<ref name="Buchanan-2021" /> |
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===International=== |
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[[File:BlackLivesMatter protest Alexanderplatz Berlin 2020-06-06 26.jpg|thumb|Protest at [[Alexanderplatz]] in [[Berlin]] on June 6, 2020]] <!-- probably should at least have one photo of the protests outside North America --> |
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{{Main|List of George Floyd protests outside the United States|Reactions to the George Floyd protests#International}} |
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Floyd's murder came as the global Black Lives Matter movement had been slowly building for years, but outrage over what was captured in a bystander's video and Floyd's dying words, "I can't breathe", resulted in solidarity protests in more than 50 countries and led to what was described as a "social awakening" on issues of racial injustice and brought renewed attention on past police brutality cases.<ref name="Hayes-2021">{{Cite magazine |last1=Hayes |first1=Suyin |last2=Gunia |first2=Amy |last3=Moon |first3=Kat |last4=Nugent |first4=Ciara |last5=Shah |first5=Simmone |date=May 11, 2021 |title=How Activists Around the World Are Fighting for Justice |url=https://time.com/6046299/fighting-injustice-world/ |access-date=May 21, 2021 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |language=en}}</ref> Protests in Canada, Europe, Oceania, Asia, and Africa rallied against what they perceived as racial discrimination and police brutality, with some protests aimed at United States embassies.<ref name=cnnglobe>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/06/world/gallery/intl-george-floyd-protests/index.html |title=Protests across the globe after George Floyd's death |date=June 6, 2020 |work=[[CNN]]|access-date=June 6, 2020}}</ref> |
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Over the weekend of June 6 and 7, surfers around the world held a "Paddle Out", which is a Hawaiian mourning tradition. The tribute was held for George Floyd and all the lives lost to police violence. Thousands observed the tradition in [[Honolulu Hawaii|Honolulu, Hawaii]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 8, 2020 |title=Thousands join paddle outs at Hawaii beaches to honor George Floyd |url=https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2020/06/08/thousands-join-paddle-outs-hawaii-beaches-honor-george-floyd/ |access-date=June 9, 2020 |website=HawaiiNewsNow.com}}</ref> [[La Jolla]], [[Hermosa Beach, California|Hermosa Beach]] and [[Santa Monica, California]], [[Galveston, Texas|Galveston]], [[Hackensack, New Jersey]], [[Rockaway Beach, Queens|Rockaway Beach, New York]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 6, 2020 |title=NYPD Boats 'Monitor' A Paddle Out In Rockaway |url=https://stabmag.com/news/nypd-boats-monitor-a-paddle-out-in-rockaway/ |access-date=June 9, 2020 |website=Stab Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> [[Biarritz]], France, [[Senegal]] and Australia.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 6, 2020 |title=Surfers 'paddle out,' circle up in memory of George Floyd |url=https://nz.news.yahoo.com/surfers-paddle-circle-memory-george-011315724.html |access-date=June 9, 2020 |website=nz.news.yahoo.com |language=en-NZ}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=Brian Melley |date=June 6, 2020 |title=Galveston surfers among those who honored George Floyd in 'paddle out' held around world |url=https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2020/06/06/galvestn-surfers-among-those-who-honored-george-floyd-in-paddle-out-held-around-world/ |access-date=June 9, 2020 |website=KPRC |language=en |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> |
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By the conclusion of the criminal trial of Derek Chauvin on April 20, 2021, millions of people worldwide had viewed video footage of Floyd's murder and protests were ongoing internationally over issues of police brutality and systemic racism.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cineas |first=Fabiola |date=April 20, 2021 |title=Why Chauvin's conviction matters |url=https://www.vox.com/2021/4/20/22387556/derek-chauvin-verdict-guilty-murder-manslaughter |access-date=May 19, 2021 |website=[[Vox (website)|Vox]] |language=en}}</ref> The murder conviction of Chauvin was celebrated by activists in many countries and several of them expressed their desire for further progress on racial justice and police accountability issues.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Ganley |first1=Elaine |last2=Hui |first2=Sylvia |date=April 21, 2021 |title=Floyd verdict sparks hope, inspiration for activists abroad |url=https://wcti12.com/news/nation-world/floyd-verdict-sparks-hope-inspiration-for-activists-abroad |access-date=May 22, 2021 |website=WCTI |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref><ref name="Morisson-2021">{{Cite web |last=Morisson |first=Aaron |date=March 27, 2021 |title=George Floyd spurred broad push for change globally, activists say |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/news/crime-courts/2021/03/27/Floyd-spurred-broad-push-for-change-globally-activists-say/stories/202103270051 |access-date=May 22, 2021 |website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |language=en |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Protesters globally called on lawmakers in the United States to address the issues of police violence and the [[Police state|police-state]] structure.<ref name="Alfonseca-2021" /> |
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Protesters in [[London]] rallied outside the United States embassy on May 22, 2021. Protesters remarked that the Chauvin murder conviction was "a small amount of justice of what [George Floyd] really deserves". The protest was among of new set of peaceful protests in the United Kingdom to mark the one-year anniversary of Floyd's murder.<ref>{{Cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=May 22, 2021 |title=Protesters in London mark anniversary of George Floyd death |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/22/anti-racism-protesters-gather-in-london |access-date=May 22, 2021 |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> On May 25, 2021, protesters took the streets in Germany<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Balk |first1=Tim |last2=Shahrigian |first2=Shant |last3=Greene |first3=Leonard |date=May 25, 2021 |title=New Yorkers mark one-year anniversary of George Floyd's death with long moment of silence and protest |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/new-york-elections-government/ny-floyd-local-politicians-20210526-oq5qljqlknccpekorhwixxgp5a-story.html |access-date=May 26, 2021 |website=[[New York Daily News]]}}</ref> and demonstrators took a knee in and raised their fists at rallies in Glasgow, London, and Edinburgh.<ref name="Buchanan-2021" /> Rallies were held outside U.S. Embassies in Greece and Spain.<ref>{{Cite web |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=May 25, 2021 |title=Cities around the world honor George Floyd's memory |url=https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/news/2021/05/25/george-floyd-memorial-washington-new-york-spain |access-date=May 26, 2021 |website=Spectrum News |publisher=Spectrum News and Associated Press |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Ajasa |first=Amudalat |date=May 25, 2021 |title=Minneapolis celebrates George Floyd's life after a 'troubling, long year' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/may/25/minneapolis-george-floyd-memorial-one-year |access-date=May 26, 2021 |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> |
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For some, the so-called "George Floyd effect" had demonstrators and activists connecting historic racism and social injustice to contemporary, local examples of police brutality.<ref>{{Cite web|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=April 22, 2021|title=Paris Perspective - Paris Perspective #9: Discrimination in France and the 'George Floyd effect'|url=https://www.rfi.fr/en/podcasts/paris-perspective/20210422-paris-perspective-9-discrimination-in-france-and-the-george-floyd-effect|access-date=May 21, 2021|website=RFI|language=en}}</ref> Movements spawned by Floyd's murder, which served as a catalyst,<ref name="Morisson-2021" /> were still active in Australia, Brazil, India, Japan, New Zealand, Nigeria, United Kingdom, and elsewhere by May 2021.<ref name="Hayes-2021" /> In Canada and France, where Floyd's murder initiated protests, activists were unsatisfied with the levels of reform made by officials at nearly a year after Floyd's murder.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Rubertucci|first=Alyssia|date=May 17, 2021|title=No real action to end racial injustice in Montreal since George Floyd murder: activists - NEWS 1130|url=https://www.citynews1130.com/2021/05/17/no-real-action-to-end-racial-injustice-in-montreal-since-george-floyd-murder-activists/|access-date=May 21, 2021|website=City News 1130}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Francois|first=Myriam|date=May 19, 2021|title=Adama Traore: How George Floyd's death energised French protests|language=en-GB|work=[[BBC]]|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57176500|access-date=May 21, 2021}}</ref> |
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In Australia, the Black Lives Matter movement sparked calls for white people to be more aware of race relations within the country. "Australia Day" is celebrated in the nation as the date the country was founded. The Black Lives Matter movement in Australia sought emphasis on acknowledging the colonial history of Australia, however, by changing "Australia Day" to "Invasion Day" in recognition of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were massacred when the European settlement was established in Australia on January 26th, 1788.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Barwick |first1=Daniel |last2=Nayak |first2=Anoop |date=2024-07-08 |title=The Transnationalism of the Black Lives Matter Movement: Decolonization and Mapping Black Geographies in Sydney, Australia |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/24694452.2024.2363782 |journal=Annals of the American Association of Geographers |volume=114 |issue=7 |language=en |pages=1587–1603 |doi=10.1080/24694452.2024.2363782 |issn=2469-4452}}</ref> |
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In Japan, the Black Lives Matter movement seemed to become more prominent after the murder of George Floyd. Scholars cite evidence that the global movement was illustrated in Japan through transnational connective action. Because Japan as a more homogenous country as compared to the United States, there was a more culturally specific meaning to the movement, and much of the activism in Japan also sought conversations about colorism. <ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Shahin |first1=Saif |last2=Nakahara |first2=Junki |last3=Sánchez |first3=Mariana |date=January 2024 |title=Black Lives Matter goes global: Connective action meets cultural hybridity in Brazil, India, and Japan |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/14614448211057106 |journal=New Media & Society |language=en |volume=26 |issue=1 |pages=216–235 |doi=10.1177/14614448211057106 |issn=1461-4448}}</ref> [[Naomi Osaka]], a Japanese-American tennis player, expressed excitement as she had never seen a Black Lives matter protest in Japan before 2020. Along with other athletes, Osaka also put out statements withdrawing from an athletic tournament to protest the murder of George Floyd and similar incidents. Her statements, in English and Japanese, discussed her identity as a woman of color and sought to bring public attention to the issue of racial violence. However, celebrity activism in Japan is generally not as accepted as in the United States, and her statements faced some criticism in both America and Japan.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Deflem |first=Mathieu |date=2023 |title=The Criminal Justice Activism of Naomi Osaka: A Case Study in the Criminology of Celebrity Culture |journal=American Journal of Criminal Justice |volume=48 |issue=3 |pages=723–748 |doi=10.1007/s12103-022-09681-w |issn=1066-2316 |pmc=9023043 |pmid=35475124}}</ref> |
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In Nigeria, many protests took place in October 2020 surrounding the issue of police brutality. On October 20th, 2020, unarmed protesters were shot by nearby police forces, resulting in 20 casualties. This event, now known as Black Tuesday or the Lekki tollgate massacre, has brought increased attention to the [[End SARS|ENDSARS]] movement in Nigeria, which seeks to end Nigeria's Special Anti-Robbery Squad, also known as SARS. Reports of SARS' torture and extrajudicial killings had sparked protests for years before 2020. However, the death of George Floyd increased protests against police brutality in an international context, with Black transnational activism in Nigeria condemning their domestic police forces and those who they believe perpetuate police brutality internationally.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Nwakanma |first=Adaugo Pamela |date=December 2022 |title=From Black Lives Matter to EndSARS: Women's Socio-Political Power and the Transnational Movement for Black Lives |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1537592722000019/type/journal_article |journal=Perspectives on Politics |language=en |volume=20 |issue=4 |pages=1246–1259 |doi=10.1017/S1537592722000019 |issn=1537-5927}}</ref> |
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==Government response== |
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{{Further|Reactions to the George Floyd protests}} |
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=== United States === |
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{{Further|2020 deployment of federal forces in the United States|Protecting American Communities Task Force}} |
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{{See also|George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020|BREATHE Act}} |
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[[File:National Guard deployment for George Floyd protests.svg|thumb|left|upright=1.36|States that activated the [[United States National Guard|National Guard]] in response to the protests by June 16, 2020|alt=Map of US showing National Guard deployments at of June 16, 2020]] |
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At least 200 cities in the U.S. had imposed [[curfew]]s by early June 2020, while more than 30 states and Washington, D.C., activated over 96,000 [[United States National Guard|National Guard]] and [[State defense force|State Guard]] service members.<ref name="Bekiempis-2020" /><ref name="dwghdf" /><ref name="WarrenBI" /><ref name="Sternlicht-2020" /> The deployment constituted the largest [[Military operations other than war (US)|military operation other than war]] in U.S. history.<ref name="NGPR-2020" />{{Multiple image |
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| image1 = Minnesota National Guard Soldiers stand in front of the state capitol building in St. Paul, Minnesota, with other law enforcement on May 31, 2020.jpg |
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| alt1 = Minnesota National Guard in front of state capitol building in St. Paul on May 31 |
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| image2 = Raleigh protest 6-1-2020 - 49962140527.jpg |
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| alt2 = Police and protesters stand off in [[Seattle]] on May 30 |
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| image3 = President Trump Visits St. John's Episcopal Church (49964436272).jpg |
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| footer = '''Top''': [[Minnesota National Guard]] behind police at the [[Minnesota State Capitol]] on May 31, 2020<br />'''Middle''': National Guard snipers atop the [[North Carolina State Capitol]] building on June 1, 2020<br />'''Bottom''': President [[Donald Trump]] [[Donald Trump photo op at St. John's Church|walks to St. John's Church]] amid protests in Washington, D.C., on June 1, 2020 |
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}} |
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United States President [[Donald Trump]] demanded governors and city governments crackdown on protesters and controversially threatened to deploy the [[82nd Airborne Division|82nd Airborne]] and [[3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard)|3rd Infantry Regiment]] in response to the unrest.<ref name="Bekiempis-2020" /> On May 29, Trump tweeted "[[when the looting starts, the shooting starts]]", which [[Twitter]] marked as "glorifying violence".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mansell |first1=William |last2=Cathey |first2=Libby |title=Twitter flags Trump, White House for 'glorifying violence' in tweets about George Floyd protests |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/twitter-flags-trump-white-house-glorifying-violence-tweet/story?id=70945228 |access-date=June 4, 2020 |work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |date=May 30, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Purnell|first1=Newley|last2=Restuccia|first2=Andrew|date=May 29, 2020|title=Twitter Flags Trump Tweet About George Floyd Protests for 'Glorifying Violence' |language=en-US|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/twitter-hides-trump-tweet-for-glorifying-violence-11590743851|access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref> Trump later said he was not advocating violence, noting that the tweet could be read as either a threat or a statement of fact and that he intended for it to be read as "a combination of both".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Panetta |first=Grace |title=Trump claims his 'when the looting starts, the shooting starts' remarks weren't a call to violence but instead a 'fact' |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-defends-his-when-the-looting-starts-the-shooting-starts-tweet-2020-5 |date=May 29, 2020 |website=[[Business Insider]] |access-date=June 17, 2020}}</ref> On June 3, he said "If a city or state refuses to take the actions necessary to defend the life and property of their residents, then I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem."<ref name="Wilkie">{{cite news |last1=Wilkie |first1=Christina |last2=Macias |first2=Amanda |title=Trump threatens to deploy military as George Floyd protests continue to shake the U.S. |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/01/trump-threatens-to-deploy-military-as-george-floyd-protests-continue-to-shake-the-us.html |access-date=June 2, 2020 |work=[[CNBC]] |date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> This would have required invoking the [[Insurrection Act of 1807]],<ref name="Wilkie" /> last used to quell the 1992 Los Angeles riots on May 1, 1992, by [[:wikisource:Executive Order 12804|Executive Order 12804]]. Arkansas senator [[Tom Cotton]] also pushed for the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]]'s [[101st Airborne Division]] to be deployed to quell the unrest, calling protesters "[[Antifa (United States)|Antifa]] terrorists".<ref name="Relman">{{cite news |last1=Relman |first1=Eliza |title=GOP Sen. Tom Cotton calls for the US Army's toughest soldiers to quell 'domestic terrorism' and suggests protesters should be shown no mercy |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/gops-tom-cotton-calls-for-military-force-against-anarchist-protesters-2020-6 |access-date=June 2, 2020 |work=[[Business Insider]] |date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> Massachusetts Representative [[Seth Moulton]] said federal troops should "lay down [their] arms" if deployed in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 1, 2020 |title=Mass. elected officials denounce Trump's threat to use military to quell protests |newspaper=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/06/01/metro/mass-elected-officials-denounce-trumps-threat-use-military-quell-protests/|access-date=June 3, 2020 |first=Andy |last=Rosen }}</ref> |
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On June 4, federal agencies added about {{convert|1.7|mi|km}} of fencing around the White House, Lafayette Square, and [[The Ellipse]].<ref name="USNews-Fencing">{{cite news |last=Hansen |first=Claire |date=June 5, 2020 |title=Tall Fencing Creates Large, Imposing Perimeter Around White House |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2020-06-05/tall-fencing-creates-large-imposing-perimeter-around-white-house|access-date=June 27, 2020}}</ref> Protesters used the fencing to post signs and artwork expressing their views.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Proud |first1=Kelsey |last2=Strupp |first2=Julie |last3=Gathright |first3=Jenny |last4=Diller |first4=Nathan |date=June 8, 2020 |title=The New White House Fence Is Getting Covered In Protest Art |work=[[NPR]] |url=https://www.npr.org/local/305/2020/06/08/872237983/the-new-white-house-fence-is-getting-covered-in-protest-art|url-status=live|access-date=June 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616192514/https://www.npr.org/local/305/2020/06/08/872237983/the-new-white-house-fence-is-getting-covered-in-protest-art|archive-date=June 16, 2020}}</ref> On June 11, the fencing was taken down, and some signs were collected by [[Smithsonian Museum]] curators from the [[National Museum of African American History and Culture]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Jackson |first=David |date=June 11, 2020 |title=Anti-protester fencing around Lafayette Park near White House comes down |work=[[USA Today]] |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/06/11/trumps-anti-protester-white-house-fence-comes-tumbling-down/5343288002/|url-status=live|access-date=June 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200613133816/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/06/11/trumps-anti-protester-white-house-fence-comes-tumbling-down/5343288002/|archive-date=June 13, 2020}}</ref> U.S. Customs and Border Protection, authorized to provide aerial surveillance "to assist law enforcement and humanitarian relief efforts" when requested, provided drone imagery during the protests.<ref>{{cite news |last=Cox |first=Joseph |date=June 3, 2020 |title=The Government is Regularly Flying Predator Drones Over American Cities |url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/n7wnzm/government-flying-predator-drones-american-cities |work=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Sands |first=Geneva |date=May 29, 2020 |title=Customs and Border Protection Drone Flew over Minneapolis to Provide Live Video to Law Enforcement |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/29/politics/cbp-drone-minneapolis/index.html |work=[[CNN]]}}</ref> |
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As of June 5, 2020, 2,950 federal law enforcement personnel from a dozen agencies, including the [[United States Secret Service|Secret Service]], [[United States Capitol Police|Capitol Police]], [[United States Park Police|Park Police]], [[U.S. Customs and Border Protection|Customs and Border Protection]], [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]]'s [[Hostage Rescue Team]], [[Federal Bureau of Prisons|Bureau of Prisons]]' [[Special Operations Response Team]], [[Drug Enforcement Administration|DEA]]'s [[Drug Enforcement Administration#Special Response Teams|Special Response Team]], [[Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives|ATF]], and [[United States Marshals Service|Marshals Service]]'s [[United States Marshals Service#Special Operations Group|Special Operations Group]], have been dispatched to assist local authorities, with most of them being garrisoned in D.C.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Balsamo |first=Michael |title=Barr: Law enforcement must 'dominate' streets amid protests |url=https://www.whio.com/news/politics/barr-law-enforcement/G3ZQ26RYV3RQSEFB562GH36KNA/ |agency=[[WHIO-TV]] |date=June 1, 2020 |access-date=June 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200605030434/https://www.whio.com/news/politics/barr-law-enforcement/G3ZQ26RYV3RQSEFB562GH36KNA/ |archive-date=June 5, 2020 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://wjla.com/news/local/customs-and-border-patrol-deployed-to-dc-to-help-police-amid-unrest-in-city |title=Customs and Border Patrol officers deployed to help D.C. police amid unrest in city |agency=[[WJLA-TV]] |date=June 1, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/bureau-of-prisons-officers-brought-in-to-washington-dc-to-respond-to-george-floyd-protests |title=Mystery Officers Patrolling D.C. Streets Are From Federal Prisons |last1=Rawnsley |first1=Adam |agency=[[The Daily Beast]] |date=June 3, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-05/federal-plan-to-control-d-c-protests-has-7-600-personnel-tapped |title=Federal Plan to Control D.C. Protests Has 7,600 Personnel Tapped |last1=Capaccio |first1=Anthony |agency=[[Bloomberg News]] |date=June 4, 2020}}</ref> The DEA's legal authority was specifically expanded by the Department of Justice beyond usual limits to include surveillance of protesters and the ability to arrest for non-drug related offenses.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Leopold |first1=Jason |last2=Cormier |first2=Anthony |title=The DEA Has Just Been Authorized to Conduct Surveillance on Protesters |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/jasonleopold/george-floyd-police-brutality-protests-government |access-date=June 6, 2020 |work=[[Buzzfeed News]] |date=June 2, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> In response, Representatives [[Jerry Nadler]] and [[Karen Bass]] of the [[United States House Committee on the Judiciary|House Judiciary Committee]] denounced the move and requested a formal briefing from DEA Acting Administrator [[Timothy Shea]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Leopold |first1=Jason |last2=Cormier |first2=Anthony |title=Lawmakers Call For Halt To Covert Surveillance Of Protesters By DEA |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/jasonleopold/lawmakers-call-for-halt-to-covert-surveillance-of |access-date=June 6, 2020 |work=[[Buzzfeed News]] |date=June 5, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> |
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From at least July 14, 2020, unidentified federal officers wearing camouflage used unmarked vans to detain protesters in Portland, Oregon—sometimes without explaining the reason for their arrest.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Levinson|first1=Jonathan|last2=Wilson|first2=Conrad|title=Federal Law Enforcement Use Unmarked Vehicles To Grab Protesters Off Portland Streets|url=https://www.opb.org/news/article/federal-law-enforcement-unmarked-vehicles-portland-protesters/|access-date=July 17, 2020|website=Oregon Public Broadcasting|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Phillips|first=N'dea Yancey-Bragg and Kristine|title=Federal officers are pulling Portland protesters into unmarked vehicles, reports say|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/07/17/reports-federal-officers-detain-portland-protesters-unmarked-vans/5457471002/|access-date=July 17, 2020|website=[[USA Today]]|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Shepherd|first=Katie|date=July 17, 2020|title='It was like being preyed upon': Portland protesters say federal officers in unmarked vans are detaining them|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/07/17/portland-protests-federal-arrests/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-high_mm-portland-810am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory-ans&itid=hp_hp-top-table-high_mm-portland-810am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory-ans|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Olmos|first1=Sergio|last2=Baker|first2=Mike|date=July 17, 2020|title=Feds Vowed to Quell Unrest in Portland. Local Leaders Are Telling Them to Leave.|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/17/us/portland-protests.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200717142005/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/17/us/portland-protests.html |archive-date=2020-07-17 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=July 17, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Ross|first=Jamie|date=July 17, 2020|title=Unidentified Federal Agents Are Driving Around Portland in Unmarked Minivans and Grabbing Protesters|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/unidentified-federal-agents-are-driving-around-portland-in-unmarked-minivans-and-grabbing-protesters|access-date=July 17, 2020|website=[[The Daily Beast]]|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Heer-2020">{{Cite news|last=Heer|first=Jeet|date=July 17, 2020|title=Trump Unleashes His Secret Police in Portland|language=en-US|work=[[The Nation]]|url=https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/trump-secret-police-portland/|access-date=July 17, 2020|issn=0027-8378}}</ref> The [[American Civil Liberties Union]] (ACLU) called these actions unconstitutional kidnappings.<ref>{{Cite tweet |user=ACLU |number=1284109211790712832 |access-date=July 17, 2020 |title=Usually when we see people in unmarked cars forcibly grab someone off the street we call it kidnapping — what is happening now in Portland should concern everyone in the US. |date=July 17, 2020 |author=[[American Civil Liberties Union]] }}</ref> In ''[[The Nation]]'', Jeet Heer also called the actions unconstitutional and wrote that "The deployment of unidentified federal officers is particularly dangerous in... Portland and elsewhere in America, because it could easily lead to right-wing militias' impersonating legal authorities and kidnapping citizens."<ref name="Heer-2020" /> |
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On July 20, 2020, the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' reported that the Department of Homeland Security was preparing to send 150 federal agents to Chicago.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/criminal-justice/ct-chicago-police-dhs-deployment-20200720-dftu5ychwbcxtg4ltarh5qnwma-story.html|title=Trump expected to send new federal force to Chicago this week to battle violence, but plan's full scope is a question mark|first1=Gregory|last1=Pratt|first2=Jeremy|last2=Gorner|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=July 20, 2020|access-date=July 21, 2020}}</ref> |
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On June 26, 2020, President Trump signed an executive order permitting federal agencies to provide personnel "to assist with the protection of Federal monuments, memorials, statues, or property".<ref name="EO13933">{{cite journal |title=Executive Order 13933 of June 26, 2020 |journal=Federal Register |date=July 2, 2020 |volume=85 |issue=128 |pages=1–4 |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-07-02/pdf/2020-14509.pdf |access-date=July 15, 2020}}</ref> Following the executive order, the [[Department of Homeland Security]] sent officers from Customs and Border Protection to [[Portland, Oregon]], Seattle, and Washington, D.C. This was a departure from Homeland Security's normal role of protecting against threats from abroad.<ref name="usnews2020">{{cite news |title=Homeland Security Gets New Role Under Trump Monument Order |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2020-07-10/homeland-security-gets-new-role-under-trump-monument-order |access-date=July 15, 2020 |work=U.S. News & World Report |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=July 10, 2020}}</ref> Critics accused federal authorities of overstepping their jurisdiction and using excessive force against protesters.<ref name="usnews2020"/><ref name="Lowndes">{{cite web |last1=Lowndes |first1=Joe |title=It wasn't just a threat: Trump uses Homeland Security to attack BLM protests |url=https://www.joelowndes.org/post/it-wasn-t-just-a-threat-trump-uses-homeland-security-to-attack-blm-protests |website=Joe Lowndes |access-date=July 16, 2020 |language=en |date=July 12, 2020 |archive-date=October 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001170314/https://www.joelowndes.org/post/it-wasn-t-just-a-threat-trump-uses-homeland-security-to-attack-blm-protests |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Levinson2020">{{cite news |last1=Levinson |first1=Jonathan |title=Federal Officers Shoot Portland Protester In Head With 'Less Lethal' Munitions |date=July 12, 2020 |url=https://www.opb.org/news/article/federal-officers-portland-protester-shot-less-lethal-munitions/ |access-date=July 16, 2020 |work=Oregon Public Broadcasting |language=en}}</ref> Oregon governor [[Kate Brown]] called for federal agents to scale back their response and criticized Trump's actions: "President Trump deploying armed federal officers to Portland only serves to escalate tensions and, as we saw yesterday, will inevitably lead to unnecessary violence and confrontation."<ref name="Levinson2020"/> Portland mayor [[Ted Wheeler]] demanded the agents be removed after citizens were detained far from the federal property agents were sent to protect.<ref>{{cite news |title=Portland mayor demands Trump remove federal agents from city |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jul/18/portland-federal-agents-protests-trump-mayor |access-date=July 18, 2020 |work=[[The Guardian]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=July 18, 2020}}</ref> |
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In the wake of the George Floyd protests, Republicans in state legislatures nationwide pushed for legislation targeting protesters. The bills, which conflate peaceful protests, riots and looting, imposed harsher punishment on individuals found guilty of unlawful assembly and public disorder, as well as provided immunity for motorists that hit protesters.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Epstein|first1=Reid J.|last2=Mazzei|first2=Patricia|date=April 21, 2021|title=G.O.P. Bills Target Protesters (and Absolve Motorists Who Hit Them)|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/21/us/politics/republican-anti-protest-laws.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/21/us/politics/republican-anti-protest-laws.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-access=limited|access-date=May 22, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The Florida anti-riot law was struck down as unconstitutional by a federal district judge, on the grounds of vagueness, freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, and due process. The law also made it a felony to destroy historically commemorative objects and structures, and in response to calls to "[[defund the police]]" requires police departments to justify budget reductions.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/09/09/1035687247/florida-anti-riot-law-ron-desantis-george-floyd-black-lives-matter-protests |title=A Judge Has Blocked The 'Anti-Riot' Law Passed In Florida After George Floyd Protests |work=[[NPR]] |date=September 9, 2021 }}</ref> Months after Derek Chauvin's sentencing, another police officer involved in the case, Thomas Lane was sentenced to 3 years in prison on September 21, 2022.<ref>[https://www.npr.org/2022/09/21/1124247012/george-floyd-thomas-lane-sentenced-three-years-minneapolis-police#:~:text=Press-,Ex%2Dcop%20Thomas%20Lane%20is%20sentenced%20to%203%20years%20for,Floyd%2C%20was%20sentenced%20on%20Wednesday A former Minneapolis officer is sentenced to 3 years for aiding George Floyd's death] NPR. March 11, 2023</ref> |
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=== International === |
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In France, the government banned demonstrations near the [[United States Embassy]] and [[Eiffel Tower]] in Paris out of concern for potential violence.<ref>{{Cite news|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|title=Fearing Violence, France Bans George Floyd Protests at U.S. Embassy, Eiffel Tower|work=U.S. News & World Report|publisher=[[Reuters]]|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2020-06-05/paris-bans-george-floyd-protest-planned-at-us-embassy}}</ref> |
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==Violence and controversies== |
==Violence and controversies== |
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{{main|Violence and controversies during the George Floyd protests}} |
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{{Further|List of police violence incidents during George Floyd protests|List of vehicle-ramming incidents during George Floyd protests|List of changes made due to the George Floyd protests}} |
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By June 22, 2020, police had made 14,000 arrests in 49 cities since the protests began, with most arrests being locals charged with low-level offenses such as violating curfews or blocking roadways.<ref name=olson/> By June 8, 2020, at least 19 people had died during the protests.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2020/06/08/14-days-of-protests-19-dead/|title=14 Days Of Protests, 19 Dead|first=Jemima|last=McEvoy|work=[[Forbes]]|access-date=September 8, 2020}}</ref> Several protests over Floyd's murder, including [[George Floyd protests in Chicago#August 9-10|one in Chicago]],<ref>{{cite news |title=More Than 100 Arrests, 13 Officers Hurt Amid Chicago Looting |url=https://www.voanews.com/usa/race-america/more-100-arrests-13-officers-hurt-amid-chicago-looting |work=VOA News |date=August 10, 2020}}</ref> turned into [[List of incidents of civil unrest in the United States|riots]].<ref>{{cite news |title=These are all the cities where protests and riots have erupted over George Floyd's death |url=https://www.nj.com/news/2020/05/these-are-all-the-cities-where-protests-and-riots-have-erupted-over-george-floyds-death.html |work=New Jersey Local News |date=June 2, 2020}}</ref> On May 29, 2020, civil rights leader [[Andrew Young]] stated that riots, violence, and looting "hurt the cause instead of helping it"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/atlanta-protests-ambassador-andrew-young/85-e691ffdd-fc66-4f6e-a644-370585ed7a01|title=Ambassador Andrew Young says Atlanta protest 'disintegrated into foolishness'|website=11Alive.com|date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> while George Floyd's family also denounced the violent protests.<ref>{{cite web |title=George Floyd's children denounce violence following protests across the country |url=https://wgntv.com/news/george-floyd/george-floyds-children-denounce-violence-following-protests-across-the-country/ |website=[[WGN-TV]] |date=June 1, 2020|access-date=June 26, 2020|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604203725/https://wgntv.com/news/george-floyd/george-floyds-children-denounce-violence-following-protests-across-the-country/ |archive-date=June 4, 2020}}</ref> A study conducted by the [[Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project]] found that about 93% of 7,750 protests from May 26 through August 22 remained peaceful and nondestructive.<ref name="Craig-2020" /> |
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=== Police violence === |
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{{external media| float = right| width= 230px | video1 = [https://twitter.com/i/status/1266885414016688134 Two NYPD vehicles ramming into a crowd of protestors], @pgarapon on Twitter<ref>CBS News. [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/video-shows-nypd-vehicles-driving-into-protesters-in-brooklyn-2020-05-31/ Video shows NYPD vehicles driving into protesters in Brooklyn]</ref>}} |
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There have been numerous reports and videos of aggressive police actions using physical force |
There have been numerous reports and videos of aggressive police actions using physical force including "[[Baton (law enforcement)|batons]], [[tear gas]], [[pepper spray]] and [[rubber bullet]]s on protesters, bystanders and journalists, often without warning or seemingly unprovoked".<ref name="Dewan">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/us/police-tactics-floyd-protests.html |title=Facing Protests Over Use of Force, Police Respond With More Force |last1=Dewan |first1=Shaila |last2=Baker |first2=Mike |date=June 1, 2020 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> These incidents have provoked "growing concern that aggressive law enforcement tactics intended to impose order were instead inflaming tensions".<ref name="Dewan" /> The police responded that such tactics are necessary to prevent vandalism and arson, and that police officers themselves have been assaulted with thrown rocks and water bottles.<ref name="Dewan" /> [[Amnesty International]] issued a press release on May 31, 2021, calling for the police to end excessive militarized responses to the protests.<ref name="amnestyint">{{cite web |url=https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/usa-police-must-end-excessive-militarised-response-george-floyd-protests |date=May 31, 2020 |website=Amnesty International |title=USA: police must end 'excessive' militarised response to George Floyd protests}}</ref><ref name="axiosamnesty">{{cite web |url=https://www.axios.com/protests-police-unrest-response-george-floyd-2db17b9a-9830-4156-b605-774e58a8f0cd.html |first=Rebecca |last=Falconer |title=Amnesty International: U.S. police must end militarized response to protests |website=[[Axios (website)|Axios]] |date=May 31, 2020}}</ref> A project by [[ProPublica]] compiled 68 videos during the George Floyd protests of police officers who used what appeared to researchers to be excessive levels of force. By a year later, police departments had disciplined 10 officers in connection to those captured on video.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Simon|first=Mollie|date=June 17, 2021|title=Few cops who used force on Floyd protesters are known to have faced discipline|work=[[ProPublica]]|url=https://www.propublica.org/article/few-cops-we-found-using-force-on-george-floyd-protesters-are-known-to-have-faced-discipline|access-date=June 21, 2021}}</ref> |
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[[File:Saturday in NYC - 49956669691.jpg|thumb|Arrests in [[New York City]], May 30]] |
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Two [[New York City Police Department]] vehicles were recorded ramming into protesters surrounding and throwing objects at the vehicles;<ref>{{Cite web|title=Videos show NYPD cruisers ramming into protesters behind a barricade and sending bodies flying|url=https://www.insider.com/nypd-cruisers-ram-down-protesters-video-2020-5|last=Mark|first=Michelle|website=Insider|access-date=May 31, 2020}}</ref> [[Mayor of New York City|New York City mayor]] [[Bill de Blasio]] defended the officers' actions and an investigation into the event was initiated.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Footage of NYPD Vehicles Surging Into Crowd of Protesters Sparks Further Outrage|url=https://time.com/5845631/nypd-protests-vehicles-protesters/|website=Time|language=en|access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> Another NYPD police officer was recorded throwing down a female protester with both hands while calling her a "stupid fucking bitch." The protester was hospitalized after the assault and claims to have suffered a seizure.<ref>{{cite web|title=The NYPD Is Reviewing A Video Showing An Officer Using Two Hands To Throw A Woman To The Ground|url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/olivianiland/nypd-officer-protest-brooklyn-throwing-woman-review|last=Niland|first=Olivia|date=|website=Buzzfeed News|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|accessdate=May 31, 2020}}</ref> An officer in [[Salt Lake City]] pushed an unarmed elderly man walking with a cane to the ground.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-protests-man-pushed-ground-salt-lake-city-utah-george-floyd-a9541126.html|title=George Floyd protests: Salt Lake City police push elderly man with cane to ground|website=The Independent}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Press|first=The Associated|date=2020-06-01|title=Use of Force Criticized in Protests About Police Brutality|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2020/06/01/us/ap-us-america-protests-police-tactics.html|access-date=2020-06-01|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> |
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Multiple police officers were shot or attacked during the protests.<ref name="Police under siege" >{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/police-under-siege-attacks-on-law-enforcement-in-wake-of-george-floyds-death|title=Police under siege: Attacks on law enforcement in wake of George Floyd's death|date=June 2, 2020|last=Casiano|first=Louis|website=[[Fox News]]|access-date=12 January 2021}}</ref> Four officers were shot in [[St. Louis]] after facing violent protesters who had been looting and vandalising local businesses.<ref name="4 shot" >{{cite web|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7015013/george-floyd-protests-st-louis-police-shot/|title=4 police officers shot during George Floyd protests in St. Louis|date=June 2, 2020|website=[[Global News]]|access-date=12 January 2021}}</ref> In [[Las Vegas]], a policer officer was shot in the head at Circus Circus Hotel and Casino whilst they were fighting a suspect.<ref name="Fox Irvine" >{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/george-floyd-protests-rioters-police-shot-hit-and-run|title=George Floyd protests: Rioters target police across US; 4 shot in St. Louis, 1 in Vegas, Bronx hit-and-run caught on video|last=Irvine|first=Chris|date=June 2, 2020|website=[[Fox News]]|access-date=12 January 2021}}</ref> Law enforcement officers were also injured by vehicles in [[Denver]] and New York City and hit by projectiles elsewhere in the U.S.A.<ref name="Police under siege" /> In New York City, nearly 400 officers were injured following two weeks of protesting. Injuries resulted from being hit by moving vehicles and being hit in the head with objects such as bricks and bottles.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nearly-400-nypd-officers-hurt-during-nycs-two-weeks-of-protest-over-george-floyds-death/2455285/|title=Nearly 400 NYPD Cops Hurt During NYC's Two Weeks of Protest Over George Floyd's Death|last1=Winter|first1=Tom|last2=Dienst|first2=Jonathan|date=June 10, 2020|website=[[WNBC]]|accessdate=23 February 2021}}</ref> In one incident in Los Angeles, two officers were shot whilst sitting in their patrol car and protesters blocked the responding ambulance from entering the hospital whilst shouting "we hope they die".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/opinion/criminal-justice/516474-attacks-against-the-police-are-organized-and-violent|title=Attacks against the police are organized and violent|last=Mihalek|first=Donald|website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|date=September 15, 2020|accessdate=23 February 2021}}</ref> In London, protesters threw objects at police, and picked up and threw temporary barriers at the gates of [[Downing Street]] where officers were stationed prompting more officers to enter the area.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/protests-downing-street-riot-police-antiracism-a4459251.html|title=London George Floyd protests: Anti-racism activists attack Downing Street gates as riot police deployed|date=3 June 2020|last=Speare-Cole|first=Rebecca|website=standard.co.uk|access-date=12 January 2021}}</ref> In all, twenty-seven officers were injured in London,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-52954899|title=George Floyd: London anti-racism protests leave 27 officers hurt|date=7 June 2020|website=bbc.co.uk|access-date=12 January 2021}}</ref> with fourteen officers injured when protesters clashed with [[mounted police]], with [[Metropolitan Police Service|Metropolitan Police]] [[Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis|Commissioner]] [[Cressida Dick]] saying it was "shocking and completely unacceptable".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.sky.com/story/george-floyd-violence-breaks-out-at-anti-racism-protest-in-london-12001942|title=George Floyd death: 14 police officers hurt as violence erupts at anti-racism protest in London|date=7 June 2020|website=[[Sky News]]|access-date=12 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-black-lives-matter-protests-met-police-assault-officers-cressida-dick-a9553051.html|title=Met police chief says assaults on officers 'shocking' as thousands more to protest against racism|date=7 June 2020|website=[[The Independent]]|last=Tidman|first=Zoe|access-date=12 January 2021}}</ref> |
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On May 30, a video was posted online showing police officers in Minnesota ordering residents on their porches to go inside and after a few demands, they fired paint rounds at the residents after shouting "Light 'em up!"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/05/30/light-em-up-video-appears-to-show-law-enforcement-shooting-paint-rounds-at-citizens-on-their-porch/|title='Light 'Em Up!': Video Appears To Show Law Enforcement Shooting Paint Rounds At Mpls. Residents On Their Porch|date=May 30, 2020|website=CBS Minnesota}}</ref> On the same day, in [[Atlanta]], two police officers broke the windows of a vehicle, yanked a woman out of the car and tased a man. The two victims were identified as two college students who joined the protests. The two police officers were fired after a video showed them using "excessive force".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/01/us/atlanta-cops-fired-excessive-force/index.html|title=2 Atlanta officers fired after video shows them tasing man and using 'excessive force' on woman, mayor says|author=Amir Vera|website=CNN}}</ref> Also on the same day, a grandmother participating in a protest in [[La Mesa, California]] was shot by the police with a rubber bullet between her eyes, and ended up being taken to an intensive care unit.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/grandmother-hit-with-rubber-bullet-remains-in-icu/2337061/|title=Grandmother Hit in Head With Rubber Bullet Remains in ICU|website=NBC San Diego|date=May 31, 2020}}</ref> In [[Seattle]], an officer placed his knee on the back of the neck of a looting suspect; after onlookers shouted for him to remove his knee from the man's neck his partner pulled it off.<ref name = "Dewan"/> |
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At least 104 incidents of vehicles driving into crowds of protesters, including eight involving police officers, were recorded from May 27 to September 5, with 39 drivers charged. According to experts some incidents involved frightened drivers surrounded by protesters while other incidents involved angry drivers or were politically motivated.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/07/08/vehicle-ramming-attacks-66-us-since-may-27/5397700002/|title=Cars have hit demonstrators 104 times since George Floyd protests began|first=Grace|last=Hauck|date=July 9, 2020|website=[[USA Today]]|access-date=July 17, 2021}}</ref> Since 2015, such actions have been encouraged against Black Lives Matter protests by "Run Them Over" and "All Lives Splatter" memes online, as well as items posted on [[Fox News]] and on [[social media]] by police officers.<ref>{{cite news |last=Allam |first=Hannah |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/06/21/880963592/vehicle-attacks-rise-as-extremists-target-protesters |title=Vehicle Attacks Rise As Extremists Target Protesters |newspaper=[[NPR]] |date=June 21, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://slate.com/business/2017/08/driving-into-crowds-of-protesters-was-a-right-wing-fantasy-long-before-charlottesville.html|title=Mowing Down Crowds of Protesters Was a Right-Wing Fantasy Long Before Charlottesville|first=Henry|last=Grabar|date=August 14, 2017|website=Slate Magazine|access-date=June 30, 2020}}</ref> In Buffalo, three [[Buffalo Police Department]] officers were struck by a car, and in Minneapolis, a [[Minnesota National Guard]] soldier fired 3 rounds at a speeding vehicle that was driving towards police officers and soldiers.<ref>{{cite web|title=3 law enforcement officers hurt after being hit by vehicle during Buffalo protests|url=https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/violence-at-buffalo-protest-at-e-district-police-station/71-999b7dae-99ff-4254-add3-9e33cc644737|publisher=WGRZ Staff|access-date= May 20, 2021|date=June 1, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=National Guard involved in at least two shootings, one fatal, in response to protests throughout US|url=https://www.stripes.com/news/us/national-guard-involved-in-at-least-two-shootings-one-fatal-in-response-to-protests-throughout-us-1.632057|publisher=Rose L. Thayer|access-date= May 9, 2021|date=June 1, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=National Guard soldier fired rounds at fast-approaching driver Sunday night|url=https://www.fox9.com/news/national-guard-soldier-fired-rounds-at-fast-approaching-driver-sunday-night|publisher=Fox 9|access-date= May 20, 2021|date=June 1, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=3 Arrested After Buffalo Police Officer, 2 State Troopers Hit by Vehicle During Protest|url=https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/buffalo/public-safety/2020/06/02/state-trooper--buffalo-police-officer-injured|publisher= Brandon Lewis and Spectrum news staff|access-date= May 20, 2021|date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> |
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Several African American politicians including State Senator [[Zellnor Myrie]], U.S. Rep. [[Joyce Beatty]], Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin and Franklin County Commissioner Kevin Boyce have been pepper sprayed by the police.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Gay|first=Mara|last2=Gale|first2=Jordan|date=2020-05-31|title=Opinion {{!}} The Nation’s Largest Police Force Is Treating Us as an Enemy|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/opinion/george-floyd-new-york-protests.html|access-date=2020-06-02|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=State senator says he was pepper sprayed, handcuffed at Barclays protest|url=http://bronx.news12.com/story/42192118/state-senator-says-he-was-pepper-sprayed-handcuffed-at-barclays-protest|access-date=2020-06-02|website=bronx.news12.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-05-30|title=Ohio Politicians Pepper Sprayed During Protests|url=https://patch.com/ohio/cleveland/ohio-politicians-pepper-sprayed-during-protests|access-date=2020-06-02|website=Cleveland, OH Patch|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Pelzer|first=Jeremy|last2=clevel|last3=.com|date=2020-05-30|title=U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty, other politicians pepper-sprayed by Columbus police during protest|url=https://www.cleveland.com/open/2020/05/us-rep-joyce-beatty-other-politicians-pepper-sprayed-by-columbus-police-during-protest.html|access-date=2020-06-02|website=cleveland|language=en}}</ref> |
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There were allegations of foreign influence stoking the unrest online, with the role of outside powers being additive rather than decisive as of May 31.<ref name=CNNGraphika>{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/31/politics/outside-influence-extremists-riots-us/index.html |title=What we know about the extremists taking part in riots across the US |first1=Jeremy |last1=Herb |first2=Evan |last2=Perez |first3=Donie |last3=O'Sullivan |first4=Mark |last4=Morales |website=[[CNN]] |date=May 31, 2020 |access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> |
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=== Protester violence === |
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Several analysts have said that there was a lack of evidence for foreign meddling – whether to spread disinformation or sow divisiveness – but suggest that the messaging and coverage from these countries has more to do with global politics.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Seldin |first1=Jeff |title=US Accuses Foreign, Online Actors of Inflaming Tensions |url=https://www.voanews.com/usa/nation-turmoil-george-floyd-protests/us-accuses-foreign-online-actors-inflaming-tensions |website=Voice of America |date=June 4, 2020|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622135039/https://gemini.circumlunar.space/docs/faq.html |archive-date=June 22, 2020}}</ref> |
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In [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]], a car rammed a police line near where protesters had gathered. Two officers were seriously injured and subsequently hospitalized, with three people being arrested.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://buffalonews.com/2020/06/01/violence-escalates-near-northeast-district-police-station/|title=Two shot, two officers injured as violence escalates near Bailey Avenue police station|date=June 1, 2020|website=The Buffalo News}}</ref> |
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On the night of May 30, a video posted online showed a white man being beaten up by mob of mainly black protesters in [[Dallas]]. According to [[Fox Business]], the man appeared to defend a store and was reportedly armed with a machete and has skirmished with rioters, who were throwing rocks at him.<ref name = "foxrit">{{cite news|url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/dallas-man-beaten-machete-riot-store|title=Man who appeared to defend Dallas store brutally beaten by rioters|last1=Lucas|first1=Manfredi|last2=|first2=|date= May 31, 2020|work=[[Fox Business]]|accessdate=June 1, 2020}}</ref> The man was injured, but was able to sit up and was treated at the scene before being taken away in an ambulance, where he was considered to be in a stable condition.<ref name = "Dallrit">{{cite news|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2020/05/31/man-shown-in-viral-videos-being-severely-beaten-by-crowd-in-victory-park-in-stable-condition-dallas-police-say/|title=President Trump tweets about machete-wielding man beaten by Dallas crowd during protests|last1=Jaramillo|first1=Cassandra|last2=|first2=|date= May 31, 2020|work=[[The Dallas Morning News]]|accessdate=June 1, 2020}}</ref> |
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|Burning buildings amid riots in [[Saint Paul, Minnesota]], on May 29 |
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|Police and protesters stand off in [[George Floyd protests in Seattle|Seattle]] on May 30 |
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|Vehicles on fire during a riot in [[George Floyd protests in Washington, D.C.|Washington, D.C.]], on May 30 |
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|[[Georgia National Guard]] and police clash with protesters in [[George Floyd protests in Georgia|Atlanta]] in late May-early June |
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|Protesters and counter-protesters faceoff in [[Columbus, Ohio]], on July 18 |
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}} |
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}} |
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===Police attacks on journalists=== |
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President Donald Trump called the act of violence "terrible" and demanded arrests and "long term jail sentences" for protesters.<ref name = "Dallrit" /> According to protesters, they acted in self-defense, and the video was edited to give "false impression" about protests.<ref name = "intrit">{{cite news|url=https://theintercept.com/2020/05/31/trump-falls-video-dallas-clash-edited-cast-machete-wielding-vigilante-victim/|title=Trump Falls for Video of Dallas Clash Edited to Cast Machete-Wielding Vigilante as Victim|last1=Robert|first1=Mackey|last2=|first2=|date= June 1, 2020|work=[[The Intercept]]|accessdate=June 1, 2020}}</ref> According to BlackSportsOnline.com, Charles Shoultz later claimed to be the man who was attacked by the crowd of protesters, blaming himself for instigating fight, explaining that he was merely "trying to protect the bar he likes to drink at".<ref name = "barinc">{{cite news|url=https://blacksportsonline.com/2020/05/charles-c-a-shoultz-has-been-ided-as-machete-wielding-man-who-was-chasing-protestors-says-he-was-trying-to-protect-the-bar-he-likes-to-drink-at-that-maybe-it-wasnt-the-smartest-move/|title="C.A." Shoultz Has Been IDed As Machete Wielding Man Who Was Chasing Protestors; Says He Was Trying To Protect The Bar He Likes To Drink At & That Maybe It Wasn’t The Smartest Move|last1=Littal|first1=Robert|last2=|first2=|date= May 31, 2020|work=Black Sports Online|accessdate=June 2, 2020}}</ref><ref name = "auto4">{{cite news|url=https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/dallas/article243153526.html|title=Machete-wielding man attacked by Dallas mob admits ‘bravery to the point of stupidity’|last1=Stevenson|first1=Stefan|last2=|first2=|date= May 31, 2020|work=[[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]]|accessdate=June 2, 2020}}</ref> [[Dallas Police Department|Dallas Police]] said that the incident is part of an ongoing investigation. |
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According to the [[U.S. Press Freedom Tracker]], at least 100 journalists have been arrested while covering the protests, while 114 have been physically attacked by police officers.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.voanews.com/press-freedom/police-response-press-black-lives-matter-protests-tests-first-amendment| first=Eric| last=Neugeboren| title=Police Response to Press at Black Lives Matter Protests Tests First Amendment| publisher=Voice of America| date=August 21, 2020}}</ref> Although some journalists have been attacked by protesters, over 80% of incidents involving violence against the news media were committed by law enforcement officers.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://theintercept.com/2020/06/04/journalists-attacked-police-george-floyd-protests/| first=Trevor| last=Timm| title=We Crunched the Numbers: Police — Not Protesters — Are Overwhelmingly Responsible for Attacking Journalists| publisher=[[The Intercept]]| date=June 4, 2020}}</ref> The [[Committee to Protect Journalists]] has accused police officers of intentionally targeting news crews in an attempt to intimidate them from covering the protests.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/05/31/journalists-blinded-injured-arrested-covering-george-floyd-protests/5299374002/| first=Lorenzo| last=Reyes| title=Journalists blinded, injured, arrested covering George Floyd protests nationwide| newspaper=[[USA Today]]| date=May 31, 2020}}</ref> Some journalists covering the protests in Minneapolis had their tires slashed by Minnesota State Patrol troopers and Anoka County sheriff's deputies.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.startribune.com/officers-slashed-tires-on-vehicles-parked-during-mpls-protests-unrest/571105692/| first=Paul| last=Walsh| title=Officers slashed tires on vehicles parked amid Minneapolis protests, unrest| publisher=[[Star Tribune]]| date=June 11, 2020}}</ref> |
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===Injuries caused by police projectiles=== |
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===Violence against journalists=== |
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During the week of May 30, 2020, 12 people, including protesters, journalists and bystanders, were partially blinded after being struck with police projectiles.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2020/07/14/george-floyd-protests-police-blinding/|first1= Meg|last1=Kelly|first2=Joyce Sohyun|last2=Lee|first3=Jon|last3=Swaine| title=Partially blinded by police| newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]| date=July 14, 2020}}</ref> By June 21, at least 20 people had suffered serious eye injuries.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.startribune.com/injuries-at-protests-draw-scrutiny-to-use-of-police-weaponry/571407242/| author=LARRY NEUMEISTER and TOM HAYS| title=Injuries at George Floyd protests draw scrutiny to use of 'nonlethal' police weaponry| publisher=[[Star Tribune]]| date=June 21, 2020| access-date=August 24, 2020| archive-date=November 13, 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113122910/https://www.startribune.com/injuries-at-protests-draw-scrutiny-to-use-of-police-weaponry/571407242/| url-status=dead}}</ref> The American Academy of Ophthalmology has called on police departments to stop using rubber bullets for crowd control, writing in a statement that "Americans have the right to speak and congregate publicly and should be able to exercise that right without the fear of blindness."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.startribune.com/complaints-skyrocketing-in-wake-of-mpls-police-response-to-floyd-protests/571608232/| author=Liz Sawyer and Libor Jany| title=Complaints skyrocket over police response to George Floyd protests| publisher=[[Star Tribune]]| date=July 2, 2020}}</ref> |
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U.S. Press Freedom Tracker recorded at least 19 arrests, at least 36 incidents of being shot at, at least 76 assaults, and 10 incidents in which equipment was damaged during the protests.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Johnson|first1=Ted|date=May 31, 2020|title=Press Foundation Documents At Least 100 Different "Incidents Of Aggressions" Against Media During Weekend Of Protests|work=Deadline|location=United States|url=https://deadline.com/2020/05/george-floyd-protests-media-nbc-news-garrett-hake-ali-velshi-1202947944/|accessdate=June 1, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=|title=Journalists Covering Protests Are Being Attacked By Police Across America|work=VICE News|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WJIlUrx5a4|url-status=live|access-date=}}</ref><ref name="uspresstracker.1">{{cite tweet|user=uspresstracker|number=1267493482156834821|title=More numbers from our tracking. From May 28–31|date=June 1, 2020}}</ref><!-- note that the official twitter account of the u.s. press freedom tracker is a reliable source for information about the u.s. press freedom tracker as per wp:twitter --><!-- Do not move this sentence to the "From police" section until attacks from police are distinguished from attacks from protesters. From the deadline.com source: "Still to be determined is how many of the incidents involved police action against journalists covering the protests, as reporters shared stories of being injured by members of law enforcement." --> In comparison, the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker documented between 100 and 150 such incidents per year for the past three years.<ref name="uspresstracker.2">{{cite tweet|user=uspresstracker|number=1267479781899030528|title=To put some perspective on the unprecedented nature of the weekend's attacks on journalists: At @USPressTracker, we've documented 100-150 press freedom violations in the US per year, for the last 3 years. We are currently investigating *over 100* FROM JUST THE LAST 3 DAYS.|date=June 1, 2020}}</ref><!-- note that the official twitter account of the u.s. press freedom tracker is a reliable source for information about the u.s. press freedom tracker as per wp:twitter --> Many journalists described being intentionally targeted by police even after they identified themselves as press.<ref name = "Tracy"/> One journalism professor suggested that the unusual aggressiveness toward journalists might relate to President Trump's repeated attacks on the press as "enemies of the people"; in a May 31 tweet, Trump blamed the "lamestream media" for the protests and said that journalists are "truly bad people with a sick agenda".<ref name = "Tracy">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/01/business/media/reporters-protests-george-floyd.html|title=Police Target Journalists as Trump Blames ‘Lamestream Media’ for Protests|last1=Tracy|first1=Mark|last2=Abrams|first2=Rachel|date=June 1, 2020|work=The New York Times|accessdate=June 1, 2020}}</ref> |
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=== |
===Extremist participation=== |
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{{further|Violence and controversies during the George Floyd protests#Reports of extremist activities in the United States}} |
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{{external media| float = right| width= 230px | video1 = [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftLzQefpBvM CNN reporter Omar Jimenez and his filming crew arrested by police during a live television report], [[CNN]]|video2=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlTHbtIvEV8 Officer fires pepper bullets at WAVE reporter in Louisville], [[MSNBC]]| video3=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkf-znzWKRc Australian 7News reporter attacked by police on live television in Washington DC], [[Seven News|7 News]]| headerimage=[[File:The Day Miami Burned (49954673792).jpg|215px]]|caption=Miami protestors react to police firing chemical irritants on May 30|title=External videos}} |
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As unrest grew in the days after Floyd's murder, there was speculation by federal, state, and local officials that various extremist groups using the cover of the protests to foment general unrest in the United States. Officials initially provided few details to the public about the claims.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/31/politics/outside-influence-extremists-riots-us/index.html |title=What we do and don't know about the extremists taking part in riots across the US |website=[[CNN]] |date=May 31, 2020 |access-date=June 1, 2020 |first1=Jeremy |last1=Herb |first2=Evan |last2=Perez |first3=Donie |last3=O'Sullivan |first4=Mark|last4=Morales}}</ref> |
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Journalists at several protests were injured and arrested by police while trying to cover the story, being shot by rubber bullets, or sprayed by tear gas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/journalists-at-several-protests-were-injured-arrested-by-police-while-trying-to-cover-the-story/2020/05/31/bfbc322a-a342-11ea-b619-3f9133bbb482_story.html|title=Journalists at several protests were injured, arrested by police while trying to cover the story|website=Washington Post|date=May 31, 2020|first=Elahe|last=Izadi}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/journalists-detail-being-hit-by-rubber-bullets-attacked-covering-nationwide-protests-1296587|title=Journalists Detail Being Hit By Rubber Bullets, Attacked While Covering Nationwide Protests|date=May 30, 2020|website=Hollywood Reporter}}</ref> As of 31 March, [[Bellingcat]] has identified and documented at least 50 separate incidents where journalists were attacked by law enforcement officials during the protests.<ref name=":3" /> According to Bellingcat, "law enforcement across multiple cities, but especially in Minneapolis, are knowingly and deliberately targeting journalists with less lethal munitions, arrests and other forms of violence."<ref name=":3">{{cite web |last1=Waters |first1=Nick |title=US Law Enforcement Are Deliberately Targeting Journalists During George Floyd Protests |url=https://www.bellingcat.com/news/americas/2020/05/31/us-law-enforcement-are-deliberately-targeting-journalists-during-george-floyd-protests/ |website=www.bellingcat.com |publisher=Bellingcat |accessdate=June 1, 2020}}</ref> |
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Donald Trump, [[FBI Director]] [[Christopher A. Wray]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Wray claims FBI sees 'anarchists like Antifa' exploiting George Floyd protests |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/wray-claims-fbi-sees-anarchists-like-antifa-exploiting-george-floyd-protests/vi-BB152IKD |publisher=[[MSN]] |date=June 5, 2020 |access-date=June 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622064810/https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/wray-claims-fbi-sees-anarchists-like-antifa-exploiting-george-floyd-protests/vi-BB152IKD |archive-date=June 22, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[New York City]] Mayor [[Bill de Blasio]],<ref>{{cite news |title=De Blasio now says some 'anarchist' protesters are local amid continued defense of NYPD |url=https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2020/05/31/de-blasio-now-says-some-anarchist-protesters-are-local-amid-continued-defense-of-nypd-1289520 |work=[[Politico]] |date=May 31, 2020 |access-date=June 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200623201908/https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2020/05/31/de-blasio-now-says-some-anarchist-protesters-are-local-amid-continued-defense-of-nypd-1289520 |archive-date=June 23, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[United States Attorney General]] [[William Barr]], [[Atlanta]] Mayor [[Keisha Lance Bottoms]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Mayor, police chief denounce 'anarchists' and 'terrorists' who destroyed city; curfew begins at 9 p.m. |url=https://roughdraftatlanta.com/2020/05/30/mayor-police-chief-denounce-anarchists-and-terrorists-who-destroyed-city-curfew-begins-at-9-p-m/ |work=Atlanta INtown |date=May 30, 2020 |access-date=June 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609182336/https://atlantaintownpaper.com/2020/05/mayor-police-chief-denounce-anarchists-and-terrorists-who-destroyed-city-curfew-begins-at-9-p-m/ |archive-date=June 9, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Seattle Police]] Guild President Mike Solan,<ref>{{cite news |title=Seattle Police Guild: Anarchists are stealing the peaceful protesters' message |url=https://mynorthwest.com/1915408/seattle-police-council-protests/? |date=June 5, 2020 |access-date=June 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200618200502/https://mynorthwest.com/1915408/seattle-police-council-protests/ |archive-date=June 18, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Huntsville, Alabama|Huntsville]] Police Chief Mark McMurray<ref>{{cite news |title=Police chief: Out-of-town anarchists stirred up trouble |url=https://www.apr.org/post/police-chief-out-town-anarchists-stirred-trouble |work=Alabama Public Radio |date=June 4, 2020 |access-date=June 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200620033828/https://www.apr.org/post/police-chief-out-town-anarchists-stirred-trouble |archive-date=June 20, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> blamed [[Anarchism in the United States|anarchists]] and "[[far-left extremist]]" groups, including [[Antifa (United States)|antifa]], for inciting and organizing violent riots.<ref name="StarTribune9">{{cite web|title=Officials blame differing groups of 'outsiders' for violence|url=https://www.startribune.com/officials-blame-differing-groups-of-outsiders-for-violence/570899262/|date=May 30, 2020|website=[[Star Tribune]]|language=en|access-date=May 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530222429/https://www.startribune.com/officials-blame-differing-groups-of-outsiders-for-violence/570899262/|archive-date=May 30, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/attorney-general-barr-blames-far-left-extremist-groups-violent-protests-n1219696 |title=Attorney General Barr blames 'far-left extremist groups' for violent protests |publisher=[[NBC News]] |date=May 30, 2020 |access-date=May 30, 2020 |author=McCausland, Phil}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Anarchists infiltrating George Floyd protests in NYC, officials say |url=https://abc7ny.com/floyd-protest-nyc-george-protests-nypd/6223320/ |publisher=[[WABC-TV]] |date=June 2, 2020 |access-date=June 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200614095753/https://abc7ny.com/floyd-protest-nyc-george-protests-nypd/6223320/ |archive-date=June 14, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> According to a Justice Department spokesperson, Barr came to this conclusion after being provided with information from state and local law enforcement agencies.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-george-floyd-remarks-tragedy-mob-violence-2020-5|title=Trump says George Floyd's killing 'should never have happened,' vows to 'stop mob violence, and we'll stop it cold'|first=Michelle |last=Mark |date=May 31, 2020|work=[[Business Insider]]|access-date=May 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624181634/https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-george-floyd-remarks-tragedy-mob-violence-2020-5|archive-date=June 24, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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[[Omar Jimenez|Omar Jiménez]], a [[Black Hispanic and Latino Americans|black Latino]] [[CNN]] reporter, and his filming crew were arrested while giving a live television report on May 29 in Minneapolis by the Minnesota State Patrol, and then released about an hour later.<ref name="cnnarrest">{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/29/us/minneapolis-cnn-crew-arrested/index.html|title=CNN crew released from police custody after they were arrested live on air in Minneapolis|first1=Jason|last1=Hanna|first2=Amir|last2=Vera|website=CNN|date=May 30, 2020|access-date=May 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529171833/https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/29/us/minneapolis-cnn-crew-arrested/index.html|archive-date=May 29, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> After the incident took place, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said that he deeply apologizes for what happened and would work to have the crew released, calling the event "unacceptable" and adding that there was "absolutely no reason something like this should happen."<ref name="cnnarrest" /><ref name="bbcarrest">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-52854980|title=CNN crew released from police custody after they were arrested live on air in Minneapolis|website=BBC|date=May 29, 2020|access-date=May 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530071155/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-52854980|archive-date=May 30, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> CNN called the arrests a "clear violation of their First Amendment rights" in a tweet posted the same day.<ref name="bbcarrest" /> After the incident the Minnesota State Patrol tweeted that "In the course of clearing the streets and restoring order at Lake Street and Snelling Avenue, four people were arrested by State Patrol troopers, including three members of a CNN crew. The three were released once they were confirmed to be members of the media," however the CNN crew had already informed the troopers that they were members of the media before and during the arrest and carried the relevant paperwork and identification with them.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Segers |first1=Grace |title=Minneapolis police arrest CNN crew on live television |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cnn-crew-omar-jimenez-arrested-live-television-minnesota-police/ |publisher=CBS News |accessdate=May 30, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Parker |first1=Ryan |title=Minnesota State Patrol Blasted for "Lie" Tweet About CNN Arrest of Journalists |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/minnesota-state-patrol-blasted-lie-tweet-cnn-arrest-journalists-1296389 |work=Hollywood Reporter |accessdate=May 30, 2020}}</ref> The Minneapolis Police Department falsely stated both while performing the arrest and via Twitter that his crew had not adequately responded when asked what they were doing.<ref>{{Cite web|title=In Minneapolis, the Shocking Arrest of the Journalist Omar Jimenez Live on CNN|url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/on-television/in-minneapolis-the-shocking-arrest-of-the-journalist-omar-jimenez-live-on-cnn|last=Félix|first=Doreen St|website=The New Yorker|language=en|access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> |
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Contrastingly, several mid-June investigations by news agencies including ''[[The Washington Post]]'' and the [[Associated Press]] concluded there was no solid evidence of antifa involvement in causing violence during the protests, contradicting prior claims by law enforcement officials,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/usa/nation-turmoil-george-floyd-protests/trump-blames-antifa-protest-records-show-scant-evidence|title=As Trump Blames Antifa, Protest Records Show Scant Evidence|agency=[[Associated Press]]|date=June 6, 2020|access-date=June 9, 2020|work=[[Voice of America]]|quote=The Associated Press analyzed court records, employment histories, social media posts and other sources of information for 217 people arrested last weekend [...] only a handful appeared to have any affiliation with organized groups. [...] Social media posts indicate only a few of those arrested are left-leaning activists, including a self-described anarchist. But others had indications of being on the political right, including some Trump supporters.}}</ref><ref name=NoSign>{{cite web|last1=Feuer|first1=Alan|last2=Goldman|first2=Adam|last3=MacFarquhar|first3=Neil|date=June 11, 2020|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/11/us/antifa-protests-george-floyd.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611145043/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/11/us/antifa-protests-george-floyd.html |archive-date=2020-06-11 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Federal Arrests Show No Sign That Antifa Plotted Protests|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=June 13, 2020|quote=Despite claims by President Trump and Attorney General William P. Barr, there is scant evidence that loosely organized anti-fascists are a significant player in protests. [...] A review of the arrests of dozens of people on federal charges reveals no known effort by antifa to perpetrate a coordinated campaign of violence. Some criminal complaints described vague, anti-government political leanings among suspects, but a majority of the violent acts that have taken place at protests have been attributed by federal prosecutors to individuals with no affiliation to any particular group. [...] Dermot F. Shea, the city's police commissioner, acknowledged that most of the hundreds of people arrested at the protests in New York were actually New Yorkers who took advantage of the chaos to commit crimes and were not motivated by political ideology. John Miller, the police official who had briefed reporters, told CNN that most looting in New York had been committed by "regular criminal groups."}}</ref><ref name=KellySamuels>{{cite news|last1=Kelly|first1=Meg|last2=Samuels|first2=Elyse|date=June 22, 2020|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/06/22/who-caused-violence-protests-its-not-antifa/|title=Who caused the violence at protests? It wasn't antifa.|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> and the Trump administration provided no further evidence for its claims.<ref name=KellySamuels/> |
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[[Linda Tirado]], a freelance photo journalist, was hit in the eye with a rubber bullet or a pellet by the police in Minneapolis, and following surgery has been left permanently blind in that eye.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Robles|first=Frances|date=May 30, 2020|title=A Reporter's Cry on Live TV: 'I'm Getting Shot! I'm Getting Shot!'|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/30/us/minneapolis-protests-press.html|access-date=May 31, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Protest photographer's eyeball 'exploded'|url=https://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/photojournalist-and-author-linda-tirado-blinded-in-minneapolis-protests/news-story/7768888fcd3fa7f66dac6e2d89f25dcc|date=May 30, 2020|website=NewsComAu|language=en|access-date=May 31, 2020}}</ref> |
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This is in part because "antifa is a moniker, not a single group", making it difficult to attribute any violence directly to the movement.<ref name="Alberight-2020"/> |
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The majority of protests in the aftermath of Floyd's murder were peaceful;<ref>{{Cite web|date=January 14, 2021|title=Comparison between Capitol siege, BLM protests is denounced|url=https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-race-and-ethnicity-violence-racial-injustice-afd7dc2165f355a3e6dc4e9418019eb5|access-date=February 23, 2021|website=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=September 5, 2020|title=Nearly all Black Lives Matter protests are peaceful despite Trump narrative, report finds|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/05/nearly-all-black-lives-matter-protests-are-peaceful-despite-trump-narrative-report-finds|access-date=February 23, 2021|website=[[The Guardian]]|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|title=93% of Black Lives Matter Protests Have Been Peaceful, New Report Finds|url=https://time.com/5886348/report-peaceful-protests/|access-date=February 23, 2021|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref> among the 14,000 arrests made, most were for minor offenses such as alleged curfew violations or blocking a roadway.<ref name="olson">{{cite news |title=Antifa, Boogaloo boys, white nationalists: Which extremists showed up to the US Black Lives Matter protests? |first=Emily |last=Olson |website=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=June 27, 2020 |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-28/antifa-boogaloo-extremists-at-us-floyd-protests/12388260 | access-date=June 30, 2020}}</ref> An analysis of state and federal criminal charges of demonstrators in the Minneapolis area found that disorganized crowds had no single goal or affiliation, many opportunist crowds amassed spontaneously during periods of lawlessness, and that people causing destruction had contradictory motives for their actions.<ref name="Mannix-2020a">{{Cite web|last=Mannix|first=Andy|date=December 20, 2020|title=Court records, FBI contradict Trump's claims of organized 'antifa-led' riots in Minneapolis after George Floyd's death|url=https://www.startribune.com/court-records-fbi-contradict-trump-s-claims-of-organized-antifa-led-riots-in-minneapolis-after-georg/573438811/|access-date=December 21, 2020|website=[[Star Tribune]]}}</ref> Other analysis found that persons involved in visible crimes such as arson or property damage were not ideologically organized, although some were motivated by anger towards police.<ref name="olson" /> Episodes of looting were committed by "regular criminal groups" and [[Gangs in the United States|street gangs]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Police point finger at gangs and local groups for riot damages, contradicting Trump's claims |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/10/politics/gangs-protests-blame-antifa/index.html |work=[[CNN]] |date=June 10, 2020}}</ref><ref name="NoSign" /> and were motivated by personal gain rather than ideology.<ref name="olson" /> A large number of [[white nationalist]]s did not appear in response to the protests, although "a handful of apparent lone actors" were arrested for attempting to harm protesters.<ref name="olson" /> However, there was a scattered number of armed paramilitary-style [[Militia organizations in the United States|militia movement]] groups and there were "several cases where members of these groups discharged firearms, causing chaos or injuring protesters".<ref name="olson" /> |
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Also on May 29 in [[Louisville, Kentucky]], an officer fired [[pepper bullet]]s at a reporter from [[NBC]] affiliate [[WAVE (TV)|WAVE]] who was reporting live on air for her station. The station manager issued a statement strongly condemning the incident, saying there was "no justification for police to wantonly open fire."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Officer-fires-pepper-balls-at-reporter-during-Louisville-protest-570885881.html|title=Officer fires pepper balls at reporter, photographer during Louisville, Ky., protest|first=Shellie Sylvestri, WAVE|last=News|website=www.wkyt.com|access-date=May 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530215716/https://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Officer-fires-pepper-balls-at-reporter-during-Louisville-protest-570885881.html|archive-date=May 30, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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According to the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights (IREHR), which mapped the appearance of various [[right-wing]] or [[far-right]] actors or extremist groups at rallies throughout the United States, there were 136 confirmed cases of right-wing participation at the protests by June 19, 2020, with many more unconfirmed. [[Boogaloo movement|Boogaloo]], [[Three Percenters]], [[Oath Keepers]], [[Proud Boys]], [[neo-Confederates]], white nationalists, and an assortment of militias and [[vigilante]] groups reportedly had a presence at some protests, mostly in small towns and rural areas.<ref name="olson" /><ref name="irehr">{{cite web |title=Mapping Paramilitary and Far-Right Threats to Racial Justice |first=Devin |last=Burghart |website=IREHR |date=June 19, 2020 |url=https://www.irehr.org/2020/06/19/mapping-paramilitary-and-far-right-threats-to-racial-justice/ | access-date=June 30, 2020}}</ref> |
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Boogaloo groups, who are generally pro-gun, anti-government, and [[far-right accelerationists]], have reportedly been present at least 40 George Floyd protests, several reportedly linked with violence.<ref name=olson/><ref>{{cite news|first1=Craig|last1=Timberg|first2=Elizabeth|last2=Dwoskin|first3=Souad|last3=Mekhennet|access-date=January 31, 2021|title=Men wearing Hawaiian shirts and carrying guns add a volatile new element to protests|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/06/03/white-men-wearings-hawaiian-shirts-carrying-guns-add-volatile-new-element-floyd-protests/|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |issn=0190-8286 }}</ref> Their continued presence online has caused Facebook and [[TikTok]] to take action against their violent and anti-government posts.<ref>{{cite web | title=Facebook bans 'violent' Boogaloo-linked network | website=[[BBC]] | date=July 1, 2020 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53244339 | access-date=July 3, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Clayton | first=James | title=TikTok's Boogaloo extremism problem | website=[[BBC]] | date=July 3, 2020 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-53269361 | access-date=July 3, 2020}}</ref> On July 25, 2020, 28-year old armed Black Lives Matter protester Garrett Foster was shot and killed in an altercation with a motorist in [[Downtown Austin]]. Foster identified with the boogaloo movement and had expressed anti-racist, libertarian, and anti-police views in his Facebook posts.<ref>{{cite news|last=Danner|first=Chas|date=July 27, 2020|title=What We Know About the Austin BLM Protest Shooting|newspaper=New York|url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/07/what-we-know-about-the-austin-blm-protest-shooting.html|access-date=August 20, 2020|archive-date=August 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822111630/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/07/what-we-know-about-the-austin-blm-protest-shooting.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Police said initial reports indicate that Foster was carrying an [[AK-47]] style rifle, and was pushing his fiancée's wheelchair moments before he was killed.<ref>{{Cite web|last=McGaughy|first=Lauren|date=July 26, 2020|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas/2020/07/26/man-fatally-shot-at-protest-in-austin/|title=Austin police investigating shooting death of protester|website=Dallas Morning News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|first=Meena|last=Venkataramanan|title=For Austin officials investigating Garrett Foster's death, a key question may be which party acted in self-defense|date= July 30, 2020|url=https://www.texastribune.org/2020/07/30/garrett-foster-austin-texas-stand-your-ground-self-defense/}}</ref> |
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On the evening of May 28, officers fired pepper bullets at several employees of ''[[The Denver Post]]'' who were reporting on protests in [[Denver, Colorado]]. A photographer was struck twice by pepper bullets, sustaining injuries on his arm. The photographer believed it was not accidental, saying, "If it was one shot, I can say it was an accident. I'm very sure it was the same guy twice. I’m very sure he pointed at me." Another journalist said an officer shot at least one pepper bullet at her feet.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2020/05/29/denver-post-photographer-pepper-balls-george-floyd-protest/|title=Denver Post photographer shot twice by pepper balls during George Floyd protest|first=Noelle|last=Phillips|website=www.denverpost.com|access-date=May 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530025241/https://www.denverpost.com/2020/05/29/denver-post-photographer-pepper-balls-george-floyd-protest/|archive-date=May 30, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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By late 2020, the [[United States Attorney]]'s office had charged three alleged adherents of Boogaloo Bois movement who attempted to capitalize on the unrest in Minneapolis in late May.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=March 21, 2021|title='Boogaloo Bois' face new charges for possessing machine guns, silencers|url=https://www.startribune.com/boogaloo-bois-face-new-charges-for-possessing-machine-guns-silencers/572996292/|website=[[Star Tribune]]|date=November 7, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Sepic|first=Matt|date=December 10, 2020|title=Twin Cities man sentenced for arson from riots|url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/12/10/twin-cities-man-first-to-be-sentenced-for-arson-from-may-unrest|access-date=December 20, 2020|website=MPR News}}</ref> Two had pled guilty by May 2021.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Montemayor|first=Stephen|date=May 4, 2021|title=Minnesota man is second Boogaloo member to plead to federal terror charges|work=[[Star Tribune]]|url=https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-man-is-second-boogaloo-member-to-plead-to-federal-terror-charges/600053530/|access-date=May 4, 2021}}</ref> According to the federal charging documents, the 30-year-old Michael Robert Solomon of [[New Brighton, Minnesota]], who pled guilty to federal charges, recruited Boogaloo adherent participation via Facebook and at least five others traveled to Minneapolis to participate in the unrest.<ref>{{Cite web|last=KSTP staff|date=November 6, 2020|title=2 'Boogaloo Bois,' 1 from Minnesota, newly charged with providing material support to Hamas|url=https://kstp.com/news/2-boogaloo-bois-michael-robert-solomon-new-brighton-benjamin-ryan-teeter-north-carolina-newly-charged/5917290/|access-date=November 6, 2020|website=KSTP|language=en|archive-date=October 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027183012/https://kstp.com/news/2-boogaloo-bois-michael-robert-solomon-new-brighton-benjamin-ryan-teeter-north-carolina-newly-charged/5917290/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Jackson-2020">{{Cite web|last=Jackson|first=Zöe|date=September 4, 2020|title=2 'Boogaloo Bois' charged with conspiring with terrorist organization|url=https://www.startribune.com/2-boogaloo-bois-charged-with-conspiring-with-terrorist-organization/572321772/|access-date=May 7, 2021|website=[[Star Tribune]]}}</ref> One of the persons, Benjamin Ryan Teeter, a 22-year old from [[Hampstead, North Carolina]], also pled guilty to several federal criminal charges. Officials believed Teeter traveled to Minneapolis in the days after Floyd's murder to participate in rioting and looting and that he also had plans to destroy a courthouse with Solomon.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Pross|first=Katrina|title='Boogaloo Bois' member pleads guilty in terrorism case in aftermath of George Floyd unrest|url=https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/crime-and-courts/6806165-%E2%80%98Boogaloo-Bois%E2%80%99-member-pleads-guilty-in-terrorism-case-in-aftermath-of-George-Floyd-unrest|access-date=December 20, 2020|website=Duluth News Tribune|date=December 17, 2020|language=en}}</ref> A 26-year-old man from [[Boerne, Texas]], who self-identified as a local leader of the Boogaloo movement, also faced federal riot charges for allegedly shooting 13 rounds from an [[AK-47]]-style machine gun into the Minneapolis third police precinct building while people were inside, looting it, and helping to set it on fire the night of May 28, 2020.<ref name="Mannix-2020">{{Cite web|last=Mannix|first=Andy|date=October 24, 2020|title=Texas member of Boogaloo Bois charged with opening fire on Minneapolis police precinct during protests over George Floyd|url=https://www.startribune.com/charges-boogaloo-bois-fired-on-mpls-precinct-shouted-justice-for-floyd/572843802/|access-date=October 24, 2020|website=[[Star Tribune]]}}</ref><ref name="Campbell-2020">{{Cite news|last=Campbell|first=Josh|date=October 23, 2020|title=Suspected Boogaloo Bois member arrested and charged with rioting|work=[[CNN]]|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/23/us/boogaloo-bois-arrest/index.html|access-date=October 23, 2020}}</ref> |
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On May 30, members of a [[Reuters]] crew were fired on with rubber bullets in [[Minneapolis]] shortly after a curfew they were reporting on began. One reporter was hit in the arm and neck while another was hit in the face, which deflected off his gas mask.<ref>{{Cite web|title=George Floyd: US protests over police brutality intensify - Live|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/05/george-floyd-protests-police-brutality-intensify-live-200530231110124.html|last1=Gottbrath|first1=Laurin-Whitney|last2=Formichella|first2=Lucien|last3=Regencia|first3=Ted|website=www.aljazeera.com|access-date=May 31, 2020}}</ref> Also in Minneapolis, [[France 2]]'s U.S. correspondent Agnès Varamian said her [[photojournalist]], Fabien Fougère, was hurt by non-lethal bullets as she shouted "press" to the police.<ref name="Franceinfo">{{Cite web|title=Mort de George Floyd : des journalistes visés lors des manifestations aux Etats-Unis|url=https://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/usa/mort-de-george-floyd/mort-de-george-floyd-des-journalistes-vises-lors-des-manifestations-aux-etats-unis_3989651.html|last=|first=|date=May 31, 2020|website=Franceinfo|language=fr|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200531200205/https://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/usa/mort-de-george-floyd/mort-de-george-floyd-des-journalistes-vises-lors-des-manifestations-aux-etats-unis_3989651.html|archive-date=May 31, 2020|access-date=May 31, 2020}}</ref><!-- Hurt, or targeted without specifying injury? My French is very weak, but it looks like the source says they were aimed and shot at, but doesn't talk about whether they were injured. |
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Response: The quote from Varamian is "Les tirs sont précis. @FFougere, notre jri-cameraman en a fait l experience." |
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In English: "The shots are precise. @FFougere, our JRI-cameraman [JRI = Journaliste Reporter d'Images, or photojournalist] experienced them." --> [[Expressen]]'s U.S. correspondent Nina Svanberg was also hit in the leg with rubber bullets.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Holm |first1=Gusten |title=Polis sköt Expressens reporter – flera attacker mot medier i Minneapolis |url=https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/polis-skot-expressens-reporter-flera-attacker-mot-medier-i-minneapolis/ |website=www.expressen.se|accessdate=June 1, 2020}}</ref> |
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===Perception of pervasiveness of violence=== |
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[[Adolfo Guzman-Lopez]], a reporter for NPR- and PRI-affiliate [[KPCC]] was hit in the throat with a rubber bullet, on May 31.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kessler |first1=Mike |title=KPCC/LAist Reporters Tear-Gassed, Shot With Rubber Bullet |url=https://laist.com/2020/05/31/reporters_injured_protests_police.php |accessdate=June 1, 2020 |work=LAist |publisher=KPCC |date=May 31, 2020 |location=Los Angeles CA |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200601144358/https://laist.com/2020/05/31/reporters_injured_protests_police.php |archive-date=June 1, 2020 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite tweet|user=AGuzmanLopez|number=1267269781805137920|title=I just got hit by a rubber bullet near the bottom of my throat. I had just interviewed a man with my phone at 3rd and Pine and a police officer aimed and shot me in the throat, I saw the bullet bounce onto the street @LAist @kpcc OK, that's one way to stop me, for a whilepic.twitter.com/9C2u5KmscG|first=Adolfo|last=Guzman-Lopez|date=May 31, 2020}}</ref> |
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{{further|Mean world syndrome}} |
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A December 2020 poll found 47% of Americans believed that the majority of the protests were violent, and 16% were unsure.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/12/30/951095644/even-if-its-bonkers-poll-finds-many-believe-qanon-and-other-conspiracy-theories |title=Even If It's 'Bonkers,' Poll Finds Many Believe QAnon And Other Conspiracy Theories |work=[[NPR]] |date=December 30, 2020 }}</ref> According to the [[Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project]], an estimated 93%–96.3% of demonstrations were peaceful and nondestructive, involving no injuries or no property damage.<ref name="Craig-2020">{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/the-united-states-is-in-crisis-report-tracks-thousands-of-summer-protests-most-nonviolent/2020/09/03/b43c359a-edec-11ea-99a1-71343d03bc29_story.html|title='The United States is in crisis': Report tracks thousands of summer protests, most nonviolent|first=Tim|last=Craig|date=September 3, 2020|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref><ref name=ChenowethPressman>{{Cite news|title=This summer's Black Lives Matter protesters were overwhelmingly peaceful, our research finds|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/10/16/this-summers-black-lives-matter-protesters-were-overwhelming-peaceful-our-research-finds/|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=October 16, 2020|author=Erica Chenoweth & Jeremy Pressman}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|author=Julie Watson|url=https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-race-and-ethnicity-violence-racial-injustice-afd7dc2165f355a3e6dc4e9418019eb5|work=[[Associated Press]]|title=Comparison between Capitol siege, BLM protests is denounced|date=January 14, 2021|quote=The unrest that followed Floyd’s death included vandalism, arson and looting, but the vast majority of demonstrations were peaceful.... But prominent BLM activists repeatedly distanced themselves from provocateurs and brawlers. Much of the violence came from provoked and unprovoked confrontations with police, during city-imposed curfews and after peaceful demonstrators had gone home. An analysis of more than 7,750 demonstrations in 2,400 locations across the country found that 93% happened with no violence, according to the US Crisis Monitor, a joint effort by Princeton University and the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project.}}</ref> Police made arrests in about 5% of protest events (deploying chemical irritants in 2.5% of events); 3.7% of protest events were associated with property damage or vandalism (including damages by persons not involved in the actual demonstration); and protesters or bystanders were injured or killed in 1.6% of events.<ref name=ChenowethPressman/> |
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== Media coverage == |
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[[Ali Velshi]] and his [[MSNBC]] crew were hit with rubber bullets live on air in [[Minneapolis]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Police targeted journalists covering the George Floyd protests|url=https://www.vox.com/identities/2020/5/31/21276013/police-targeted-journalists-covering-george-floyd-protests|last=Burns|first=Katelyn|date=May 31, 2020|website=Vox|language=en|access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> [[CBC News]] correspondent [[Susan Ormiston]] was also hit by rubber bullets during live coverage there.<ref name=":1" /> Michael George from the same network also reported his sound engineer being hit by a rubber bullet in the same city.<ref name=":1" /> |
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The protests were the subject of extensive media coverage, documentaries, and television specials. The documentary ''Say His Name: Five Days of George Floyd'', released in February 2021, contained footage of protests and unrest in a neighborhood of Minneapolis in the five days that elapsed between Floyd's murder and the criminal charges being filed against Derek Chauvin.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Pedersen|first=Erik|date=May 25, 2021|title=George Floyd Programming: Specials Mark One-Year Anniversary Of His Death|url=https://deadline.com/2021/05/george-floyd-programming-specials-mark-one-year-anniversary-of-his-death-1234763520/|access-date=May 26, 2021|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Espeland|first=Pamela|date=May 26, 2021|title=Pen Pals announces 25th season of prominent authors; TPT 2 to broadcast 'Say His Name: Five Days for George Floyd'|work=MinnPost|url=https://www.minnpost.com/artscape/2021/05/pen-pals-announces-25th-season-of-prominent-authors-tpt-2-to-broadcast-say-his-name-five-days-for-george-floyd/|access-date=May 26, 2021}}</ref> In August 2020, the occupied protests at 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis was the subject of a multi-part ''[[PBS NewsHour|PBS News Hour]]'' series, "George Floyd Square: The epicenter of a protest movement that's swept the world"<ref>{{Cite web|date=August 31, 2020|title=George Floyd Square – Under-Told Stories Project|url=https://www.undertoldstories.org/360-story/george-floyd-square/|access-date=November 26, 2020|website=under-told STORIES, 360|publisher=[[PBS NewsHour]]|language=en-US}}</ref> and in December 2020, it was the subject of a monthlong series by [[Minnesota Public Radio]], "Making George Floyd's Square: Meet the people transforming 38th and Chicago".<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Nguyen|first1=Christine T.|last2=Burks|first2=Megan|last3=Frost|first3=Evan|date=December 2, 2020|title=Making George Floyd's Square|url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/12/02/making-george-floyds-square|access-date=January 4, 2021|website=[[Minnesota Public Radio]]}}</ref> |
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Several documentaries and news specials were broadcast to coincide with first anniversary of Floyd's murder.<ref name="Pedersen-2021">{{Cite web|last1=Pedersen|first1=Erik|date=May 25, 2021|title=George Floyd Programming: Specials Mark One-Year Anniversary Of His Death|url=https://deadline.com/2021/05/george-floyd-programming-specials-mark-one-year-anniversary-of-his-death-1234763520/|access-date=May 30, 2021|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|language=en-US}}</ref> The ABC-produced ''After Floyd: The Year that Shook America'' examined the "generation-defining movement" of Floyd's murder and ''Our America: A Year of Activism'' reflected on the year-long period of activism on social justice issues that followed. PBS-produced ''Race Matters: America After George Floyd'' reported on ongoing protests in communities over issues of police brutality a year after Floyd's murder.<ref name="Pedersen-2021" /> |
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Sarah Belle, an independent journalist, was hit by a rubber bullet in [[Oakland, California|Oakland]].<ref name=":1" /> |
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The Minneapolis-based ''Star Tribune'' newspaper received the 2021 [[Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting|Pulitzer Prize]] for the breaking news it reported of Floyd's murder and the resulting aftermath. Danielle Frazier, the then 17-year old who filmed Floyd's arrest and murder on her cellphone, received a [[Pulitzer Prize|Pulitzer]] special citation recognition in 2021 for her video.<ref>{{Cite news|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=June 11, 2021|title=Star Tribune wins Pulitzer for George Floyd reporting; Darnella Frazier also cited|work=[[Star Tribune]]|url=https://www.startribune.com/star-tribune-wins-pulitzer-prize-for-george-floyd-reporting/600067256/|access-date=June 11, 2021}}</ref> |
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''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' reporter Molly Hennessy-Fiske reported reporters and camera crews being at the receiving end of tear gas by [[Minnesota State Patrol]], while the same happened to an ABC7 crew in [[Santa Monica, California|Santa Monica]].<ref name=":1" /> Several Detroit Free Press journalists were pepper sprayed by the city's police, as was KSTP reporter Ryan Raiche along other journalists.<ref name=":1" /> Michael Adams from [[Vice News]] also reported that happening to him and other journalists present.<ref name=":1" /> |
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==Use of social media== |
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''[[HuffPost]]'' journalist Christopher Mathias was arrested in Brooklyn, as were independent journalist Simon Moya-Smith in Minneapolis, and CNN's [[Keith Boykin]] in New York.<ref name=":1" /><!-- temporary reference --> |
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[[File:Saturday afternoon, 30 May 2020 National Day of Protests Against Racism & Repression along North Avenue - Baltimore MD IMG 9686 (49958234446).jpg|thumb|A George Floyd protest in [[Baltimore]] on May 30|alt=Protesters wearing COVID masks marching down a Baltimore street on May 30]] |
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The video recorded of Floyd's arrest and murder by Darneil Frazier on her [[mobile phone]] quickly [[went viral]] after she posted to Facebook a few hours later in the early morning hours of May 26.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Boone|first=Anna|date=June 7, 2020|title=One week that shook the world: George Floyd's death ignited protests far beyond Minneapolis|work=[[Star Tribune]]|url=https://www.startribune.com/george-floyd-death-ignited-protests-far-beyond-minneapolis-police-minnesota/569930771/}}</ref> Public outrage over the contents of the video became an inflection point that sparked the largest civil-rights protests in U.S. history as Americans confronted topics of structural racism and police reform. Protests had continued for over a year after Floyd's murder.<ref>{{Cite news|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=May 29, 2021|title=Twelve months of protests|newspaper=[[The Economist]]|url=https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/05/29/twelve-months-of-protests|access-date=June 2, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Ontiveroz|first=Aaron|date=May 30, 2021|title=A year after George Floyd protest movement, Black Coloradans discuss inflection point|work=[[The Denver Post]]|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2021/05/30/george-floyd-protest-anniversary-photos/|access-date=June 2, 2021}}</ref> |
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During a live television broadcast for ''[[Seven News|7 News]]'', Australian journalist Amelia Brace was clubbed with a police baton and cameraman Tim Myers was hit in the chest by a riot shield as they covered protests near the White House on June 1. Australian Prime Minister [[Scott Morrison]] condemned the assault and requested the [[Embassy of Australia, Washington, D.C.|Embassy of Australia]] in Washington, D.C., to investigate the incident.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Chapman |first1=Alex |title=Prime Minister Scott Morrison calls for investigation after 7NEWS reporter and cameraman assaulted in US riots |url=https://7news.com.au/news/north-america/prime-minister-scott-morrison-calls-for-investigation-after-7news-reporter-and-cameraman-assaulted-in-us-riots-c-1074160 |website=[[Seven News|7 News]] |accessdate=June 2, 2020 |date=June 2, 2020}}</ref> |
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Numerous individuals and celebrities used social media to document the protests, spread information, promote donation sites, and post memorials to George Floyd. Following Floyd's murder, a 15-year-old started a [[Change.org]] petition titled "Justice for George Floyd", demanding that all four police officers involved be charged.<ref name="Porterfield-2020">{{Cite web |last=Porterfield |first=Carlie |title='Justice For George Floyd' Petition Becomes Most Popular Ever In U.S. For Change.org |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2020/05/29/justice-for-george-floyd-petition-becomes-most-popular-ever-in-us-for-changeorg/|access-date=June 3, 2020 |website=[[Forbes]] |language=en}}</ref> The petition was both the largest and fastest-growing in the site's history,<ref name="Porterfield-2020" /> reaching over 13 million signatures.{{Citation needed|date=November 2021}} During this time, multiple videos of the protests, looting, and riots were shared by journalists and protesters with many videos circulating widely on social media websites.<ref>{{cite web |last=Flood |first=Brian |date=May 28, 2020 |title=George Floyd protests: Video footage goes viral on social media |url=https://www.foxnews.com/media/george-floyd-protests-social-media-footage|access-date=June 1, 2020 |website=[[Fox News]] |language=en-US}}</ref> |
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On June 2, The Manhattan District Attorney's Office announced that they would be investigating the alleged assault of a Wall Street Journal reporter, that took place on May 31, by members of the New York Police Department.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/02/media/wall-street-journal-assault-nypd-protest-investigation/index.html|title=District attorney to investigate alleged assault of WSJ reporter by NYPD officers during protests|website=[[CNN]]|last1=Holcombe|first1=Madeline|last2=Scannell|first2=Kara|date=June 2, 2020|accessdate=June 2, 2020}}</ref> |
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=== Documentation === |
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A remix of [[Donald Glover|Childish Gambino]]'s song "[[This Is America (song)|This is America]]" and [[Post Malone]]'s "[[Congratulations (Post Malone song)|Congratulations]]" was used heavily by protesters sharing footage of protests and police action on TikTok.<ref>{{cite web |last=Haasch |first=Palmer |date=May 29, 2020 |title=People are posting Minneapolis protest footage to TikTok and 'This Is America' has become their anthem |url=https://www.insider.com/minneapolis-protests-riots-tiktok-video-this-is-america-childish-gambino-2020-5|access-date=June 1, 2020 |website=[[Business Insider]]}}</ref> Others used personal Twitter pages to post video documentation of the protests to highlight police and protesters actions, as well as points of the protests they felt would not be reported.<ref>{{cite web |last=Adams |first=Heather |date=June 1, 2020 |title=Social media captures Boston peaceful protests that turned to riots sparked by George Floyd's death |url=https://www.masslive.com/news/2020/06/social-media-captures-boston-peaceful-protests-that-turned-to-riots-sparked-by-george-floyds-death.html|access-date=June 1, 2020 |website=masslive |language=en}}</ref> One example was a viral photo that appears to show white women protesters standing with their arms locked between Louisville Metro Police Officers and protesters, with the caption describing the image and "This is love. This is what you do with your privilege."<ref>{{cite web |last=Eadens |first=Savannah |date=June 1, 2020 |title=Viral photo shows line of white people between police, black protesters at Thursday rally |url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2020/05/29/breonna-taylor-photo-white-women-between-police-black-protesters/5286416002/|access-date=June 2, 2020 |website=The Courier-Journal |language=en}}</ref> |
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[[File:Pittsburgh George Floyd Protests 04.jpg|thumb|Protesters burning a police car in Pittsburgh on May 30]] |
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Viral images of officers "taking a knee" with protesters and engaging in joint displays against police brutality, highlighted by hashtags such as ''#WalkWithUs'',<ref>{{cite web |last=Flores |first=Jessica |date=May 31, 2020 |title=The birth of the #WalkWithUs movement: Local leaders join George Floyd protesters across US in a show of solidarity |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/05/31/george-floyd-walk-with-us-social-media-protest/5300832002/|access-date=June 1, 2020 |website=[[USA Today]] |language=en-US}}</ref> have circulated widely on social media.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Keating |first=Shannon |date=June 4, 2020 |title=Stop Sharing Viral Photos Of Cops Kneeling With Protesters |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/shannonkeating/cops-kneeling-hugging-protesters-george-floyd-protests|website=[[Buzzfeed News]]}}</ref> These acts have been identified by some cultural critics as [[copaganda]], or "feel-good images" to boost public relations.<ref name="Tesfaye-2020">{{Cite web |last=Tesfaye |first=Sophia |title=Copaganda: Most major media is still much too eager to embrace police-friendly framing |url=https://www.salon.com/2020/06/05/copaganda-most-major-media-is-still-much-too-eager-to-embrace-police-friendly-framing/|date=June 5, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Darville-2020">{{Cite web |last=Darville |first=Jordan |date=June 2, 2020 |title=How to help in the George Floyd protests and beyond |url=https://www.thefader.com/2020/06/02/how-to-help-in-the-george-floyd-protests-and-beyond|website=The Fader}}</ref><ref name="LeBlanc-2020">{{Cite web |last=LeBlanc |first=Cameron |date=June 2, 2020 |title=Let's Talk About That 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' Scene That's Going Around |url=https://www.fatherly.com/news/brooklyn-99-moo-moo-racial-profiling-george-floyd-protest/|website=Fatherly}}</ref> Official social media accounts of police departments boosted positive images of collaboration.<ref name="Darville-2020" /> In some cases, these displays of solidarity, such as police kneeling, have been recognized as occurring moments before police teargassed crowds or inflicted violence on them.<ref name="Tesfaye-2020" /><ref name="LeBlanc-2020" /> An article in ''[[The Fader]]'' characterized these acts as public relations tactics which were being undermined by police violence, "It feels like we go past the point of no return several times each day."<ref name="Darville-2020" /> |
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In Atlanta, the [[CNN Center]] was attacked and damaged by protesters on May 29.<ref>{{Cite web|title=CNN Center in Atlanta damaged during protests|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/29/us/cnn-center-vandalized-protest-atlanta-destroyed/index.html|author=Fernando Alfonso III|website=CNN|access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Franceinfo" /> |
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[[File:Protesters break windows in businesses in a building in the Midway area of St Paul, Minnesota (49946249558).jpg|thumb|Protesters break windows in businesses in [[Saint Paul, Minnesota]], May 28]] |
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In the District of Columbia on May 30, a [[Fox News]] crew was attacked outside the White House by a group of protesters while reporting on the scene.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/fox-news-reporter-attacked-chased-from-demonstration/2020/05/30/c35b1d58-a2af-11ea-be06-af5514ee0385_story.html|title=Fox News reporter attacked, chased from demonstration|website=Washington Post}}</ref> The crew was chased for several hundred meters until the police intervened.<ref name="Franceinfo" /> |
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=== Activism === |
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Pittsburgh Public Safety said that three local journalists were injured on May 30 when protesters "stomped and kicked" them and destroyed their camera.<ref>{{cite news|date=May 30, 2020|title=TIMELINE: 60 businesses reporting damage in downtown following Saturday riots|work=WPXI|url=https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/allegheny-county/live-updates-protesters-gather-downtown-pittsburgh/VIUHYBVPJJHW3B6R2XFOZVTDOY/|accessdate=June 1, 2020}}</ref> One said he was rescued by other protesters,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Press|first=The Associated|date=May 30, 2020|title=Fox News Reporter Attacked, Chased From Demonstration|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2020/05/30/us/ap-us-minneapolis-police-death-media.html|access-date=June 1, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> reportedly including [[David Morehouse]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Penguins CEO David Morehouse Saves Journalist During George Floyd Protest Violence|url= https://kdkaradio.radio.com/articles/penguins-ceo-saves-journalist-during-floyd-protest-violence|first=Jeff|last=Oravitz|website=KDKA Radio|access-date=May 31, 2020}}</ref> He and another were transported to a hospital.<ref>{{Cite web|title=‘It was pretty heroic what he did’: Penguins president/CEO David Morehouse saves KDKA cameraman amid violent protests|url=https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/penguins/2020/05/30/It-was-pretty-heroic-what-he-did-Penguins-president-CEO-David-Morehouse-saves-KDKA-cameraman-amid-violent-protests/stories/202005300079|website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|language=en|access-date=2020-06-01}}</ref> |
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{{See also|Internet activism}} |
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[[File:George Floyd Protests in Miami, Florida - 49979513917.jpg|thumb|left|Protesters in Miami on June 6, 2020|alt=Protesters in Miami on June 6]] |
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American [[K-pop]] [[Stan Twitter|fan accounts]] hijacked right wing and pro-Trump hashtags on social media, flooding trending hashtags with images and videos of their favorite artists. Users attempting to look up the hashtags ''[[White Lives Matter|#WhiteLivesMatter]],'' ''#WhiteoutWednesday'' and ''[[Blue Lives Matter|#BlueLivesMatter]]'' were met with messages and video clips of dancing [[Korean idol|idols]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=McCurry |first1=Justin |title=K-pop fans join forces to drown out opposition to No. BlackLivesMatter |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/jun/05/k-pop-fans-join-forces-to-drown-out-racist-online-content |access-date=June 5, 2020 |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=June 5, 2020}}</ref> After the [[Dallas Police Department]] asked Twitter users to submit videos of protesters' illegal activity to its iWatch Dallas app, submissions of K-pop videos led to the temporary removal of the app due to "technical difficulties".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Alicia |title=K-pop fans are taking over 'White Lives Matter' and other anti-Black hashtags with memes and fancams of their favorite stars |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/04/us/kpop-bts-blackpink-fans-black-lives-matter-trnd/index.html |access-date=June 5, 2020 |work=[[CNN]] |date=June 4, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hou |first1=Kathleen |title=K-Pop Stans Unite to Take Over WhiteLivesMatter Hashtag |url=https://www.thecut.com/2020/06/k-pop-stans-spam-police-take-over-whitelivesmatter-hashtag.html |access-date=June 5, 2020 |work=[[New York (magazine)#The Cut|The Cut]] |date=June 4, 2020 |language=en-us}}</ref> |
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On May 28, [[hacktivist]] group [[Anonymous (group)|Anonymous]] released a video to Facebook and the Minneapolis Police Department entitled "Anonymous Message To The Minneapolis Police Department", in which they state that they are going to seek revenge on the Minneapolis Police Department, and "expose their crimes to the world".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/anonews.co/videos/anonymous-message-to-the-minneapolis-police-department/285581555919237/ |title=Anonymous Message To The Minneapolis Police Department |via=www.facebook.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Griffin |first1=Andrew |date=June 1, 2020 |title='Anonymous' is back and is supporting the Black Lives Matter protests |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/anonymous-george-floyd-black-lives-matter-facebook-twitter-video-k-pop-a9542666.html |access-date=June 1, 2020 |website=[[The Independent]] |language=en}}</ref> According to [[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg]], the video was initially posted on an unconfirmed Anonymous Facebook page.<ref>{{cite web |first1=Kartikay|last1=Mehrotra|first2=Jamie|last2=Tarabay|date=May 31, 2020 |title=Anonymous Vows to 'Expose' Minneapolis Police, Site Attacked» |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-31/anonymous-says-it-ll-expose-minneapolis-police-|access-date=June 3, 2020 |publisher=[[Bloomberg News]]}}</ref> [[BlueLeaks|269 gigabytes of leaked internal law enforcement data]] spanning 10 years obtained by Anonymous were later published by the activist group [[Distributed Denial of Secrets]] on June 19 to coincide with [[Juneteenth]]. The leak consisted of over a million documents, in what investigative journalist and founder of the group—[[Emma Best (journalist)|Emma Best]]—called "the largest published hack of American law enforcement agencies".<ref>{{cite news |last=Karlis |first=Nicole |date=June 22, 2020 |title=Inside "Blue Leaks," a trove of hacked police documents released by Anonymous |url=https://www.salon.com/2020/06/22/inside-blue-leaks-a-trove-of-hacked-police-documents-released-by-anonymous/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200701035453/https://www.salon.com/2020/06/22/inside-blue-leaks-a-trove-of-hacked-police-documents-released-by-anonymous/ |archive-date=July 1, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> The leaked documents revealed that law enforcement agencies had been covertly monitoring protesters' private communication over social media, and that both federal and local law enforcement had been stoking fear among police officers, likely setting the stage for the escalation of violence against protesters by police.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hvistendahl |first1=Mara |last2=Brown |first2=Alleen |date=June 26, 2020 |title=Law Enforcement Scoured Protester Communications and Exaggerated Threats to Minneapolis Cops, Leaked Documents Show |work=[[The Intercept]] |url=https://theintercept.com/2020/06/26/blueleaks-minneapolis-police-protest-fears/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200626182221/https://theintercept.com/2020/06/26/blueleaks-minneapolis-police-protest-fears/ |archive-date=June 26, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> |
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===Allegations of foreign involvement=== |
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There have been allegations of foreign influence stoking the unrest online, with the role of outside powers being additive rather than decisive as of May 31.<ref name=CNNGraphika>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/31/politics/outside-influence-extremists-riots-us/index.html|title=What we know about the extremists taking part in riots across the US|author1=Jeremy Herb|author2=Evan Perez|author3=Donie O'Sullivan|author4=Mark Morales|website=CNN|date=May 31, 2020|accessdate=June 1, 2020}}</ref> The CEO of Graphika, which helped the U.S. Senate form its report on Russian social media influence during the 2016 elections, noted "very active engagement" from account clusters from Russia, Iran, and China, and as of May 31 noted that his team was launching an investigation on the matter of possible foreign influence.<ref name=CNNGraphika/> |
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Facebook's decision not to remove or label President Trump's tweet of "[[When the looting starts, the shooting starts]]" prompted complaints from Facebook employees that political figures were getting a special exemption from the site's content policies. Actions included internal petition, questioning the CEO at an employee town hall, some resignations,<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Dwoskin|first1=Elizabeth|last2=Tiku|first2=Nitasha|date=June 5, 2020|title=Facebook employees said they were 'caught in an abusive relationship' with Trump as internal debates raged|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/06/05/facebook-zuckerberg-trump/|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> and an employee walkout.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Frenkel|first1=Sheera|last2=Isaac|first2=Mike|last3=Kang|first3=Cecilia|last4=Dance|first4=Gabriel J. X.|date=June 1, 2020|title=Facebook Employees Stage Virtual Walkout to Protest Trump Posts|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/01/technology/facebook-employee-protest-trump.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200601164013/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/01/technology/facebook-employee-protest-trump.html |archive-date=2020-06-01 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref> |
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Republican Senator [[Marco Rubio]], the current acting Senate Intelligence Committee chairman, asserted "very heavy" social media activity linked to "at least three foreign adversaries", noting that while they "didn't create these divisions", they are "actively stoking and promoting violence".<ref name=PoliticoDugyala>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/31/obrien-foreign-foes-racial-unrest-292147|title=Foreign foes taking advantage of divide over race, national security adviser says|agency=Politico|date=May 31, 2020|author=Rishika Dugyala}}</ref> National security advisor [[Robert C. O'Brien (attorney)|Robert C. O'Brien]] said that there may be Russian activists who are exploiting the situation, but also, in reference to Chinese officials on social media, that "it's coming straight from the government."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Klar |first1=Rebecca |title=National security adviser says foreign powers trying to exploit US race relations |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/500369-national-security-adviser-says-foreign-powers-trying-to-exploit-us |website=TheHill |language=en |date=31 May 2020 }}</ref> Former national security advisor [[Susan Rice]] stated that the violence that was emerging was "right out of the Russian playbook", drawing angry responses from Russian officials with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman [[Maria Zakharova]] saying that Rice is trying to blame Russia again for the United States' own domestic problems instead of facing her own people.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/06/01/russia-reacts-to-us-riots-claims-of-meddling-a70438|title=Russia Reacts to U.S. Riots, Claims of Meddling|date=June 1, 2020|agency=Moscow Times}}</ref> [[Kremlin]] spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denied there being any interactions between President of Russia Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump regarding the protests.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/george-floyd-protests-06-02-20/h_b784e7bd8b7da897f30e0adab7d406a3|title= Kremlin: Trump, Putin did not discuss US unrest in phone call|website=[[CNN]]|last=Tarasova|first=Darya|date=June 2, 2020|accessdate=June 2, 2020}}</ref> |
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On June 3, as U.S. protests gained momentum, [[Twitter]] CEO [[Jack Dorsey]] tweeted a recommendation for users to download [[end-to-end encryption]] (E2EE) [[messaging app]] [[Signal (messaging app)|Signal]].<ref>{{cite news|date=June 5, 2020|title=Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey says download Signal as US protests gain steam|work=indiatimes.com|publisher=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/software/twitter-ceo-jack-dorsey-says-download-signal-as-us-protests-gain-steam/articleshow/76206354.cms?from=mdr|access-date=November 3, 2020}}</ref> On June 6, an estimated half million people joined protests in 550 places in the United States.<ref name="nyt_july3" /> By June 11, ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that protest organizers relied on the E2EE app "to devise action plans and develop strategies for handling possible arrests for several years" and that downloads had "skyrocketed" with increased awareness of police monitoring leading protesters to use the app to communicate among themselves.<ref name="Nierenberg">{{cite news|last1=Nierenberg|first1=Amelia|date=June 11, 2020|title=Signal Downloads Are Way Up Since the Protests Began|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/11/style/signal-messaging-app-encryption-protests.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611164039/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/11/style/signal-messaging-app-encryption-protests.html |archive-date=2020-06-11 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=November 3, 2020}}</ref> During the first week of June, the encrypted messaging app was downloaded over five times more than it had been during the week prior to Floyd's murder. [[Citizen (app)|Citizen]], a community safety app, also experienced a high spike in downloads.<ref name="Nierenberg" /> |
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=== Reports of extremist activities === |
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There have been accusations of various extremist groups using the cover of the protests to foment general unrest in the United States. According to [[CNN]], "although interference in this way may be happening, federal and local officials have yet to provide evidence to the public."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/31/politics/outside-influence-extremists-riots-us/index.html|title=What we do and don't know about the extremists taking part in riots across the US|website=[[CNN]]|date=May 31, 2020|accessdate=June 1, 2020|author1=Jeremy Herb|author2=Evan Perez|author3=Donie O'Sullivan|author4=Mark Morales}}</ref> |
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==Misinformation== |
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====Far-left and anarchist involvement==== |
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Trump blamed "[[far-left terrorism|far left extremist groups]]" for inciting and organizing violent riots.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web|title=Officials blame differing groups of 'outsiders' for violence|url=https://www.startribune.com/officials-blame-differing-groups-of-outsiders-for-violence/570899262/|date=May 30, 2020|website=Star Tribune|language=en|access-date=May 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530222429/https://www.startribune.com/officials-blame-differing-groups-of-outsiders-for-violence/570899262/|archive-date=May 30, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-george-floyd-remarks-tragedy-mob-violence-2020-5|title=Trump says George Floyd's killing 'should never have happened,' vows to 'stop mob violence, and we'll stop it cold'|first=Michelle |last=Mark |date=May 31, 2020|work=[[Business Insider]]|accessdate=May 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624181634/https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-george-floyd-remarks-tragedy-mob-violence-2020-5|archive-date=May 31, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> During a press conference, Pittsburgh Police Chief Scott Schubert said [[Antifa (United States)|Antifa]] were behind the violence during the protests. He added, "It's just a damn shame that they took advantage of the situation, for (...) something [that] happened in another state where somebody died who shouldn't have died, and they hijacked that message for their own."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2020/05/30/cheif-schubert-floyd-protests-comments/|title='Damn Shame': Pittsburgh Police Chief Says White Males Dressed In Anarchist Attire Hijacked George Floyd Protests Downtown|date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> [[United States Attorney General|U.S. Attorney General]] [[William Barr]] blamed "anarchic and far left extremist groups using Antifa-like tactics" for the violence at the protests. "The voices of peaceful protest are being hijacked by violent radical elements," Barr said.<ref>{{cite web|title=Attorney General Barr blames 'far-left extremist groups' for violent protests|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/attorney-general-barr-blames-far-left-extremist-groups-violent-protests-n1219696|author=McCausland, Phil|date=May 30, 2020|publisher=[[NBC News]]|accessdate=May 30, 2020}}</ref> According to a Justice Department spokesperson, Barr came to this conclusion after being provided with information from state and local law enforcement agencies.<ref name="post-gazette">{{Cite web|url=https://www.post-gazette.com/news/nation/2020/05/30/George-Floyd-protests-riots-violence-outsiders-neo-Nazis-white-supremacists-Antifa-cartels-Trump/stories/202005300081|title=Officials blame differing groups of 'outsiders' for violence at protests|website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|last1=Balsamo|first1=Michael|last2=Hennessey|first2=Kathleen|date=May 31, 2020|accessdate=June 1, 2020}}</ref> Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence and Counterterrorism of the [[NYPD]] [[John Miller (police official)|John Miller]] said there is a high level of confidence within the department that unnamed "[[anarchism|anarchist]] groups" had planned to commit vandalism and violence in advance.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nypds-terrorism-chief-says-unnamed-groups-planned-protest-violence-in-advance/2440722/?amp|title=NYPD'S Terrorism Chief Says Unnamed Groups Planned Protest Violence in Advance|author= Tom Winter and Andrew Blankstein|date=June 1, 2020|work=[[WNBC]]|accessdate=June 1, 2020}}</ref> |
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=== Official statements === |
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On May 31, Trump announced that he planned to designate Antifa as a [[Domestic terrorism in the United States|domestic terrorist group]]. Various government and non-government officials claim that designating domestic terrorist groups is prohibited by the [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First Amendment]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/31/politics/trump-antifa-protests/index.html|title=Trump tweets Antifa will be labeled a terrorist organization but experts believe that's unconstitutional|author1=Evan Perez|author2=Jason Hoffman|website=CNN}}</ref> |
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Minnesota Governor [[Tim Walz]] speculated that there was "an organized attempt to destabilize civil society", initially saying as many as 80% of the individuals had possibly come from outside the state,<ref>{{cite web |title=Gov. Walz to 'fully mobilize' the National Guard |url=https://www.startribune.com/walz-twin-cities-under-assault-from-outside-agitators/570892512/ |last=Condon |first=Patrick |date=May 30, 2020 |website=[[Star Tribune]] |language=en|access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> and the mayor of St. Paul, [[Melvin Carter (politician)|Melvin Carter]], said everyone arrested in St. Paul on May 29 was from out of state.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/500268-st-paul-mayor-says-arrested-protesters-were-from-out-of-state |title=St. Paul mayor says arrested protesters were from out of state |last=Axelrod |first=Tal |date=May 30, 2020 |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> However, jail records showed that the majority of those arrested were in-state.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.insider.com/minnesota-protests-out-of-state-people-2020-5 |title=Minnesota lawmakers said violence during George Floyd protests was from 'outside' actors, but jail records show most arrests are in-state |first1=Ellen |last1=Cranley |first2=Michelle |last2=Mark |website=[[Insider Inc.]] |date=May 30, 2020 |access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> At a press conference later the same day, Carter explained that he had "shared... arrest data received in [his] morning police briefing which [he] later learned to be inaccurate".<ref name="cbs-mcnamara-st-paul-mayor-may-30">{{cite web |last1=McNamara |first1=Audrey |title=St. Paul mayor says earlier comments about arrested protesters being out of state were not correct |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/minnesota-officials-say-most-people-who-acted-violently-at-protests-are-not-state-residents/ |work=[[CBS News]] |access-date=May 31, 2020 |date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> |
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====Far-right and white supremacist involvement==== |
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Numerous eyewitness accounts and news reporters indicated that tear gas was used to disperse protesters in Lafayette Square.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Peaceful Protesters Tear-Gassed To Clear Way For Trump Church Photo-Op |first=Tom |last=Gjelten |date=June 1, 2020 |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/06/01/867532070/trumps-unannounced-church-visit-angers-church-officials |publisher=[[NPR]] |language=en |access-date=June 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200602062532/https://www.npr.org/2020/06/01/867532070/trumps-unannounced-church-visit-angers-church-officials |archive-date=June 2, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> Despite this evidence, U.S. Park Police officials said, "USPP officers and other assisting law enforcement partners did not use tear gas or [[CS gas#United States|OC Skat Shells]] to close the area at Lafayette Park",<ref name="USPPmonahan">{{Cite web|title=Statement from U.S. Park Police acting Chief Gregory T. Monahan about the actions taken to protect life and property|department=U.S. Park Police|url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/uspp/6_2_20_statement_from_acting_chief_monahan.htm |website=[[National Park Service]] |access-date=June 5, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Lilly|date=June 4, 2020|title=It's terrible that we even have to explain what pepper balls are, but here we are|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90512601/its-terrible-that-we-even-have-to-explain-what-pepper-balls-are-but-here-we-are |website=[[Fast Company]] |language=en-US |access-date=June 5, 2020}}</ref> adding that they only used "pepper balls" and "smoke canisters". [[Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign|Donald Trump's presidential campaign]] demanded news outlets retract reports of "tear gas" use.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Trump campaign demands story retractions on tear gas use |date=June 3, 2020 |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/06/trump-campaign-demands-story-retractions-tear-gas-200603110259366.html |publisher=[[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]] |access-date=June 5, 2020}}</ref> President Trump called the reports "fake" and said "they didn't use tear gas."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Albeen|first=Eric|date=June 3, 2020|title=President Trump on the Brian Kilmeade Show|url=https://radio.foxnews.com/2020/06/03/president-trump-on-the-brian-kilmeade-show/ |work=Fox News Radio |language=en-US |access-date=June 5, 2020}}</ref> |
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On May 29, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz noted the then-unconfirmed reports of white supremacists as well as [[drug cartel]]s taking advantage of the protests.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/blog/george-floyd-death-minneapolis-protests-live-updates-n1217886/ncrd1219396#blogHeader|title=May 29 George Floyd death and Minneapolis protests|agency=NBC|date=May 29, 2020}}</ref> Although reports that all or most of the individuals arrested were not from Minnesota turned out to be false, the presence of white supremacist groups aiming to exploit the protests to incite violence was confirmed the following day by Department of Public Safety Commissioner [[John Harrington (American politician)|John Harrington]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/sergeiklebnikov/2020/05/30/mayor-says-he-was-incorrect-in-saying-every-person-arrested-in-minneapolis-protests-was-from-out-of-state/#7f5db7df233c|title=Mayor Walks Back Statement Saying Every Person Arrested In Minneapolis Protests Was From Out Of State|date=May 30, 2020|agency=Forbes}}</ref> |
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===Press statements=== |
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On May 30, Minnesota officials including Minnesota Attorney General [[Keith Ellison]], Governor Tim Waltz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter stated they believed that white nationalists were using the protests as cover for inciting violence,<ref name="auto1">{{cite news|url=https://www.bet.com/news/national/2020/05/30/minnesota_s-top-officials.html|agency=BET|title= Minnesota's Top Officials Believe White Nationalists Are Using George Floyd Protests As Cover For Inciting Violence |date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> and that Minnesota officials were monitoring the ongoing far-right online effort to incite violence.<ref name=NYUBloom/> On the other hand, Howard Graves, an analyst at the [[Southern Poverty Law Center|SPLC]] stated on May 31 that he did not see clear evidence of "white supremacists or militiamen" heading out to "burn and loot".<ref name=NYT31>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/us/george-floyd-protests-white-supremacists-antifa.html|title=Many Claim Extremists Are Sparking Protest Violence. But Which Extremists?|agency=New York Times|date=May 31, 2020}}</ref> The [[University of St. Thomas (Minnesota)|University of St. Thomas]]' Lisa Waldner, an analyst of the American white supremacist and anarchist movements, has noted that the goal of many of the individuals involved in the destruction of Minneapolis was to create chaos so as to pursue their own agendas.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://wccoradio.radio.com/articles/white-supremacist-expert-%E2%80%98the-goal-is-to-create-chaos%E2%80%99|title=White supremacist expert: 'The goal is to create chaos'|date=May 30, 2020|agency=WCCO Radio Newsroom}}</ref> White nationalist Facebook groups reportedly began urging members to "get their loot on".<ref name="auto1"/> In at least 20 cities across the country as of May 31, members of hate groups and far-right organizations filmed themselves at the demonstrations.<ref name=NYT31/> |
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On the night of May 31, exterior lights on the north side of the [[White House]] went dark as usual at 11:00 pm,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fichera |first1=Angelo |title=Viral Posts Share Old, Edited White House Photo in Dark |url=https://www.factcheck.org/2020/06/viral-posts-share-old-edited-white-house-photo-in-dark/ |website=FactCheck.org |date=June 4, 2020}}</ref> while protesters were demonstrating outside. ''The Guardian'' mistakenly reported that "in normal times, they are only ever turned off when a president dies."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Borger |first1=Julian |title=Fires light up Washington DC on third night of George Floyd protests |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/31/fires-light-up-washington-dc-on-third-night-of-george-floyd-protests |access-date=June 7, 2020 |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> A 2015 stock photograph of the White House, edited to show the lights turned off, was shared tens of thousands of times online,<ref name="Seitz-2020a">{{Cite web |date=June 1, 2020 |title=Old image edited to show White House black out |url=https://apnews.com/article/archive-fact-checking-8983690810 |first=Amanda |last=Seitz |access-date=June 3, 2020 |work=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> including by [[Hillary Clinton]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 2, 2020 |title=Democrats share altered 'lights out' photo of White House on social media |url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/viral-white-house-blackout-image-shared-by-hillary-clinton-democrats-edited-and-from-at-least-2015|access-date=June 3, 2020 |website=[[Washington Examiner]] |language=en}}</ref> While the photograph did not depict the building at the time of the protests, [[Deputy White House Press Secretary]] [[Hogan Gidley]] confirmed that the lights "go out at about 11 p.m. almost every night".<ref name="Da Silva">{{cite news |last1=Da Silva |first1=Chantal |author-link=Chantal Da Silva |date=June 1, 2020 |title=White House Says Lights Go Out Same Time 'Almost Every Night' After Facing Criticism for Going Dark Amid Protests |url=https://www.newsweek.com/white-house-lights-out-same-time-every-night-criticism-protests-1507901 |access-date=June 7, 2020}}</ref> |
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[[File:Black Live Matter March (49993779186).jpg|thumb|Protesters in [[Eugene, Oregon]], on June 9, 2020]] |
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''[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]'' and [[New York University School of Law#Centers and institutes|New York University's Reiss Center]]<ref name=NYUBloom/> reported that [[Accelerationism#Far-right accelerationism|far-right accelerationists]], who aim to exacerbate tensions and speed up the supposed coming of a "[[civil war]]", have urged followers online to use the protests as an occasion to carry out violence; an [[eco-fascist]] [[Telegram (software)|Telegram]] channel with almost 2500 subscribers posted on the 28th that "a riot would be the perfect place to commit a murder".<ref name="ViceNews2">{{Cite web|title=Far-Right Extremists Are Hoping to Turn the George Floyd Protests Into a New Civil War - VICE|url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pkyb9b/far-right-extremists-are-hoping-to-turn-the-george-floyd-protests-into-a-new-civil-war|website=www.vice.com|access-date=May 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530082848/https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pkyb9b/far-right-extremists-are-hoping-to-turn-the-george-floyd-protests-into-a-new-civil-war|archive-date=May 30, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> Analysis by ''Vice'' and the [[New York Times]]<ref name=NYT31/> also noted the proliferation of chatter on [[4Chan]] hailing the violence as the beginning of a "race war". Such tactics match a long running history of accelerationists exploiting moments of political and/or civil unrest<ref name="ViceNews2"/> to, in the words of historian Stuart Wexler, "produce racial polarization and eventual retaliation" which would then swell the ranks of whites supporting white supremacist violence, ultimately leading to a race war that they hope will "purify" America through [[ethnic cleansing]].<ref name=WexlerHaaretz>{{cite news|url=https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-white-supremacist-provocateurs-are-tipping-u-s-protests-into-a-race-war-1.8884913|title=White Supremacist Provocateurs Are Tipping America's Protests Into a Race War |author=Stuart Wexler|date=May 31, 2020|agency=Haaretz}}</ref> Analogous tactics were used by their ideological forebears in the 1960s,<ref name=WexlerHaaretz/> and accelerationist ideas are proliferated on web forums and have inspired various white supremacist acts of violence, being featured also in the manifesto of the perpetrator of the [[Christchurch massacre]].<ref name=NYUBloom/><ref name=BeauchampBackground>{{cite news|url=https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/11/11/20882005/accelerationism-white-supremacy-christchurch|title=Accelerationism: the obscure idea inspiring white supremacist killers around the world|agency=Vox|author=Zack Beauchamp|date=November 18, 2019}}</ref> |
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On June 6, the ''[[New York Post]]'' reported that a NYPD source said $2.4 million of [[Rolex]] watches had been looted during protests from a Soho Rolex store.<ref name="GQ Rolex">{{Cite web |last=Wolf |first=Cam |title=That Viral "$2.4 Million Rolex Looting" Story? It Never Happened |url=https://www.gq.com/story/watch-store-looting-true-story|access-date=June 6, 2020 |website=GQ |date=June 4, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> However, the store in question was actually a [[Watches of Switzerland]] outlet that denied anything was stolen.<ref name="GQ Rolex" /> Rolex confirmed that "no watches of any kind were stolen, as there weren't any on display in the store."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Tina |date=June 1, 2020 |title=Conflicting reports of looting at Soho Rolex store |url=https://nypost.com/2020/06/01/looters-swipe-2-4m-worth-of-watches-from-soho-rolex-store/|access-date=June 4, 2020 |website=[[New York Post]] |language=en}}</ref> |
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A June 12 article by ''[[The Seattle Times]]'' found that Fox News published a photograph of the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone that had been digitally altered to include a man armed with an assault rifle.<ref name="Seattle Times">{{cite news |last1=Brunner |first1=Jim |date=June 12, 2020 |title=Fox News runs digitally altered images in coverage of Seattle's protests, Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone |work=[[The Seattle Times]] |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/fox-news-runs-digitally-altered-images-in-coverage-of-seattles-protests-capitol-hill-autonomous-zone/}}</ref> The Fox News website also used a photograph of a burning scene from the Minnesota protests to illustrate their articles on Seattle's protests. Fox removed the images and issued an apology, stating the digitally altered image was a [[collage]] that "did not clearly delineate" splicing.<ref name="Seattle Times" /> |
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The presence of [[Boogaloo movement|Boogaloo Bois]], an armed anti-government [[Far-right politics|far-right]] [[Extremism|extremist]] movement that seeks a [[Second American Civil War]], noticeable for their [[Aloha shirt|Hawaiian shirts]], have also been reported at the protests. U.S. Senator [[Marco Rubio]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]]-[[Florida|FL]]) has expressed concern about these people on Twitter.<ref>https://twitter.com/marcorubio/status/1267263645781721088</ref><ref name="ViceNews2"/> Administrators of the Facebook page Big Igloo Bois, a splinter of the Boogaloo movement, called for members to attend the protests with one administrator stating, "come in peace, prepare for there to be violence."<ref>{{cite news|title=Outsiders, extremists are among those fomenting violence in Twin Cities|last1=Collins|first1=Jon|first2=Elizabeth|last2=Shockman|date=May 30, 2020|accessdate=June 1, 2020|url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/05/30/outsiders-extremists-are-among-those-fomenting-violence-in-twin-cities|publisher=MPR News}}</ref> While some of the Boogaloo Bois have espoused racial supremacist views, other groups, such as the Big Igloo Bois, have aimed to make common cause with the Black Lives Matter movement due to their shared mistrust of the police.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2020/05/27/the-boogaloo-movement-is-not-what-you-think/|title=The Boogaloo Movement Is Not What You Think|author=Robert Evans and Jason Wilson|date=May 27, 2020|agency=Bellingcat}}</ref><ref name=NYUBloom>{{cite news|url= https://www.justsecurity.org/70497/far-right-infiltrators-and-agitators-in-george-floyd-protests-indicators-of-white-supremacists/|title=Far-Right Infiltrators and Agitators in George Floyd Protests: Indicators of White Supremacists|author=Mia Bloom|date=May 30, 2020|agency=Just Security|publisher= Reiss Center on Law and Security at New York University School of Law.}}</ref> |
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===Conspiracy theories=== |
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According to a Twitter spokesperson, an account pretending to belong to a national “antifa” organization and pushing violent rhetoric related to ongoing protests has been linked to the white nationalist group [[Identity Evropa]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/twitter-takes-down-washington-protest-disinformation-bot-behavior-n1221456|title=White nationalist group posing as antifa called for violence on Twitter|website=NBC News|date=June 2, 2020}}</ref> |
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{{further|Antifa (United States)#George Floyd protests (2020)}} |
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False claims of impending [[antifa (United States)|antifa]] activity as part of the protests circulated through social media platforms, causing alarm in at least 41 towns and cities.<ref name="Alba & Decker">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/22/technology/antifa-local-disinformation.html|title=41 Cities, Many Sources: How False Antifa Rumors Spread Locally|date=June 22, 2020|access-date=June 24, 2020|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|first1=Davey|last1=Alba|author-link1=Davey Alba|first2=Ben|last2=Decker|archive-date=June 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200623231413/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/22/technology/antifa-local-disinformation.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="vergeantifabus">{{cite web |date=June 5, 2020 |title='Antifa bus' hoaxes are spreading panic through small-town America |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/6/5/21281581/antifa-bus-hoax-trump-misinformation-protests-police |website=[[The Verge]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=June 2, 2020 |title=False claims of antifa protesters plague small U.S. cities |url=https://eu.detroitnews.com/story/news/nation/2020/06/02/false-claims-antifa-protesters-plague-small-us-cities/111899444/ |first=Amanda |last=Seitz |agency=[[Associated Press]] |website=Detroit News}}</ref> As a result of the rumors, several people were harassed.<ref name="vergeantifabus" /> Hundreds of members of armed self-proclaimed militias and far right groups gathered in [[Gettysburg National Military Park]] on Independence Day in response to a [[2020 Gettysburg hoax|fake online claim]] that antifa protesters were planning on burning the U.S. flag.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Boburg |first1=Shawn |title=Militias flocked to Gettysburg to foil a supposed Antifa flag burning, an apparent hoax created on social media |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/hundreds-of-armed-men-went-to-gettysburg-to-defend-it-from-a-phantom-antifa-flag-burner-created-on-social-media/2020/07/04/206ee4da-bb05-11ea-86d5-3b9b3863273b_story.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=July 8, 2020 |language=en |date=July 4, 2020}}</ref> |
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Some social media users spread images of damage from other protests or incidents, falsely attributing the damage to the George Floyd protests.<ref name="Seitz-2020">{{cite web |title=Minneapolis protest misinformation stokes racial tensions |url=https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-protest-misinformation-stokes-racial-tensions/570878262/ |last=Seitz |first=Amanda |date=May 30, 2020 |website=[[Star Tribune]] |access-date=May 30, 2020 |archive-date=June 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603091021/https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-protest-misinformation-stokes-racial-tensions/570878262/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> |
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== Use of social media == |
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Many individuals of the general population and celebrities used social media to document the protests, spread information and donation sites, and post memorials to George Floyd. [[Cardi B]] used her social media to comment on the police brutality and looting during the protests stating; "Police brutality been going on even way before I was born, but it has been more visual ever since social media" and "How many peaceful protests have we seen? How many trending hashtags have we seen? People are tired. Now this [looting] is what people have to resort to."<ref>{{Cite web|title=As Protests Surge For George Floyd, Artists Take To Social Media For Justice, Donations And Song|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/andreabossi/2020/05/30/as-protests-surge-for-george-floyd-artists-take-to-social-media-for-justice-donations-and-song/|last=Bossi|first=Andrea|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> |
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Twitter suspended hundreds of accounts associated with spreading [[DC blackout hoax|a false claim about a communications blackout during protests in Washington, D.C.]], or a claim that authorities had blocked protesters from communicating on their smartphones.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/06/01/misinformation-about-extent-unrest-washington-dc-surges-across-twitter/ |title=Twitter became a major vehicle for misinformation about unrest in D.C. |first1=Craig |last1=Timberg |first2=Elizabeth |last2=Dwoskin |first3=Fenit |last3=Nirappil |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> Also, some accounts shared a photo of a major fire burning near the Washington Monument, which was actually an image from a television show.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/06/01/867137863/none-of-this-is-true-protests-become-fertile-ground-for-online-disinformation |title='None Of This Is True': Protests Become Fertile Ground for Online Disinformation |website=[[NPR]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Sebenius |first1=Alyza |last2=Wagner |first2=Kurt |date=June 2, 2020 |title=Twitter Suspends Hundreds Tweeting #dcblackout During Protests |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-02/twitter-suspends-hundreds-tweeting-dcblackout-amid-protests|access-date=June 6, 2020 |newspaper=[[Bloomberg News]]}}</ref> |
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The hashtag ''#WalkWithUs'' was used to highlight law enforcement individuals who joined protesters in protesting against police brutality, such as in Santa Cruz, California, and Flint, Michigan.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The birth of the #WalkWithUs movement: Local leaders join George Floyd protesters across US in a show of solidarity|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/05/31/george-floyd-walk-with-us-social-media-protest/5300832002/|last=Flores|first=Jessica|date=May 31, 2020|website=USA TODAY|language=en-US|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> [[Donald Glover|Childish Gambino's]] song "[[This Is America (song)|This is America]]" was used heavily by protesters sharing footage of protests and police action on [[TikTok]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=People are posting Minneapolis protest footage to TikTok and 'This Is America' has become their anthem|url=https://www.insider.com/minneapolis-protests-riots-tiktok-video-this-is-america-childish-gambino-2020-5|last=Haasch|first=Palmer|date=May 29, 2020|website=Insider|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> Others used personal Twitter pages to post video documentation of the protests to highlight police and protestors actions, and points of the protests they felt would not be reported.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Social media captures Boston peaceful protests that turned to riots sparked by George Floyd’s death|url=https://www.masslive.com/news/2020/06/social-media-captures-boston-peaceful-protests-that-turned-to-riots-sparked-by-george-floyds-death.html|last=Adams|first=Heather|date=June 1, 2020|website=masslive|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> Such as a viral photo that appears to show white women protestors standing with their arms locked between Louisville Metro Police Officers and black protestors with the caption describing the image and "This is love. This is what you do with your privilege."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Eadens|first=Savannah|date=June 1, 2020|title=Viral photo shows line of white people between police, black protesters at Thursday rally|url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2020/05/29/breonna-taylor-photo-white-women-between-police-black-protesters/5286416002/|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-02|website=The Courier-Journal|language=en}}</ref> |
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A study by [[Zignal Labs]] identified three dominant themes in misinformation and conspiracy theories around the protests: unsubstantiated claims of antifa involvement, claims that Floyd's murder had been faked, and claims of involvement by the billionaire investor and philanthropist [[George Soros]].<ref name="Alba">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/01/technology/george-floyd-misinformation-online.html|title=Misinformation About George Floyd Protests Surges on Social Media|date=June 1, 2020|access-date=June 4, 2020|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|first=Davey|last=Alba|archive-date=June 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612150326/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/01/technology/george-floyd-misinformation-online.html|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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During this time, multiple videos of the looting, protests and riots were shared by journalists and protestors with many videos going viral. One such was footage of a destroyed and smoky Target store interior, that the poster claimed was in Minneapolis and destroyed during the protests, within 12 hours of being posted on Twitter the video had accumulated over 2.5 million views.<ref>{{Cite web|title=George Floyd protests: Video footage goes viral on social media|url=https://www.foxnews.com/media/george-floyd-protests-social-media-footage|last=Flood|first=Brian|date=May 28, 2020|website=Fox News|language=en-US|access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> |
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==Social impact== |
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Following Floyd's death on May 25, 2020, 15-year old Kellen started a [[Change.org]] petition<ref>{{Cite web|title=George Floyd’s murder has mobilized more than 7 million people on http://Change.org. 15-year-old Kellen started the petition and gave everyone a way to demand justice. She won’t stop until all 4 officers are fully held accountable.http://www.change.org/George|url=https://twitter.com/Change/status/1266804772197273603|last=Change.org|date=May 30, 2020|website=@Change|language=en|access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> labelled "Justice for George Floyd" demanding that all four police officers involved should be charged. The petition has gained over 10 million signatures, making it the largest petition in the site's history.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The petition demanding #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd is now the largest petition in our site’s history. @Beyonce has added her support to those demanding justice for George Floyd in this Instagram post tonight too: (www.instagram.com/p/CAy-W0cAvWV/?igshid=1wmxmys0h2w6k…)|url=https://twitter.com/Change/status/1266574446380318720|last=Change.org|date=2020-05-29|website=@Change|language=en|access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> Celebrities like [[Beyoncé]] have shown their support by promoting this petition on Instagram.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Beyoncé on Instagram: "If you want to demand more charges brought on all those involved in the death of George Floyd, click the link in my bio to sign the…"|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CAy-W0cAvWV/|website=Instagram|language=en|access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> Director [[Spike Lee]] posted a short film on his social media to support the protests and highlighted the deaths Floyd, Eric Garner and fictional character [[Radio Raheem]] in his film ''[[Do the Right Thing]].'' The short uses footage of the deaths of all three men and opens with the word; "Will history stop repeating itself?"<ref>{{Cite web|title=Spike Lee’s Devastating Short Film Highlights Deaths of George Floyd, Eric Garner|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/06/spike-lee-george-floyd-short-film|last=Desta|first=Yohana|website=Vanity Fair|language=en|access-date=2020-06-02}}</ref> |
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{{main|List of changes made due to the George Floyd protests}} |
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[[File:George Floyd protest in Grand Army Plaza June 7 (73221).jpg|thumb|A protester in New York City holding a sign listing some demands]] |
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A week into the protests, ''[[The Washington Post]]'' stated that the current situation suggests that the ''[[status quo]]'' was undergoing a [[culture shock|shock]], with the article stating "the past days have suggested that something is changing. The protests reached into every corner of the United States and touched nearly every strand of society."<ref name="Balz & Miller 2020">{{Cite news|last1=Balz|first1=Dan|last2=Miller|first2=Greg|date=June 6, 2020|title=America convulses amid a week of protests, but can it change?|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/politics/protests-reckoning/|access-date=July 2, 2020|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|language=en}}</ref> [[Joe Biden]] told ''[[Politico]]'' that he had experienced an awakening and thought other White Americans had as well, saying: "Ordinary folks who don't think of themselves as having a prejudiced bone in their body, don't think of themselves as racists, have kind of had the mask pulled off."<ref name="Thompson 2020">{{Cite web|last=Thompson|first=Alex|title=White America is reckoning with racism. It could reshape 2020.|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/09/white-voters-2020-biden-304804|access-date=July 2, 2020|website=[[Politico]]|date=June 9, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> A number of journalistic and academic sources described the protests as forcing Americans to face racial inequality, police brutality and other racial and economic issues. Many stated that the unrest was due to the prevailing political and cultural habits of overlooking or ignoring forms of oppression of Black Americans. ''Politico'' said the [[murder of George Floyd]], captured on video, had "prompted a reckoning with racism [...] for a wide swath of white America."<ref name="Thompson 2020"/> Deva Woodly, Associate Professor of Politics at [[The New School for Social Research]], wrote: "We are living in a world-historical moment."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Woodly|first=Deva|title=An American Reckoning|url=https://publicseminar.org/essays/an-american-reckoning/|access-date=July 2, 2020|website=Public Seminar|date=June 4, 2020 |language=en-US}}</ref> [[NPR]] said that "a change of attitude seems to have swept through the national culture like a sudden wind."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Elving |first1=Ron |title=Will This Be The Moment Of Reckoning On Race That Lasts? |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/06/13/876442698/will-this-be-the-moment-of-reckoning-on-race-that-lasts |access-date=November 8, 2020 |publisher=[[NPR]] |date=June 13, 2020}}</ref> [[CNN]]'s Brianna Keilar said that "[y]ou are watching America's reckoning" as she outlined the "profound change" the country had experienced, including that in mid-June 15 of the 20 bestselling books were about race.<ref>{{cite news |date=June 11, 2020 |title=Brianna Keilar: You are watching America's reckoning |work=[[CNN]] |url=https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/06/11/cultural-shifts-george-floyd-death-keilar-crn-vpx.cnn|access-date=July 2, 2020}}</ref> |
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In late June, ''[[The Christian Science Monitor]]''{{'}}s editorial board wrote: "It may still be too soon to say the U.S. has reached a true inflection point in its treatment of its citizens of African descent. But it has certainly reached a reflection point."<ref>{{Cite news|date=June 23, 2020|title=Seeds of honesty in a US reckoning on race|work=[[The Christian Science Monitor]]|url=https://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2020/0623/Seeds-of-honesty-in-a-US-reckoning-on-race|access-date=July 2, 2020|issn=0882-7729}}</ref> [[Reuters]] reported that Black candidates in June's primaries had benefited from "a national reckoning on racism."<ref>{{Cite news|date=June 25, 2020 |title=Amid U.S. reckoning on race, Black candidates harness voters' fervor for change|language=en|work=[[Reuters]]|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-diversity-analysis-idUSKBN23W1HC |first=Joseph |last=Ax |access-date=July 2, 2020}}</ref> By early July, ''The Washington Post'' was running a regularly updated section titled "America's Racial Reckoning: What you need to know."<ref name="PostJuly3">{{Cite news|title=Opinion {{!}} Lincoln's D.C. statue is having a cultural reckoning of its own|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/letters-to-the-editor/lincolns-dc-statue-is-having-a-cultural-reckoning-of-its-own/2020/07/02/6b32d5f8-ba29-11ea-97c1-6cf116ffe26c_story.html |access-date=July 3, 2020|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|language=en}}</ref> On July 3, ''The Washington Post'' said that "the Black Lives Matter protests following the police killings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks focused the world's attention on racial inequities, structural racism and implicit bias."<ref name="McIntyre 2020">{{Cite news|last=McIntyre|first=Dave|date=July 3, 2020|title=The Court of Master Sommeliers has been called out for racism. Now, it is pledging change.|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/the-court-of-master-sommeliers-has-been-called-out-for-racism-now-it-is-pledging-change/2020/07/02/8666674c-bc57-11ea-bdaf-a129f921026f_story.html|access-date=July 4, 2020|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> |
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== Misinformation == |
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''[[The New York Times]]'' described the events in the wake of Floyd's murder and video that circulated of it as "the largest protests in the United States since the Civil Rights era."<ref name="Martinez-2021"/> |
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Misinformation was spread across social media, hours prior to the beginning of the first protests. Internet users and celebrities spread images of men wearing [[MAGA hat]]s that were falsely identified as Chauvin.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web|title=Minneapolis protest misinformation stokes racial tensions|url=https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-protest-misinformation-stokes-racial-tensions/570878262/|last=Seitz|first=Amanda|date=May 30, 2020|website=Star Tribune|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> Social media users claimed a man videoed breaking the windows of an [[AutoZone]] in Minneapolis on May 27 was an undercover [[Saint Paul Police Department|Saint Paul Police]] officer; the Saint Paul Police Department denied these claims through a statement on Twitter.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Did an undercover cop really vandalize a Minnesota AutoZone?|url=https://www.dailydot.com/debug/autozone-minnesota-george-floyd/|date=2020-05-29|website=The Daily Dot|language=en-US|access-date=2020-06-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title='Not Our Officer': St. Paul PD Says Social Media Post Claiming One Of Its Officers Incited Mpls. Riots Is False|url=https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/05/28/not-our-officer-st-paul-pd-says-social-media-post-claiming-one-of-its-officers-incited-mpls-riots-is-false/|date=2020-05-28|language=en-US|access-date=2020-06-02}}</ref> Others spread images of damage from other protests or incidents, falsely attributing the damage to the George Floyd protests.<ref name=":02" /> |
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According to the ''[[American Political Science Review]]'', the George Floyd protests led to a reduction in favorability toward the police among politically liberal Americans, and further exacerbated racial and political tensions and attitudes regarding the "[[Race and crime in the United States|race and law enforcement]]" debate in the U.S.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Reny|first1=Tyler T.|last2=Newman|first2=Benjamin J.|date=2021|title=The Opinion-Mobilizing Effect of Social Protest against Police Violence: Evidence from the 2020 George Floyd Protests|journal=American Political Science Review|volume=115|issue=4|pages=1499–1507|doi=10.1017/S0003055421000460|doi-access=free}}</ref> |
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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz speculated that there was "an organized attempt to destabilize civil society," initially stating that as many as 80% of the individuals had possibly come from outside the state,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Gov. Walz to 'fully mobilize' the National Guard|url=https://www.startribune.com/walz-twin-cities-under-assault-from-outside-agitators/570892512/|last=Condon|first=Patrick|date=May 30, 2020|website=Star Tribune|language=en|access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> and the mayor of St. Paul, [[Melvin Carter (politician)|Melvin Carter]], said that everyone arrested in St. Paul on May 29 was from out of state.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/500268-st-paul-mayor-says-arrested-protesters-were-from-out-of-state|title=St. Paul mayor says arrested protesters were from out of state|last=Axelrod|first=Tal|date=May 30, 2020|work=The Hill|accessdate=May 30, 2020}}</ref> However, this was shown to be incorrect, as records proved that the majority of those arrested were in-state.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.insider.com/minnesota-protests-out-of-state-people-2020-5|title=Minnesota lawmakers said violence during George Floyd protests was from 'outside' actors, but jail records show most arrests are in-state|first1=Ellen|last1=Cranley|first2=Michelle|last2=Mark|website=[[Insider Inc.]]|date=May 30, 2020|accessdate=May 30, 2020}}</ref> At a press conference later the same day, Carter explained that he had "shared... arrest data received in [his] morning police briefing which [he] later learned to be inaccurate."<ref name="cbs-mcnamara-st-paul-mayor-may-30">{{cite web |last1=McNamara |first1=Audrey |title=St. Paul mayor says earlier comments about arrested protesters being out of state were not correct |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/minnesota-officials-say-most-people-who-acted-violently-at-protests-are-not-state-residents/ |publisher=CBS News |accessdate=May 31, 2020 |date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> |
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=== Economic impact === |
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===Disinformation and internet jamming=== |
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{{See also|2020 Minneapolis park encampments|COVID-19 recession}} |
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Twitter suspended hundreds of accounts associated with spreading a false claim about a communications failure during protests in Washington DC.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/06/01/misinformation-about-extent-unrest-washington-dc-surges-across-twitter/|title=Twitter became a major vehicle for misinformation about unrest in D.C.|first1=Craig|last1=Timberg|first2=Elizabeth|last2=Dwoskin|first3=Fenit|last3=Nirappil|website=Washington Post}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/06/01/867137863/none-of-this-is-true-protests-become-fertile-ground-for-online-disinformation|title='None Of This Is True': Protests Become Fertile Ground for Online Disinformation|website=NPR.org}}</ref><ref>https://www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2020-06-02/twitter-suspends-hundreds-tweeting-dcblackout-amid-protests</ref> |
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[[File:March_3,_2020_FOMC_Press_Conference_NZ73153_(49614546592).jpg|thumb|[[Chair of the Federal Reserve|Federal Reserve Chairman]] [[Jerome Powell]] noted on June 10 "[[Unemployment in the United States#U.S. employment history|historically high unemployment]]" prevalent during the prelude of the protests.<ref>{{Cite news |agency=[[Associated Press]] |title=Powell Discusses Fed Policy and U.S. Unrest |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=June 10, 2020 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000007184380/fed-news-conference-powell-interest-rates.html |access-date=June 13, 2020 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>]] |
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The Property Claim Services (PCS) of the U.S. Insurance industry states that in the "unrest that took place from May 26 to June 8" 2020 in 140 U.S. cities in 20 states was "the costliest civil unrest in U.S. history", and that insured losses are "estimated at over $2 billion".<ref>{{cite web |title=Facts + Statistics: Civil Disorders |url=https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-civil-disorders |website=Insurance Information Institute |access-date=February 16, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Krugman-16-2-22">{{cite news |last1=Krugman |first1=Paul |title=When 'Freedom' Means the Right to Destroy |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/14/opinion/canada-protests-black-lives-matter.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215001254/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/14/opinion/canada-protests-black-lives-matter.html |archive-date=2022-02-15 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=February 16, 2022 |agency=[[The New York Times]] |date=February 14, 2022}}</ref> |
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According to ''[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]'', the economic impact of the protests exacerbated the [[COVID-19 recession]] by sharply curtailing [[consumer confidence]], straining local businesses, and overwhelming public infrastructure with large-scale property damage.<ref name="Alberight-2020">{{Cite web |last=Alberight |first=Amanda |date=May 31, 2020 |title=George Floyd protests hammer cities as they reopen from coronavirus lockdowns |url=https://fortune.com/2020/05/31/george-floyd-protests-cities-reopen/|access-date=June 6, 2020 |website=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]] |language=en}}</ref> A number of small businesses, already suffering from the [[economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic]], were harmed by vandalism, property destruction, and looting.<ref>{{cite news |first=Leticia |last=Miranda |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/first-came-pandemic-then-looting-small-businesses-pick-pieces-their-n1224776 |title=First came a pandemic. Then, looting. Small businesses pick up the pieces as their debt mounts. |work=[[NBC News]] |date=June 4, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Russell |last=Lynch |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2020/06/06/us-riots-set-scar-economy-years-come/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2020/06/06/us-riots-set-scar-economy-years-come/ |archive-date=January 11, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=US riots set to scar economy for years to come |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=June 6, 2020 }}{{cbignore}}</ref> Curfews instated by local governments – in response to both the pandemic and protests – have also "restricted access to the downtown [areas]" to essential workers, lowering [[Output (economics)|economic output]].<ref name="Alberight-2020" /> President Donald Trump, after announcing a drop in [[Unemployment in the United States|overall unemployment]] from 14.7% to 13.3% on June 5, stated that strong economic growth was "the greatest thing [for [[Racism in the United States|race relations]]]" and "George Floyd would have been proud [of the unemployment rate]".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lahut |first=Jake |title=Trump says the jobs report is 'the greatest thing' for race relations, and the economy is his plan to address systemic racism |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-says-the-economy-is-his-plan-to-address-racism-yamiche-reporter-exchange-2020-6|access-date=June 13, 2020 |website=[[Business Insider]]}}</ref> That same day reports from the [[Bureau of Labor Statistics]] estimated the unemployment rate among African Americans (covering the first two weeks of protests) was up 0.1%, rising to 16.8%.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reinicke |first=Joseph Zeballos-Roig, Carmen |title=Chart shows that black Americans weren't part of the surprise May hiring bump that benefited white and Latino workers |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/chart-shows-black-americans-not-part-surprise-may-hiring-bump-2020-6|access-date=June 13, 2020 |website=[[Business Insider]]}}</ref> |
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The U.S. stock market remained unaffected or otherwise increased from the start of the protests on May 26 to June 2.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Meredith |first=Sam |date=June 2, 2020 |title=What history can tell us about how stock markets react to civil unrest |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/02/stock-market-what-history-can-tell-us-about-the-george-floyd-protests.html|access-date=June 13, 2020 |website=[[CNBC]] |language=en}}</ref> The protest's first two weeks coincided with a 38% rise in the stock market.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rabouin |first=Dion |title=Pandemic and protests can't stop the stock market |url=https://www.axios.com/stock-market-rally-coronavirus-george-floyd-protests-51bd62ad-2a34-453c-b762-1fd73d2894d3.html|access-date=June 13, 2020 |website=[[Axios (website)|Axios]] |date=June 2020 |language=en}}</ref> A resurgence of COVID-19 (facilitated by mass protests) could have exacerbated the [[2020 stock market crash]] according to economists at [[RBC Capital Markets|RBC]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Marcilious |first=Siblie |date=June 1, 2020 |title=3 ways civil unrest following George Floyd nationwide protests hurts the stock market |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/3-ways-civil-unrest-following-george-floyd-nationwide-protests-hurts-the-stock-market-184237842.html|access-date=June 1, 2020 |website=finance.yahoo.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The protests disrupted national [[supply chain]]s over uncertainty regarding public safety, a resurgence of COVID-19, and consumer confidence. Several [[Fortune 500]] retail companies, with large distribution networks, scaled back deliveries and shuttered stores in high-impact areas.<ref name="Alberight-2020" /> Mass demonstrations – of both peaceful and violent varieties – were linked to diminished consumer confidence and [[demand]] stemming from the [[Social distancing measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic|public health risks of group gatherings]] amid COVID-19.<ref name="Alberight-2020" /> [[File:Cub Foods Damage - Minneapolis Riots.jpg|thumb|Aftermath of a looted [[Cub Foods]] supermarket in Minneapolis, May 28, 2020|alt=|left]]Large-scale property damage stemming from the protests has led to increased insurance claims, bankruptcies, and curbed economic activity among small businesses and state governments. Insurance claims arising from property damage suffered in rioting is still being assessed, but is thought to be significant, perhaps record-breaking.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jim |last=Sams |url=https://www.claimsjournal.com/news/national/2020/06/02/297361.htm |title=Insured Losses from Riots Reach 'Catastrophe' Levels, May Rival Record |work=Claims Journal |date=June 2, 2020 }}</ref> Estimates of property damages from fires and looting in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area were $550 million to 1,500 property locations.<ref name="St. Anthony-2021">{{Cite news|last=St. Anthony|first=Neal|date=May 18, 2021|title=Minneapolis Foundation raising $20 million for riot-hurt small businesses|work=[[Star Tribune]]|url=https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-foundation-raising-20-million-to-rebuild-small-businesses-hurt-in-2020-riots/600058520/|access-date=May 18, 2021}}</ref><ref name="damage by June19"/> Private insurance covered less than half of the estimated damages, which had a disproportionate effect on small business owners, many of who were immigrants and people of color.<ref name="St. Anthony-2021" /> Among the losses in Minneapolis was Minnehaha Commons, an under-construction, $30 million redevelopment project for 189 units of [[affordable housing]], which was destroyed by fire after being torched on May 27, 2020.<ref>{{cite news |first=Burl |last=Gilyard |url=http://tcbmag.com/news/articles/2020/may/protest-violence-destroys-30m-affordable-housing-project |title=Riots Destroy $30M Affordable Housing Project |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200606040026/http://tcbmag.com/news/articles/2020/may/protest-violence-destroys-30m-affordable-housing-project |archive-date=June 6, 2020 |url-status=dead |work=Twin Cities Business |date=May 28, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Jim |last=Buchta |url=https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-vandalism-targets-include-189-unit-affordable-housing-development/570836742/ |title=Minneapolis vandalism targets include 189-unit affordable housing development |work=[[Star Tribune]] |date=May 28, 2020 }}</ref> A community organization in [[Atlanta]]'s [[Buckhead]] neighborhood said that between $10 million and $15 million in property damage (excluding losses from looting) was incurred over the weekend of May 29–31, mostly along storefronts along [[Peachtree Street]] and [[Phipps Plaza]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Andy |last=Peters |url=https://www.ajc.com/news/local/buckhead-protest-damaged-tabbed-million-million/VHYd2hOuKentKifRWJ4ZlN/ |title=Buckhead protest damaged tabbed at $10 million to $15 million |newspaper=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]] |date=June 1, 2020 }}</ref> The damage to [[Chicago Loop|downtown Chicago]]'s central business district (near the [[Magnificent Mile]]) was reported to have sustained "millions of dollars in damage" according to ''Fortune''.<ref name="Alberight-2020" /> |
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==Reactions== |
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{{Split section|discuss=Talk:George_Floyd_protests#Split_to_list_-_duplicate|date=May 2020}} |
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Public financing and funding, particularly on the state level, has also been impacted by the protests. The COVID-19 recession eroded large parts of state budgets which subsequently struggled to finance the police [[overtime]] pay, security costs, and infrastructure repairs related to the demonstrations.<ref name="Alberight-2020" /> State governments have, since June, announced [[Defund the police|budget cuts to police departments]] as well as increased funding to other public safety measures. Los Angeles Mayor [[Eric Garcetti]] announced on June 5 he will seek up to $150 million in cuts to the Los Angeles Police Department budget.<ref>{{cite news |title=LA Mayor Faces Backlash For Defunding Police With $150 Million Budget Cut |url=https://www.newsweek.com/la-mayor-faces-backlash-defunding-police-150-million-budget-cut-1509131 |first=Daniel |last=Villarreal |access-date=October 30, 2021 |work=[[Newsweek]] |date=June 5, 2020}}</ref> |
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=== Domestic === |
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On May 31, [[Walmart]] temporarily closed several hundred of its stores as a precaution. [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]] announced it would redirect some delivery routes and scale back others as a result of the widespread unrest.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/06/01/retailers-restaurants-across-us-close-their-doors-amid-protests/ |title=Retailers and restaurants across the U.S. close their doors amid protests |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |first1=Rachel |last1=Lerman |first2=Todd C. |last2=Frankel |date=June 1, 2020 |access-date=June 2, 2020}}</ref> |
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==== Federal ==== |
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=== Monuments and symbols=== |
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{{Tweet|replyto=realDonaldTrump|name=[[Donald Trump|Donald J. Trump]]|width=350px|image=Donald Trump official portrait (cropped 2).jpg|username=realDonaldTrump|date=May 29, 2020|text=....These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won't let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, [[when the looting starts, the shooting starts]]. Thank you!|ID=1266231100780744704|reference=<ref>{{Cite tweet|number=1266231100780744704|user=realDonaldTrump|title=....These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!|author=[[Donald J. Trump]]|date=May 29, 2020|link=no|archive-date=May 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529062744/https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1266231100780744704}}</ref>}} |
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{{Main|List of monuments and memorials removed during the George Floyd protests|List of name changes due to the George Floyd protests|2020 deployment of federal forces in the United States#Founding of PACT |
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}} |
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[[File:Defaced-lee-statue-2020.jpg|thumb|Vandalized [[Robert E. Lee Monument (Richmond, Virginia)|monument]] of [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] general [[Robert E. Lee]] in Richmond, Virginia, on July 1, 2020]] |
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A makeshift memorial emerged at the East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue intersection in Minneapolis where Floyd was murdered. Minneapolis officials renamed a stretch two block stretch of Chicago Avenue as [[George Floyd Perry Jr Place]] and designated it as one of seven cultural districts in city.<ref>{{Cite web|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=September 18, 2020|title=Minneapolis City Council approves George Perry Floyd Jr. Place as commemorative name for portion of Chicago Avenue|url=https://kstp.com/news/minneapolis-city-council-approves-george-perry-floyd-jr-place-as-commemorative-name-for-portion-of-chicago-avenue/5867198/|access-date=November 25, 2020|website=[[KSTP-TV|KSTP]]|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Sandberg|first1=Diane|last2=Edwards|first2=Kiya|date=August 17, 2020|title=Talks continue on reopening 38th and Chicago in Mpls.|url=https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/george-floyd/minneapolis-city-council-38th-and-chicago-may-reopen/89-59bf3390-a080-4ae4-81a3-d9c8fe88bb2d|access-date=November 25, 2020|website=[[KARE 11]]|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="WCCO-2020">{{Cite web|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=August 14, 2020|title=Minneapolis City Council Approves 7 New Cultural Districts To Advance Equity, Fuel Economic Growth|url=https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/08/14/minneapolis-city-council-approves-7-new-cultural-districts-to-advance-equity-fuel-economic-growth/|access-date=November 25, 2020|website=[[WCCO-TV|WCCO]]|language=en-US}}</ref> |
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Scrutiny of, discussion of removal, and removal of civic symbols or names relating to the Confederate States of America (frequently associated with segregation and the [[Jim Crow laws|Jim Crow era]] in the United States) has regained steam as protests have continued.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Confederate Monuments Are Coming Down, Are Streets And Highways Next? |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-protests-for-racial-justice/2020/06/06/871293043/confederate-monuments-are-coming-down-are-streets-and-highways-next|access-date=June 7, 2020 |newspaper=[[NPR]] |date=June 6, 2020|language=en|last1=Small|first1=Zachary}}</ref> On June 4, 2020, Virginia governor [[Ralph Northam]] announced the Robert E. Lee Monument in [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]] would be removed.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Suderman |first1=Alan |last2=Rankin |first2=Sarah |title=Virginia governor to announce removal of Lee statue |url=https://apnews.com/75e6f0d57a896207551c1c0e8868cb27 |website=[[Associated Press]] |date=June 3, 2020 |access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref> |
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On May 27, 2020, President Donald Trump tweeted "At my request, the FBI and the Department of Justice are already well into an investigation as to the very sad and tragic death in Minnesota of George Floyd...."<ref>{{cite tweet |user=realDonaldTrump|author-link=Donald Trump |number=1265774767493148672 |date=May 27, 2020 |title=At my request, the FBI and the Department of Justice are already well into an investigation as to the very sad and tragic death in Minnesota of George Floyd....|access-date=May 28, 2020}}</ref> |
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On June 5, making specific reference to events in [[Unite the Right rally|Charlottesville in 2017]], the [[United States Marine Corps]] banned the display of the [[Confederate Battle Flag]] at their installations.<ref>{{Cite tweet |title=Today, the Marine Corps released guidance on the removal of public displays of the Confederate battle flag.<br/>MARADMIN 331/20: https://go.usa.gov/xwK4x |user=usmc |number=1269075089078784001|access-date=June 7, 2020 |author=United States Marine Corps |date=June 6, 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Removal Public Displays of the Confederate Battle Flag > United States Marine Corps Flagship > Messages Display |url=https://www.marines.mil/News/Messages/Messages-Display/Article/2210513/removal-public-displays-of-the-confederate-battle-flag/|access-date=June 7, 2020 |website=marines.mil}}</ref> The [[United States Navy]] followed suit on June 9 at the direction of [[Michael M. Gilday]], the [[Chief of Naval Operations]].<ref name="Navy bans">{{cite web |last1=Browne |first1=Ryan |title=US Navy joins Marines in moving to ban Confederate battle flag |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/09/politics/us-navy-ban-confederate-flag/index.html |work=[[CNN]]|access-date=June 9, 2020 |date=June 9, 2020}}</ref> |
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On May 29, Trump responded to the riots by threatening that either "the very weak Radical Left Mayor [[Jacob Frey]] get his act together and bring the City under control" or he will send in the [[Army National Guard|National Guard]], adding that "Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts."<ref>{{cite tweet|user=realDonaldTrump|author-link=Donald Trump|number=1266231100780744704|date=May 28, 2020|title=....These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won't let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Precel |first1=Nicole |title='When the looting starts, the shooting starts': Trump weighs in on Minneapolis protests |url=https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/george-floyd-death-minneapolis-rioters-storm-police-station-20200529-p54xpu.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=May 29, 2020 |access-date=May 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Torres |first1=Ella |last2=Mansell |first2=William |title=Minnesota protest updates: Trump warns military could 'assume control' of protest response |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/dangerous-protests-erupt-overnight-george-floyds-death-minneapolis/story?id=70924047 |website=ABC News |date=May 29, 2020 |access-date=May 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529023807/https://abcnews.go.com/US/dangerous-protests-erupt-overnight-george-floyds-death-minneapolis/story?id=70924047 |archive-date=May 29, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Madani |first1=Doha |title=Trump warns 'when looting starts, shooting starts' as fires burn in Minneapolis |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-s-warning-minneapolis-burns-over-george-floyd-s-death-n1217571 |website=NBC News |date=May 29, 2020 |access-date=May 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529061039/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-s-warning-minneapolis-burns-over-george-floyd-s-death-n1217571 |archive-date=May 29, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> The tweet was interpreted as quoting former [[Miami Police]] Chief Walter Headley, who said "[[when the looting starts, the shooting starts]]" in December 1967, as Miami saw escalating tensions and [[1968 Miami riot|racial protests]] aimed at the [[1968 Republican National Convention]].<ref name=":2"/><ref>{{Cite web|title=Trump tweets on protests: 'When the looting starts, the shooting starts'|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUQjd24hWMo|last=Stelter|first=Brian|date=May 29, 2020|website=CNN|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=May 29, 2020}}</ref> Trump's use of the quote was seen by [[Twitter]] as an incitement of violence; Twitter placed the tweet behind a public interest notice for breaching its [[terms of service]] in regards to incitement of violence.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Zhong|first1=Raymond|last2=Goldman|first2=Russell|date=May 29, 2020|title=Twitter Places Warning on a Trump Tweet, Saying It Glorified Violence|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/29/technology/trump-twitter-minneapolis-george-floyd.html|access-date=May 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529110644/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/29/technology/trump-twitter-minneapolis-george-floyd.html|archive-date=May 29, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> The next day, Trump commented on his original tweet, saying, "Looting leads to shooting, and that's why a man was shot and killed in Minneapolis on Wednesday night - or look at what just happened in Louisville with 7 people shot. I don't want this to happen, and that's what the expression put out last night means...."<ref>{{cite tweet |user=realDonaldTrump|author-link=Donald Trump |number=1266434153932894208|date=May 29, 2020 |title=Looting leads to shooting, and that's why a man was shot and killed in Minneapolis on Wednesday night - or look at what just happened in Louisville with 7 people shot. I don’t want this to happen, and that’s what the expression put out last night means....|access-date=May 29, 2020}}</ref> |
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[[Birmingham, Alabama]], Mayor [[Randall Woodfin]] ordered the removal of the [[Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument (Birmingham, Alabama)|Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument]] in [[Linn Park, Birmingham, Alabama|Linn Park]]. The [[Alabama Attorney General]] has filed suit against the city of Birmingham for violating the [[Alabama Memorial Preservation Act]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Alabama attorney general sues Birmingham for removing Confederate monument |date=June 2, 2020 |url=https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2020/06/alabama-attorney-general-sues-birmingham-for-removing-confederate-monument.html |newspaper=[[al.com]]}}</ref> |
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In a May 31 series of tweets, Trump blamed the press for the protests and said that journalists are "truly bad people with a sick agenda".<ref name = "Tracy"/> He also said that governors have been "weak" and should use their National Guard units to "dominate the streets". He added that he was "dispatching thousands and thousands of heavily armed soldiers, military personnel, and law enforcement officers" to deal with rioting in Washington, D.C.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/national-guard-troops-deployed-white-house-trump-calls/story?id=71004151|title=Trump says he is mobilizing 'heavily armed' military to stop protests|last1=Gittleson|first1=Ben|last2=Phelps|first2=Jordyn|date=June 1, 2020|work=ABC News|accessdate=June 1, 2020}}</ref> In a call with governors, Trump insisted that they "have to dominate ... You’ve got to arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and you'll never see this stuff again".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wilkie |first1=Christina |title=Trump unloads on governors over George Floyd protests: ‘Most of you are weak’ |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/01/trump-unloads-on-governors-over-george-floyd-protests-most-of-you-are-weak.html |accessdate=June 2, 2020 |work=[[CNBC]] |date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> |
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A statue of America's first president, [[George Washington]], has been torn down and [[American flag]] was burned by rioters in Portland, Oregon.<ref>{{cite news |title=George Washington statue toppled, American flag burned by Portland protesters |url=https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/equality/503559-george-washington-statue-vandalized-and-toppled-by |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |date=June 19, 2020}}</ref> [[Portland Public Schools (Oregon)|Portland Public Schools]] was responding after protesters pulled down the [[Thomas Jefferson]] statue in front of [[Jefferson High School (Portland, Oregon)|Jefferson High School]]. Several protesters tore down the statue of the third President of the United States and wrote: "slave owner" and "George Floyd" in spray paint at its white marble base. PPS officials said they recognize that the act is part of a larger and very important national conversation.<ref>{{cite web|title=District ready to listen after protesters tear down Thomas Jefferson statue in front of Portland high school |url=https://www.kptv.com/news/district-ready-to-listen-after-protesters-tear-down-thomas-jefferson-statue-in-front-of-portland/article_0b34b048-af63-11ea-b32d-63eb6ae35316.html |website=[[KPTV]] |access-date=June 15, 2020 |date=June 15, 2020}}</ref> The statues targeted included a bust of [[Ulysses S. Grant]] and statue of [[Theodore Roosevelt]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Protesters tear down statues of Union general Ulysses S. Grant, national anthem lyricist Francis Scott Key |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/503685-protesters-tear-down-statues-of-union-general-ulysses-s-grant-national |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |date=June 20, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Theodore Roosevelt statue to be removed by New York museum |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53135599 |work=[[BBC]] |date=June 22, 2020}}</ref> BLM activist [[Shaun King]] tweeted that statues, murals, and stained glass windows depicting a [[white Jesus]] should be removed.<ref>{{cite news |title=Activist Who Wants White Jesus Statues Torn Down Says Christian Whiteness Has Always Been Violent |url=https://www.newsweek.com/activist-who-wants-white-jesus-statues-torn-down-says-christian-whiteness-has-always-been-violent-1513101 |work=[[Newsweek]] |date=June 24, 2020}}</ref> Protesters defaced a statue of Philadelphia abolitionist [[Matthias W. Baldwin|Matthias Baldwin]] with the words "murderer" and "colonizer".<ref>{{cite news |title=Photos of defaced statue of Philly abolitionist Matthias Baldwin go viral |url=https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia-protests-matthias-baldwin-statue-abolitionist-twitter-photos-20200612.html |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=June 12, 2020}}</ref> Protesters in San Francisco vandalized a statue of [[Miguel de Cervantes]], a Spanish writer who spent five years as a [[Barbary slave trade|slave in Algiers]].<ref>{{cite news |title=SF Mayor, Residents Decry Vandalism of Golden Gate Park Statues |url=https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2020/06/20/mayor-breed-destruction-statues-golden-gate-park-vandalism/ |work=[[CBS News]] |date=June 20, 2020}}</ref> |
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U.S. Senator [[Marco Rubio]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]]-[[Florida|FL]]) argued that extremists from the far-left and the far-right wanted to take aim at civil society and could potentially start a [[Second American Civil War|2nd Civil War]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://floridapolitics.com/archives/336894-second-civil-war-the-aim-of-some-rioters-marco-rubio-says|title=‘Second Civil War’ the aim of some rioters, Marco Rubio says|first=A. G.|last=Gancarski|date=May 31, 2020}}</ref><ref>https://twitter.com/marcorubio/status/1267263645781721088</ref> |
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Vandals defaced the [[Statue of Winston Churchill, Parliament Square|statue of Winston Churchill]] in London's [[Parliament Square]] and [[Queen Victoria]]'s statue in [[Leeds]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Winston Churchill statue vandalised in London during Black Lives Matter protests |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/winston-churchill-statue-vandalised-in-london-during-black-lives-matter-protests/articleshow/76254841.cms |work=The Times of India |date=June 8, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Statue of Queen Victoria defaced in Hyde Park, Leeds |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-52985627 |work=[[BBC]] |date=June 9, 2020}}</ref> The [[Lincoln Memorial]], the [[World War II Memorial]] and the statue of General [[Casimir Pulaski]] were vandalized during the George Floyd protests in Washington, D.C.<ref>{{cite news |title=Iconic Washington, D.C., monuments defaced in night of protests |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/news/500406-famed-washington-dc-monuments-defaced-in-night-of-protests |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> On June 7, the [[statue of Edward Colston]] was toppled and thrown into [[Bristol Harbour]] by demonstrators during the George Floyd protests in the United Kingdom.<ref name="colston">{{cite news |last1=Diver |first1=Tony |title=Statue of slave trader Edward Colston pulled down and thrown into harbour by Bristol protesters |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/06/07/edward-colston-statue-pulled-bristol-black-lives-matter-protesters/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/06/07/edward-colston-statue-pulled-bristol-black-lives-matter-protesters/ |archive-date=January 11, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=June 7, 2020 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=June 7, 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref> BLM activists in London are calling for the removal of 60 statues of historical figures like Prime Ministers [[Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey|Charles Grey]] and [[William Ewart Gladstone|William Gladstone]], [[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson|Horatio Nelson]], Sir [[Francis Drake]], King [[Charles II of England]], [[Oliver Cromwell]] and [[Christopher Columbus]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Anti-racism activists draw up 'hit list' of 60 statues they want toppled in London, England |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/world/anti-racism-activists-draw-up-hit-list-of-60-statues-they-want-removed-in-london-england |work=National Post |date=June 9, 2020}}</ref> Protesters in Belgium have vandalized statues of King [[Leopold II of Belgium]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-protests-for-racial-justice/2020/06/05/871278150/belgians-target-some-royal-monuments-in-black-lives-matter-protest |title=Belgians Target Some Royal Monuments In Black Lives Matter Protest |first=Teri |last=Schultz |work=[[NPR]] |date=June 5, 2020}}</ref> |
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=====States===== |
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On May 30, New York Governor [[Andrew Cuomo]] stated that the riots have exposed the "inequality and discrimination in the criminal justice system" and that "When you have one episode, two episodes maybe you can look at them as individual episodes. But when you have 10 episodes, 15 episodes, you are blind or in denial if you are still treating each one like a unique situation,"<ref>{{Cite web|title=The protests and Covid-19 have exposed the inequality in our society, Gov. Cuomo says|url=https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/george-floyd-protests-05-30-20/h_7334e5ac05855d21d93ec52b98468cec|last=Hammond|first=Elise|date=May 30, 2020|website=CNN|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> |
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In Washington, D.C., a statue of [[Mahatma Gandhi]] in front of the [[Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (Washington, D.C.)|Indian Embassy]] was vandalized on the intervening night of June 2 and 3. The incident prompted the embassy to register a complaint with law enforcement agencies. [[Taranjit Singh Sandhu]], the Indian Ambassador to the United States, called the vandalism "a crime against humanity".<ref>{{Cite news |agency=PTI |date=June 9, 2020 |title=Defacement of Mahatma Gandhi's statue a 'disgrace', says Trump |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/defacement-of-mahatma-gandhis-statue-a-disgrace-says-trump/article31784402.ece|access-date=June 11, 2020 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Service |first=Tribune News |title=A disgrace, says Trump on Gandhi statue desecration |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/a-disgrace-says-trump-on-gandhi-statue-desecration-96868|access-date=June 11, 2020 |website=Tribuneindia News Service |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=June 9, 2020 |title=Gandhi statue vandalisation a crime against humanity: India's Envoy to US |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/videos/india-news/gandhi-statue-vandalisation-a-crime-against-humanity-india-s-envoy-to-us/video-QDjvpyWrtarKvKo857YlLN.html|access-date=June 11, 2020 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref> In London, [[Statue of Mahatma Gandhi, Parliament Square|another statue of Gandhi]] was vandalized by Black Lives Matter protesters along with the statue of Winston Churchill.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gandhi statue defiled in London |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/gandhi-statue-defiled-in-london/cid/1779732|access-date=June 11, 2020 |website=telegraphindia.com |language=en}}</ref> |
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[[Atlanta mayor|Atlanta Mayor]] [[Keisha Lance Bottoms]] called for protesters to express their anger through "non-violent" means. She decried the riots as illegitimate and accused them of harming Atlanta rather than helping.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Atlanta mayor calls for non-violet activism following a night of fiery protests|url=https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/george-floyd-protests-05-30-20/h_b3d81217d833219fe76abeed4f3c7ae1|last=Sayers|first=Devon|date=May 30, 2020|website=CNN|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530222430/https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/george-floyd-protests-05-30-20/h_b3d81217d833219fe76abeed4f3c7ae1|archive-date=May 30, 2020|access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> |
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On June 12, the city council in [[Hamilton, New Zealand]] removed [[Statue of John Fane Charles Hamilton|the statue]] of Captain [[John Fane Charles Hamilton|John Hamilton]], a British officer who was killed during the [[New Zealand Wars]] in 1864.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/418833/controversial-statue-of-captain-john-hamilton-to-be-removed-hamilton-city-council |title=Controversial statue of Captain John Hamilton to be removed - Hamilton City Council |work=Radio New Zealand |date=June 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612092219/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/418833/controversial-statue-of-captain-john-hamilton-has-been-removed|archive-date=June 12, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> A local [[Māori people|Māori]] elder Taitimu Maipi, who had vandalized the statue in 2018, has also called for the city to be renamed Kirikiriroa.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Neilson |first1=Michael |title=George Floyd protests: Hamilton City Council remove controversial Captain statue |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12339287 |work=[[New Zealand Herald]] |date=June 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612021403/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12339287 |archive-date=June 12, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister [[Winston Peters]] called the scrutiny of colonial-era memorials a "wave of idiocy".<ref>{{cite news |title=Winston Peters unimpressed with outcry over colonial statues |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/418894/winston-peters-unimpressed-with-outcry-over-colonial-statues |work=Radio New Zealand |date=June 12, 2020}}</ref> |
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Iowa Governor [[Kim Reynolds]] and Des Moines Mayor [[Frank Cownie]], while sympathizing with the anger of protesters, asked for citizens to stop the violence and have a "Respectful, peaceful dialogue''."''<ref>{{Cite web|title=Iowa governor and Des Moines mayor release statement on protests and violence|url=https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/george-floyd-protests-05-30-20/h_8a31e2acfd45daa9d389633df2b81403|last=Devlin|first=Kara|date=May 30, 2020|website=CNN|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> |
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[[File:Pedestal base of Christopher Columbus statue 2.jpeg|thumb|left|The pedestal of a [[Christopher Columbus]] statue that was thrown into the [[Baltimore]] inner harbor on July 4, 2020]] |
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==== Support in the entertainment industry ==== |
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On June 22, a crowd of rioters unsuccessfully attempted to topple [[Clark Mills (sculptor)|Clark Mills]]' 1852 bronze [[Equestrian statue of Andrew Jackson (Washington, D.C.)|equestrian statue of Andrew Jackson]] in [[Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C.|Lafayette Square]] in [[President's Park]], directly north of the White House in Washington, D.C.<ref>(1) {{cite web|first=Morgan|last=Winsor|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/protesters-topple-andrew-jackson-statue-white-house/story?id=71398486|title=Protesters try to topple Andrew Jackson statue near White House|work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]|date=June 23, 2020|access-date=July 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200624221910/https://abcnews.go.com/US/protesters-topple-andrew-jackson-statue-white-house/story?id=71398486|archive-date=June 24, 2020|url-status=dead}}.<br />(2) {{cite news|first1=Fredrick|last1=Kunkle|first2=Susan|last2=Svrluga|first3=Justin|last3=Jouvenal|date=June 23, 2020|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/dc-police-and-protesters-square-off-near-white-house/2020/06/22/cec8c88c-b4c7-11ea-a510-55bf26485c93_story.html|title=Police thwart attempt by protesters to topple statue of Andrew Jackson near White House|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=July 12, 2020|archive-date=June 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200623214310/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/dc-police-and-protesters-square-off-near-white-house/2020/06/22/cec8c88c-b4c7-11ea-a510-55bf26485c93_story.html|url-status=dead}}.</ref> Several days later, the [[United States Department of Justice]] (DOJ) charged four men with destruction of federal property for allegedly trying to bring down the statue. The Justice Department alleged that a video showed one of the men breaking off and destroying the wheels of the cannons located at the base of the statue as well as pulling on ropes when trying to bring down the statue.<ref>(1) {{cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/four-men-charged-federal-court-attempting-tear-down-statue-andrew-jackson-lafayette|title=Four Men Charged in Federal Court for Attempting to Tear Down Statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square Amid Protests|work=Press Release Number 20-073|location=Washington, D.C.|date=June 27, 2020|publisher=[[United States Department of Justice]]: [[United States Attorney for the District of Columbia|U.S. Attorney's Office: District of Columbia]]|access-date=July 20, 2020|archive-date=June 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200629172701/https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/four-men-charged-federal-court-attempting-tear-down-statue-andrew-jackson-lafayette|url-status=dead}}<br />(2) {{cite news|first=Martin|last=Weil|date=June 27, 2020|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/4-charged-in-attempt-to-teardown-andrew-jackson-statue-in-lafayette-square/2020/06/27/45c0a10e-b8dc-11ea-a510-55bf26485c93_story.html|title=4 charged in attempt to tear down Andrew Jackson statue in Lafayette Square|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=July 13, 2020|archive-date=June 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200629121200/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/4-charged-in-attempt-to-teardown-andrew-jackson-statue-in-lafayette-square/2020/06/27/45c0a10e-b8dc-11ea-a510-55bf26485c93_story.html|url-status=dead}}.</ref> |
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{{Main|Entertainment industry response to George Floyd protests}} |
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The entertainment industry has been supportive of protesters, exhibited by a number of prominent figures supporting the protests and adjacent [[Black Lives Matter]] causes. Much of the music industry called for a "[[Blackout Tuesday|blackout]]" on June 2.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/music-industry-george-floyd-black-out-tuesday-1007961/|title=Music Industry Reacts to George Floyd Death With Grassroots 'Black Out Tuesday'|first1=Daniel|last1=Kreps|date=May 30, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-ent-music-industry-calls-for-blackout-20200530-7ufjz7cjzreb7cpxwot2adwfqa-story.html|title=Music industry calls for Tuesday blackout to show solidarity with George Floyd protests|first=Shirley Halperin|last=Variety|website=chicagotribune.com}}</ref> |
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Soon afterwards, the DOJ announced the arrest and charging of a man who was not only allegedly seen on video climbing up onto the Jackson statue and affixing a rope that was then used to try to pull the statue down, but had on June 20 helped destroy [[Gaetano Trentanove]]'s 1901 [[Albert Pike Memorial]] statue near Washington's [[Judiciary Square]] by pulling it from its base and setting it on fire. The DOJ's complaint alleged that the man had been captured on video dousing the federally-owned Pike statue with a flammable liquid, igniting it as it lay on the ground and using the fire to light a cigarette.<ref>(1) {{cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/man-charged-federal-court-attempting-tear-down-statue-andrew-jackson-lafayette-square|title=Man Charged in Federal Court for Attempting to Tear Down Statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square Amid Protests: Man also Charged with Destruction of Albert Pike Statue|work=Press Release Number 20-076|date=July 2, 2020|location=Washington, D.C.|publisher=[[United States Department of Justice]]: [[United States Attorney for the District of Columbia|U.S. Attorney's Office: District of Columbia]]|access-date=July 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715203512/https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/man-charged-federal-court-attempting-tear-down-statue-andrew-jackson-lafayette-square|archive-date=July 15, 2020|url-status=dead}}<br />(2) {{cite web|first=Jake|last=Gibson|date=July 2, 2020|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/feds-arrest-ringleader-in-attack-on-andrew-jackson-statue-by-white-house|title=Feds arrest 'ringleader' in attack on Andrew Jackson statue by White House|work=[[Fox News]]|access-date=July 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200702232238/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/feds-arrest-ringleader-in-attack-on-andrew-jackson-statue-by-white-house|archive-date=July 2, 2020|url-status=dead}}.<br />(3) {{cite news|first=Martin|last=Weil|date=July 7, 2020|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/dc-man-allegedly-set-confederate-statue-on-fire-prosectors-say/2020/07/07/dd02f56e-bfe7-11ea-b4f6-cb39cd8940fb_story.html|title=D.C. man set Confederate statue on fire, prosectors allege|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=July 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200707220502/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/dc-man-allegedly-set-confederate-statue-on-fire-prosectors-say/2020/07/07/dd02f56e-bfe7-11ea-b4f6-cb39cd8940fb_story.html|archive-date=July 7, 2020|url-status=dead}}.</ref> |
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Television networks owned by [[ViacomCBS]], including [[BET]], [[CBS Sports Network]], [[CMT (American TV channel)|CMT]], [[Comedy Central]], [[Logo TV]], [[MTV]], [[Nickelodeon]], [[Paramount Network]], the [[Smithsonian Channel]], [[TV Land]], and [[VH1]] suspended regular programming for 8 minutes and 46 seconds on June 1 at 5pm as a tribute to Floyd. The networks aired a video with the caption "I can't breathe" accompanied with breathing sounds, while Nickelodeon aired a separate scrolling video containing language from the Declaration of Kids' Rights, which the network first created on June 7, 1990.<ref>{{Cite web|title=ViacomCBS Unveils 8-Minute, 46-Second Blackout Video Tribute to George Floyd – Update|url=https://deadline.com/2020/06/viacomcbs-chris-mccarthy-george-floyd-ahmaud-arbery-breonna-taylor-black-lives-matter-1202947772/|date=June 1, 2020|website=Deadline|language=en|access-date=June 2, 2020}}</ref> |
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On {{dts|2020.06.30|format=md}}, after the [[Mississippi Legislature]] obtained a two-thirds majority in both houses to suspend rules in order to pass a bill addressing the Confederate Battle Flag on [[Flag of Mississippi#Second flag|the Mississippi state flag]], [[List of governors of Mississippi|Governor]] [[Tate Reeves]] signed a bill that relinquished the state flag, mandated its removal from public premises within 15 days, and established a commission to propose a new flag design that excluded the Confederate Battle Flag and included the motto "In God We Trust".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2020/html/HB/1700-1799/HB1796SG.htm|title=HB1796 (As Sent to Governor) - 2020 Regular Session|website=billstatus.ls.state.ms.us}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2020/pdf/history/HB/HB1796.xml|title=Mississippi Legislature 2020 Regular Session|department=House Bill 1796|website=billstatus.ls.state.ms.us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/2020/06/28/live-mississippi-lawmakers-take-up-state-flag-bill/3275024001/|title=Changing the state flag: How Mississippi legislators made history in 4 hours on a rare Sunday session|first=Giacomo Bologna and Luke|last=Ramseth|website=The Clarion-Ledger}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mpbonline.org/blogs/news/governor-signs-historic-bill-to-remove-confederate-symbol/ |title= Governor Reeves signs historic bill to remove Confederate symbol |first=Ashley |last=Norwood |date=July 1, 2020 |work=[[Mississippi Public Broadcasting]] |access-date=April 22, 2021 }}</ref> The flag contained the infamous [[Modern display of the Confederate battle flag|Confederate symbol]] in the [[canton (flag)|canton]] (upper left corner) of the flag, and was the last [[Flags of the U.S. states and territories|U.S. state flag]] to do so.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mississippi-governor-signs-bill-retiring-last-state-flag-with-confederate-battle-emblem|title=Mississippi governor signs bill retiring last state flag with Confederate battle emblem|first=Bradford|last=Betz|date=June 30, 2020|website=[[Fox News]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wdsu.com/article/mississippi-state-flag/33015514|title=Mississippi governor signs bill to retire state's Confederate-themed flag|date=June 30, 2020|website=WDSU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/f25b1fd65fd9ae48c152f026016603eb|title=With a pen stroke, Mississippi drops Confederate-themed flag|date=June 30, 2020|website=[[AP News]]}}</ref> |
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==== Commercial ==== |
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On the morning of May 29, [[Target Corporation|Target]] temporarily closed 24 of its locations in the Twin Cities area, and reopened all but six the same day.<ref>{{cite web |title=Target Closes 24 Stores Around Twin Cities As Protests Continue |url=https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/05/28/target-closes-24-stores-around-twin-cities-as-protests-continue/ |website=CBS Minnesota |accessdate=May 29, 2020 |date=May 28, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.minnpost.com/glean/2020/05/former-minneapolis-police-officer-derek-chauvin-arrested/|publisher=MinnPost|date=May 29, 2020|title=Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin arrested|access-date=May 29, 2020}}</ref> Target later announced that they would be closing 73 of their Minnesota stores until further notice and made a commitment to rebuilding the store on Lake Street.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Uren |first1=Adam |title=Target now closing 73 stores across Minnesota until further notice |url=https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/target-now-closing-73-stores-across-minnesota-until-further-notice |work=Bring Me The News |date=May 30, 2020 |language=en |access-date=May 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530155720/https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/target-now-closing-73-stores-across-minnesota-until-further-notice |archive-date=May 30, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> On May 31, Target closed 49 stores in California and 12 stores in New York.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Target temporarily closes 175 stores amid protests|url=https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/george-floyd-protests-05-31-20/h_0494472260ca60e35b5c6013fdc65d2c|last=|first=|date=May 31, 2020|website=CNN|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=May 31, 2020}}</ref> |
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During a speech on July 3 at [[Mount Rushmore]], U.S. president Donald Trump denounced the monument removals as part of a "left wing cultural revolution" to "overthrow the [[American Revolution]]".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.trust.org/item/20200704025425-njdrt |first=Jeff |last=Mason |access-date=October 30, 2021 |title=Trump blasts "left wing cultural revolution" at Mount Rushmore |date=July 3, 2020 |agency=[[Reuters]] |archive-date=July 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200704092708/https://news.trust.org/item/20200704025425-njdrt/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> |
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==== Concerns over health ==== |
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[[Surgeon General of the United States|Surgeon General]] [[Jerome Adams]] said, in relation to the protests, that the U.S. "must acknowledge & address the impact of racism on health."<ref name="Jerome Adams"/> He also tweeted: |
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On {{dts|2020.07.13|format=md}}, the [[Washington Redskins]] announced that [[Washington Redskins name controversy|their name and logo would be retired]] upon completion of "a thorough review of the name" that was first announced on {{dts|2020.07.03|format=md}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/washington-redskins-to-undergo-thorough-review-of-team-s-name|title=Washington Redskins to undergo thorough review of team's name|website=nfl.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonfootball.com/news/washington-redskins-retiring-name-logo-following-review|title=Statement From The Washington Football Team|website=washingtonfootball.com}}</ref> |
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{{Tweet|name=[[U.S. Surgeon General]]|username=Surgeon_General|date=May 30, 2020|text=5/ We won’t fix or remove all the obstacles and stressors that are affecting people’s health and well-being – especially ones like racism – over night. That doesn’t mean we mustn't try at all. Change happens over time and there needs to be meaningful progress.|ID=1266757951043375105| block=yes|replyto=Surgeon_General|image=Vice Adm. Jerome M. Adams 2 (cropped).jpg}} |
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A week-long tour began July 28 in which a [[hologram]] of Floyd was projected on a monument to be removed, thereby "replacing" the monument with Floyd. Richmond, Virginia, was the first stop.<ref name=Floyd>{{cite news|url=https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2020/07/29/asheville-confederate-vance-monument-replaced-george-floyd-hologram-change-org/5537575002/|title=Asheville Confederate Vance Monument to be 'replaced' by George Floyd hologram; Task force appointed|last=Burgess|first=Joel|work=[[Asheville Citizen-Times]]|date=July 29, 2020|access-date=July 29, 2020}}</ref> |
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=====Concerns over COVID-19 transmission===== |
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{{See also|COVID-19 pandemic#Transmission}} |
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Health experts warned that the mass protests likely facilitate an accelerated spread of [[COVID-19]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Protests could trigger virus surge in Minnesota as deaths hit new high |url=https://www.startribune.com/protests-could-trigger-virus-surge-in-minnesota-as-deaths-hit-new-high/570844542/ |website=Star Tribune |accessdate=May 31, 2020}}</ref><ref name="guardian1"/><ref name="CNN covid 19"/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Steinbuch |first1=Yaron |title=George Floyd protests could spark coronavirus surge in Minnesota |url=https://nypost.com/2020/05/29/george-floyd-protests-could-spark-coronavirus-surge-in-minnesota/ |website=New York Post |accessdate=May 31, 2020 |language=en |date=May 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Beer |first1=Tommy |title=Experts Fear Minneapolis Protests Will Trigger Spike In Coronavirus Cases |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2020/05/29/experts-fear-minneapolis-protests-will-trigger-spike-in-coronavirus-cases/ |website=Forbes |accessdate=May 31, 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="latimes-protestsfuelwave"/> The [[Minnesota Department of Health]] raised concerns that the protests may exacerbate the ongoing [[COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota|COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Protests could trigger virus surge in Minnesota as deaths hit new high|url=https://www.startribune.com/protests-could-trigger-virus-surge-in-minnesota-as-deaths-hit-new-high/570844542/|last=Olson|first=Jeremy|date=May 28, 2020|website=Star Tribune|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref> Minnesota Governor Tim Walz expressed worries over a spike in COVID-19 cases.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Minnesota governor says he expects to see a spike in Covid-19 cases following protests|url=https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/george-floyd-protests-05-30-20/h_8d02b250340baf50cebc22efed0722b6|last=Silverman|first=Hollie|date=May 30, 2020|website=CNN|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=May 31, 2020}}</ref> New York Governor Andrew Cuomo shared similar worries describing the protests as "inherently dangerous in the context of this pandemic".<ref name="CNN covid 19"/> He also stated that people have the right to protest but that they don't have the "right to infect other people", or the "right to act in a way that's going to jeopardize public health."<ref name="CNN covid 19">{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/01/health/protests-coronavirus-spread-concerns/index.html|title=Health experts and state leaders fear coronavirus could spread rapidly during mass protests in US|website=[[CNN]]|last=Silverman|date=June 1, 2020|accessdate=June 1, 2020}}</ref> [[Mayor of Washington, D.C.]] [[Muriel Bowser]] stated that "We've been working hard to not have mass gatherings. As a nation, we have to be concerned about rebound."<ref name="guardian1">{{cite news |last1=Luscombe |first1=Richard |title=Fears grow of US coronavirus surge from George Floyd protests |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/31/fears-grow-of-surge-in-us-coronavirus-cases-from-george-floyd-protests |accessdate=June 1, 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=May 31, 2020}}</ref> Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms stated that "I am extremely concerned when we're seeing mass gatherings. We know what's happening in our community with this virus,"<ref name="CNN covid 19"/> She also said "If you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a Covid test this week."<ref name="The Guardian Covid 19">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/31/fears-grow-of-surge-in-us-coronavirus-cases-from-george-floyd-protests|title=Fears grow of US coronavirus surge from George Floyd protests|website=[[The Guardian]]|last=luscombe|first=Richard|date=May 31, 2020|accessdate=June 1, 2020}}</ref> Maryland Governor Larry Hogan shared a similar sentiment, saying that "There's no questions that when you put hundreds or thousands of people together in close proximity when we've got this virus all over the streets is not healthy".<ref name="CNN covid 19"/> |
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In the response to the protests, Congress mandated the creation of a [[Commission on the Naming of Items of the Department of Defense that Commemorate the Confederate States of America or Any Person Who Served Voluntarily with the Confederate States of America]] in the [[William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021|National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021]].<ref name="Stripes_20201204">{{cite web |last1=Beynon |first1=Steve |title=Defense bill directs $2 million to form commission, plan renaming of military bases honoring Confederates |url=https://www.stripes.com/news/us/defense-bill-directs-2-million-to-form-commission-plan-renaming-of-military-bases-honoring-confederates-1.654241 |website=Stars and Stripes |access-date=February 25, 2021 |date=December 4, 2020}}</ref> President Trump cited this provision in his veto of the NDAA,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Demirjian |first1=Karoun |title=Trump vetoes defense bill, teeing up holiday override votes in Congress |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/trump-vetoes-defense-bill-ndaa/2020/12/23/ceedffaa-407f-11eb-8db8-395dedaaa036_story.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=February 25, 2021 |date=December 23, 2021}}</ref> resulting in the only veto override of his presidency.<ref name="Hill_20200108">{{cite web |last1=Kheel |first1=Rebecca |title=Pentagon appoints commissioners to scrub Confederate base names |url=https://thehill.com/policy/defense/533443-pentagon-appoints-commissioners-to-scrub-confederate-base-names |website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |access-date=February 25, 2021 |language=en |date=January 8, 2021}}</ref> |
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[[Philadelphia Mayor]] [[Jim Kenney]] requested that citizens protest according to social distancing guidelines.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Philadelphia mayor urges protesters to be peaceful and maintain social distancing as much as possible|url=https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/george-floyd-protests-05-30-20/h_ac698e1f625dc778c728eab2ec5e4f59|last=Ly|first=Laura|date=May 30, 2020|website=CNN|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> New York Governor Andrew Cuomo asked for citizens to protest [[Face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic|wearing masks]] to prevent spread of the disease.<ref name="CNN covid 19"/> Minnesota's governor stated that "too many" protesters weren't applying [[social distancing|physical person-to-person distances]] or wearing masks.<ref name="latimes-protestsfuelwave">{{cite web |title=U.S. cities fear George Floyd protests may fuel new wave of coronavirus outbreaks |url=https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-05-30/us-cities-fear-protests-may-fuel-new-wave-of-virus-outbreaks |website=Los Angeles Times |accessdate=May 31, 2020 |language=en |date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> Some police officers also weren't adhering to protective rules and norms such as wearing masks.<ref name="latimes-protestsfuelwave"/> Floyd's family encouraged those attending the [[Killing of George Floyd #Memorials and protests|official public memorial]] to do so wearing masks and gloves.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/george-floyd-protests-06-02-20/h_da5f5c6e3ecc02aa143135e991df9768|title=Floyd family says public memorial service will be held in Houston on Monday|website=[[CNN]]|last=Lemos|first=Gregory|date=June 2, 2020|accessdate=June 2, 2020}}</ref> Experts have mixed views of the potential efficacy of properly used, non-N95 masks and note that using a face mask does not warrant stopping other protective practices such as keeping sufficient physical distance from others.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pappas |first1=Stephanie |title=Do face masks really reduce coronavirus spread? Experts have mixed answers. |url=https://www.livescience.com/are-face-masks-effective-reducing-coronavirus-spread.html |website=livescience.com |accessdate=May 31, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> [[Ashish Jha]], the director of the global health institute at Harvard's TH Chan School of public believes that masks are a critical part of protesting safely and in accordance to COVID-19 guidelines.<ref name="The Guardian Covid 19"/> Theodore Long, a doctor affiliated with New York's contact tracing strategy, echoed Jha's point as well as advocating for attendants to "practice proper hand hygiene and to the extent possible, socially distance".<ref name="The Guardian Covid 19"/> |
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=== Impact on police activity === |
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[[Scott Gottlieb]], the former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under President Donald Trump said that "There's going to be a lot of issues coming out of what's happened in the last week, but one of them is going to be that chains of transmission will have become lit from these gatherings".<ref name="CNN covid 19"/> [[Megan Ranney]], an emergency room physician and researcher at Brown University called for people to examine the racial disparities of the COVID-19 spread and their relation to the protests.<ref name="CNN covid 19"/> |
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{{See also|Ferguson effect}} |
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[[File:Civil Unrest 2020 5C2A6205R.jpg|thumb|170px|right|Police [[U.S. national anthem protests (2016–present)|take a knee]] during protests in Philadelphia on June 2, 2020]] |
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According to Lt. [[Bob Kroll (police officer)|Bob Kroll]], the head of the Minneapolis police union, officers began retiring "en masse"<ref name="Washington post ptsd"/> alongside morale being at an "all-time low".<ref name="Washington post ptsd"/> |
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Around [[2020 Atlanta police sickout|170 Atlanta police officers walked off of the job]] in mid-June following unresolved grievances in the [[Killing of Rayshard Brooks|Rayshard Brooks]] case.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/27/us/atlanta-police-rayshard-brooks-shooting-sick-outs/index.html|title=About 170 Atlanta officers called out sick after cops were charged in Rayshard Brooks' death|author=Hollie Silverman and Ray Sanchez|website=[[CNN]]|date=June 27, 2020 }}</ref> |
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=== International === |
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Many nations around the world have watched the unrest in the United States in horror and are alarmed by the chaos and violence.<ref>{{cite web |title=World Alarmed by Violence in US; Thousands March in London |url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2020/05/31/world/europe/ap-eu-us-protests-world-reaction.html |website=The New York Times |accessdate=June 1, 2020 |date= May 31, 2020}}</ref> |
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The [[New York City Police Department]] reported a 411% increase in police retirement application in the first week of July.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/08/us/nypd-retirement-filings-soar/index.html|title=NYPD sees 'troubling' surge of retirement filings, official says|author=Brynn Gingras|website=[[CNN]]|date=July 9, 2020 }}</ref> As a result, the department has limited new retirement applications to 40 a day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2020/07/08/nypd-limits-retirement-applications-amid-411-surge-this-week/|title=NYPD limits retirement applications amid 400 percent surge this week|first1=Craig|last1=McCarthy|first2=Tina|last2=Moore|first3=Larry|last3=Celona|first4=Bruce|last4=Golding|date=July 8, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/nypd-police-officers-retirement-pension-george-floyd-overtime-a9611356.html|title=NYPD forced to impose limit on officers filing for retirement amid 400% surge of officers trying to quit|website=[[The Independent]]|date=July 9, 2020}}</ref> |
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==== Countries ==== |
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* {{flag|Australia}} – Australian Prime Minister [[Scott Morrison]] stated his beliefs that violent protests would not create change. He warned against Australian demonstrations taking a similar course as "there's no need to import things happening in other countries".<ref name=sbs>{{cite web |title=Quoting a meme, Scott Morrison says US violence will not bring about change |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/quoting-a-meme-scott-morrison-says-us-violence-will-not-bring-about-change |website=SBS News |accessdate=June 2, 2020 |date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> |
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* {{flag|Canada}} – Canadian Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]] called for Canada to "stand together in solidarity" against racial discrimination. He said Canadians are watching the police violence in the United States in "shock and horror."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Cecco|first=Leyland|date=May 29, 2020|title=Trudeau: Canadians watching US unrest and police violence in 'shock and horror'|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/29/justin-trudeau-george-floyd-reaction-racism|access-date=May 30, 2020|issn=0261-3077|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530134847/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/29/justin-trudeau-george-floyd-reaction-racism|archive-date=May 30, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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* {{flag|China}} – The [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China|Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs]] said that "black lives matter and their human rights should be guaranteed" and hoped that "the U.S. government would take all necessary measures to deal with the violent law enforcement of police, so as to protect and safeguard the legitimate interests of racial minorities."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.cgtn.com/news/2020-06-01/China-urges-U-S-to-eliminate-racial-discrimination-in-all-forms-QY4LJpMofe/index.html|title=China urges U.S. to eliminate racial discrimination, protect minorities|website=news.cgtn.com}}</ref> Both state media and individual officials criticized the United States government and accused it of hypocrisy.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Davidson |first1=Helen |title='Mr President, don't go hide': China goads US over George Floyd protests |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/01/mr-president-dont-go-hide-china-goads-us-over-george-floyd-protests |website=The Guardian |date=June 1, 2020}}</ref><ref name=cbs-cuus>{{cite web |last1=Inocencio |first1=Ramy |title=China uses U.S. protests to cry hypocrisy amid Hong Kong standoff |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/china-uses-u-s-protests-to-cry-hypocrisy-amid-hong-kong-standoff/ |website=CBS News |date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> For instance, the Foreign Ministry spokesman [[Zhao Lijian]] accused the United States government of having a 'double standard' for labeling the U.S. protesters disappointed with racism as rioters while glorifying the [[2019–20 Hong Kong protests|Hong Kong protesters]] as heroes, and for shooting U.S. protesters and mobilizing the National Guard but criticizing the Hong Kong police.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Huang |first1=Kristin |title=China accuses US of double standards over Hong Kong protests |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3087026/china-accuses-us-double-standards-over-hong-kong-protests |website=South China Morning Post |date=1 June 2020}} Reproduced in {{cite web |last1=Huang |first1=Kristin |title=China accuses US of double standards over Hong Kong protests |url=https://sg.news.yahoo.com/china-accuses-us-double-standards-112637152.html |website=Yahoo! News |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200602173449/https://sg.news.yahoo.com/china-accuses-us-double-standards-112637152.html |archivedate=2 June 2020 |date=1 June 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> |
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** {{flag|Hong Kong}} – Chief Executive [[Carrie Lam]] decried what she perceived as a 'double standard' in America's reaction to protests in Hong Kong and their protests at home.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam accuses US of 'double standards' over protests|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/hong-kong-carrie-lam-us-double-standards-protest-12795240|last=|first=|date=June 1, 2020|website=CNA|language=en|url-status=live|access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> Student activist [[Joshua Wong]] offered his solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.<ref>{{cite tweet |last1=Wong |first1=Joshua |authorlink1=Joshua Wong |title=Joshua Wong on Twitter |user=joshuawongcf|number=1267700119744503810|website=Twitter |accessdate=June 1, 2020 |format=Tweet |date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> |
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* {{flag|Germany}} – Foreign Minister [[Heiko Maas]] said on [[Twitter]] that the peaceful protests in the United States following the death of George Floyd are "understandable and more than legitimate." and that peaceful protests must always be allowed.<ref>{{cite news |last1=The Associated Press reporters |title=The Latest: Area around White House sealed off; fence put up |url=https://apnews.com/e4b7abdbf3e59eb3668e4e9e51def340 |accessdate=2 June 2020 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=2 June 2020}}</ref> |
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* {{flag|Ghana}} – President [[Nana Akufo-Addo]], saying that "black people the world over were shocked and distraught" by Floyd's killing, expressed his condolences to Floyd's family and his hope that there would be "lasting change" in how America "confronts the problems of hate and racism".<ref name="ghana_twitter">{{cite tweet |last1=Akufo-Addo |first1=Nana |authorlink1=Nana Akufo-Addo |title=Nana Akufo-Addo on Twitter |user=NAkufoAddo|number=1267537316391849984|website=Twitter |accessdate=June 1, 2020 |format=Tweet |date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> |
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* {{flag|Iran}} – On May 30, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned "the tragic murder of black people and deadly racial discrimination in the United States." It added that "the voices of the protesters must be heard ... (and) the repression of suffering Americans must be stopped immediately."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Elgood |first1=Giles |title=Iran berates U.S. over police killing, slams racism |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-minneapolis-police-protests-iran/iran-berates-u-s-over-police-killing-slams-racism-idUSKBN2360QD?il=0 |accessdate=May 30, 2020 |agency=[[Reuters]] |date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> On June 1, a Ministry spokesman said at a news conference, speaking in English: "To the American officials and police: stop violence against your people and let them breathe."<ref>{{cite news |last=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Iran calls on US to 'stop violence' against its own people |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/06/iran-calls-stop-violence-people-200601184201383.html |accessdate=June 2, 2020 |agency=[[Al Jazeera English]] |date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> The Twitter account of [[Supreme Leader of Iran|Supreme Leader]] [[Ali Khamenei]] also tweeted in English, "If you're dark-skinned walking in the US, you can't be sure you'll be alive in the next few minutes... Racial discrimination is still a dilemma in a country that claims to support freedom and human rights #Black_Lives_Matter".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fearnow |first1=Benjamin |title=Iran Leaders Criticize U.S. 'Racism' After George Floyd Death: Black Americans 'Not Sure They'll Be Alive in A Few Minutes' |url=https://www.newsweek.com/iran-leaders-criticize-us-racism-after-george-floyd-death-black-americans-not-sure-theyll-1507679|accessdate=June 2, 2020 |agency=[[Newsweek]] |date=May 31, 2020}}</ref> |
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* {{flag|Russia}} – The [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Russia)|Russian Foreign Ministry]] condemned the police violence and arrest of journalists amid the protests, remarking that "this incident is not the first in the string of incidents exposing lawlessness and unjustified violence by ‘guardians of law and order’ in the United States".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Events in Minnesota expose human rights problems in US — Russian foreign ministry|url=https://tass.com/world/1162073|last=|first=|date=May 31, 2020|website=TASS|language=en|url-status=live|access-date=May 31, 2020}}</ref> |
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* {{flag|Turkey}} – Turkish President [[Recep Tayyip Erdogan]] said a "racist and fascist" approach led to Floyd's death and said that "[we] will be monitoring the issue."<ref name="reactionsUK"/> |
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* {{flag|United Kingdom}} – The [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office|Foreign Office]] reacted to the arrest of a journalist and said that "journalists all around the world must be free to do their job and hold authorities to account without fear of retribution."<ref name="reactionsUK">{{cite news |last1=Hassan |first1=Jennifer |last2=O'Grady |first2=Siobhán |title=Anger over George Floyd's killing ripples far beyond the United States |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/05/29/world-reacts-george-floyd-minneapolis-protests/ |accessdate=May 30, 2020 |work=[[Washington Post]] |date=May 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530034533/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/05/29/world-reacts-george-floyd-minneapolis-protests/ |archive-date=May 30, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> Foreign Secretary [[Dominic Raab]] commented that the footage of Floyd's arrest was "very distressing" but said that it is "not his job" to comment on the U.S. President's response to the protests.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Simons |first1=Ned |title=Dominic Raab Says It's Not His 'Job' To Comment On Donald Trump's Response To Killing Of George Floyd |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/dominic-raab-donald-trump-george-floyd_uk_5ed38d32c5b66f44f99c5a1d?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAC6X23wTOUmjQ4LBQF3x6pR4lcenUz5OpWk1JPvqy7HfJ1hB-xQy5KYQz14uyY7udemsTgQjggu_cEYDr2_hTkUV8dwNwLUa7yLfpYQiieaH7IVKq1P-UgO8DUSvxdRDio3-DqDT6neqtdctmL_qZjJljeXFz3aqt2NGKVAX7riu |accessdate=May 31, 2020 |work=[[Huffington Post]] UK |date=May 31, 2020}}</ref> |
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*{{Flag|Venezuela}} – Foreign minister [[Jorge Arreaza]] condemned the "prejudiced language" used by Donald Trump in describing the protesters.<ref>{{Cite web|title=El canciller de Venezuela critica amenazas de Trump por protestas tras el asesinato de Floyd|url=https://mundo.sputniknews.com/politica/202005291091592540-el-canciller-de-venezuela-critica-amenazas-de-trump-por-protestas-tras-el-asesinato-de-floyd/|website=mundo.sputniknews.com|language=es|access-date=May 31, 2020}}</ref> |
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*{{Flag|Zimbabwe}} – The government of Zimbabwe summoned [[Brian A. Nichols]], the [[U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe|U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe]], to a meeting over remarks by White House official [[Robert C. O'Brien (attorney)|Robert C. O'Brien]] that Zimbabwe is a "foreign adversary" that could face retaliation for "fomenting" the protests.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mutsaka |first1=Farai |title=Zimbabwe summons US envoy over White House adviser's comment |url=https://apnews.com/58e2082c8af14e376e89a366348ce262 |accessdate=June 1, 2020 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> |
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On July 11, at least 150 Minneapolis police officers reported nondescript injuries as well as symptoms of [[Posttraumatic stress disorder|post-traumatic stress disorder]], leading over half of them to leave their jobs with more likely to follow.<ref name="Washington post ptsd">{{Cite news|last=Bailey|first=Holly|date=July 11, 2020|title=Minneapolis police officers say they are suffering from PTSD after George Floyd protests|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/minneapolis-police-ptsd-floyd-protests/2020/07/10/e2bbf5dc-c2fd-11ea-b4f6-cb39cd8940fb_story.html|access-date=July 11, 2020|newspaper=[[Washington Post]]|language=en}}</ref> The Minneapolis police have denied there being any serious injuries inflicted on officers.<ref name="Washington post ptsd"/> |
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==== Organizations ==== |
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* {{flag|United Nations}} – UN Human Rights chief [[Michelle Bachelet]] condemned the death at the hands of police, urging American authorities to take "serious action" to stop the killings of unarmed [[Person of color|minorities]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=UN condemns US police killing of George Floyd|url=https://www.dw.com/en/un-condemns-us-police-killing-of-george-floyd/a-53608812|last=|first=|date=May 30, 2020|website=[[Deutsche Welle]]|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> |
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==== Changes to police policies ==== |
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* {{flag|African Union}} – Head of the African Union Commission, [[Moussa Faki|Moussa Faki Mahamat]], described Floyd's death as a "murder," stating that the African Union condemned the "continuing discriminatory practices against black citizens of the USA."<ref>{{Cite web|title=In Rare Move, U.S. Embassies in Africa Condemn George Floyd Murder|url=https://time.com/5845407/us-embassy-africa-condemn-george-floyd/|last=|first=|date=May 30, 2020|website=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> |
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{{Main|List of police reforms related to the George Floyd protests}} |
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*[[Amnesty International]] – The organization released a press release statement calling the police in the United States to end excessive militarized responses to the protests.<ref name="amnestyint">{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/usa-police-must-end-excessive-militarised-response-george-floyd-protests|date=May 31, 2020|website=Amnesty International|title=USA: police must end 'excessive' militarised response to George Floyd protests}}</ref><ref name="axiosamnesty">{{cite web|url=https://www.axios.com/protests-police-unrest-response-george-floyd-2db17b9a-9830-4156-b605-774e58a8f0cd.html|first=Rebecca|last=Falconer|title=Amnesty International: U.S. police must end militarized response to protests|website=Axios|date=May 31, 2020}}</ref> It also called on the UK to review exports of security equipment, including tear gas or rubber bullets, to US police forces.<ref>{{Cite web|title=USA protests: UK should review exports of security equipment to US police forces|url=https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/usa-protests-uk-should-review-exports-security-equipment-us-police-forces|website=www.amnesty.org.uk|access-date=2020-06-01}}</ref> |
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* {{flag|European Union}} – EU Foreign Policy chief [[Josep Borrell]] stated that the EU is "shocked and appalled" by Floyd's death and attributed it to "abuse of power" by law enforcement. He also warned against further "excessive use of force".<ref>{{Cite web|title=EU 'appalled' by Floyd's death, warns against excess force|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-minneapolis-police-protests-eu/eu-appalled-by-floyds-death-warns-against-excess-force-idUSKBN23919P|website=[[Reuters]]|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=June 2, 2020}}</ref> |
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In the wake of Floyd's killing, state and local governments evaluated their police department policies, and the response to protests, for themselves. For example, California Governor [[Gavin Newsom]] called for new police crowd control procedures for the state, and the banning of the police use of [[chokehold|carotid chokeholds]], which starve the brain of oxygen.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Cahill |first1=Nick |last2=Iovino |first2=Nicholas |date=June 5, 2020 |title=Newsom Tells California Police to Stop Using Carotid Chokehold |url=http://www.courthousenews.com/newsom-tells-california-police-to-stop-using-carotid-chokehold/|access-date=June 7, 2020 }}</ref> The Minneapolis police department banned police from using chokeholds;<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chief Struggles to Change Minneapolis Police Culture; Chokeholds Banned |url=https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/national-international/chief-struggles-to-change-minneapolis-police-culture/2375413/|access-date=June 7, 2020 |website=[[KNBC]]|date=June 5, 2020 }}</ref> Denver's police department also banned the use of chokeholds without exception, and also established new reporting requirements whenever a police officer holds a person at gunpoint.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/b3db8e06fe1dd75e3e0612875ff9fca2 |title=Denver fully bans chokeholds, requires report for aimed guns |work=[[Associated Press]]|date=June 8, 2020}}</ref> |
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In June 2020, [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]] in [[United States Congress|Congress]] introduced the [[George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020]], a police reform and accountability bill that contains measures to combat [[police misconduct]], [[excessive force]], and [[racial bias]] in policing. The impetus for the bill were the killings of Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other African Americans at the hands of police.<ref name=Fandos>{{Cite news |last=Fandos |first=Nicholas |date=June 6, 2020 |title=Democrats to Propose Broad Bill to Target Police Misconduct and Racial Bias |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/06/us/politics/democrats-police-misconduct-racial-bias.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200606154027/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/06/us/politics/democrats-police-misconduct-racial-bias.html |archive-date=2020-06-06 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=June 8, 2020 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=In Wake Of Protests, Democrats To Unveil Police Reform Legislation |first1=Claudia |last1=Grisales |first2=Susan |last2=Davis |first3=Kelsey |last3=Snell |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/06/08/871625856/in-wake-of-protests-democrats-to-unveil-police-reform-legislation |date=June 8, 2020 |publisher=[[NPR]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=CaldwellShabad>{{cite news|first1=Leigh Ann|last1=Caldwell|author-link=Leigh Ann Caldwell|first2=Rebecca|last2=Shabad|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/pelosi-top-democrats-unveil-police-reform-bill-n1227376|title=Congressional Democrats unveil sweeping police reform bill that would ban chokeholds, no-knock warrants in drug cases|website=[[NBC News]]|date=June 8, 2020}}</ref> It passed the House of Representatives one month after Floyd's killing, 236 to 181, with support from Democrats and three Republicans.<ref name="npr_house">{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/06/25/883263263/house-approves-police-reform-bill-but-issue-stalled-amid-partisan-standoff|title=House Approves Police Reform Bill, But Issue Stalled Amid Partisan Standoff|newspaper=[[NPR]]|date=June 25, 2020|access-date=June 30, 2020|last1=Grisales|first1=Claudia}}</ref> A Republican reform bill was blocked in the U.S. Senate by all but two Democrats; neither party negotiated the contents of the bill with the other.<ref name="npr_house" /> Speaker Nancy Pelosi summarized Democratic opposition to the Senate bill: "it's not a question that it didn't go far enough; it didn't go anywhere".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/06/26/884039346/house-speaker-nancy-pelosi-talks-about-the-coronavirus-police-reform-and-health-|title=Nancy Pelosi Calls Trump 'Cowardly' For Not Wearing Mask, Supports Federal Mandate|website=[[NPR]]|access-date=June 30, 2020}}</ref> |
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[[File:George Floyd Miami Protest, June 7, 2020 17.jpg|thumb|left|"[[Defund the Police]]", a phrase popularized by BLM during the George Floyd protests]] |
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On June 16, President Trump signed an [[List of executive actions by Donald Trump|executive order]] on police reform that incentivized departments to recruit from communities they patrol, encourage more limited [[Police use of deadly force in the United States|use of deadly force]], and prioritize using social workers and mental health professionals for nonviolent calls.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/06/15/donald-trump-sign-order-encourage-police-limit-deadly-force/3192024001/ |title=Donald Trump to sign order to encourage police to limit deadly force |first=David |last=Jackson |website=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> The order also created a national database of police officers with a history of using excessive force.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Liptak |first1=Kevin |title=Trump offers full-throated defense of police in executive action signing |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/16/politics/police-reform-order-donald-trump/index.html |website=[[CNN]] |access-date=June 16, 2020 |date=June 16, 2020}}</ref> |
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On September 10, [[Ted Wheeler]], the mayor and police commissioner of [[Portland, Oregon]], banned city police from using [[tear gas]] for [[riot control]] purposes, but reiterated that police would respond to violent protests forcefully. Portland had seen over one hundred consecutive days of protests since they began on May 28.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/portland-mayor-bans-cops-tear-gas-protests-72931763|work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]|title=Portland mayor bans cops from using tear gas during protests|date=September 10, 2020|access-date=September 20, 2020}}</ref> |
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==== Push to abolish police ==== |
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{{Main|2021 Minneapolis Question 2}} |
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Nine members of the [[Minneapolis City Council]] — a veto-proof majority — pledged on June 7 to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department, despite opposition from Mayor [[Jacob Frey]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/07/us/minneapolis-police-abolish.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608020003/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/07/us/minneapolis-police-abolish.html |archive-date=2020-06-08 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Minneapolis Will Dismantle Its Police Force, Council Members Pledge |first1=Dionne |last1=Searcey |first2=John |last2=Eligon |date=June 7, 2020 |access-date=June 8, 2020 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/after-being-booed-at-protest-frey-says-hes-still-against-abolishing-police |title=After being booed at protest, Frey says he's still against abolishing police |first=Declan |last=Desmond |website=Bring Me The News |date=June 7, 2020 |access-date=June 8, 2020}}</ref> U.S. representative [[Ilhan Omar]] stated, "the Minneapolis Police Department has proven themselves beyond reform. It's time to disband them and reimagine public safety in Minneapolis."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brufke |first=Juliegrace |date=June 5, 2020 |title=NRCC turns up heat on vulnerable Democrats over Omar's call to abolish police |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/501449-nrcc-turns-up-heat-on-vulnerable-democrats-over-omars-call-to-abolish |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] }}</ref> Despite pledges by city council members to the end the Minneapolis Police Department, a proposed amendment to the Minneapolis city charter which was approved by the Minneapolis City Council on June 26 would only rename the police department and change its structure if approved by voters.<ref name=proposal>{{cite news |url=https://www.startribune.com/push-to-end-minneapolis-police-department-could-keep-officers/571504662/ |title=Push to 'end' Minneapolis Police Department could keep officers |first=Liz |last=Navratil |publisher=[[Star Tribune]] |date=June 26, 2020 |access-date=June 27, 2020}}</ref> In August, the review of another proposal to dismantle the department was delayed by 90 days, meaning it wouldn't be voted on in the November ballot because it passed the statutory deadline of August 21.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/06/us/minneapolis-police-abolish-delay/index.html|title=Proposal to abolish Minneapolis Police Department delayed past November ballot|last1=Jimenez|first1=Omar|last2=Levenson|first2=Eric|website=[[CNN]]|date=August 6, 2020|access-date=February 24, 2021}}</ref> The budget for the department was passed in December and the funding was reduced by $7.7 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.startribune.com/divided-minneapolis-council-keeps-mayor-jacob-freys-target-for-a-larger-police-force/573343121/|title=Divided Minneapolis City Council votes to cut $8 million from police budget|last=Navratil|first=Liz|website=[[Star Tribune]]|date=December 10, 2020|access-date=February 24, 2021}}</ref> |
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=== Impact on television and films === |
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{{see also|List of changes made due to the George Floyd protests#Television and streaming}} |
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In the [[media industry]], the protests have spurred scrutiny for [[Police procedural#United States|cop shows]] and led to the [[Cancellation (television)|cancellation]] of popular television shows referred to by critics as copaganda.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wong |first=Jessica |date=June 12, 2020 |title=Protests against police brutality spur reflection on TV cop shows |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/tv-cop-shows-criticism-1.5606342|access-date=June 12, 2020 |website=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hess |first=Amanda |date=June 10, 2020 |title=The Protests Come for 'Paw Patrol' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/10/arts/television/protests-fictional-cops.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610171019/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/10/arts/television/protests-fictional-cops.html |archive-date=2020-06-10 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=June 12, 2020 |website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> With long-standing criticism that it presented an unbalanced view of law enforcement in favor of police, encouraged police to engage in more dramatic behavior for the camera, and degraded suspects who had not yet been convicted of any crime, the [[Paramount Network]] canceled the 33rd season of the TV show ''[[Cops (TV program)|Cops]]'' and pulled it from broadcast.<ref name="npr_cops">{{Cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-protests-for-racial-justice/2020/06/10/873624536/cops-show-canceled-amid-worldwide-protests-against-police-violence |title='Cops' Show Canceled Amid Worldwide Protests Against Police Violence |website=[[NPR]]}}</ref> The television network [[A&E (TV network)|A&E]] canceled a similar show, ''[[Live PD]]'', which was also found to have destroyed footage documenting the police killing of Javier Ambler in Austin, Texas, in 2019.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-protests-for-racial-justice/2020/06/10/874469622/report-live-pd-says-it-destroyed-video-of-black-man-dying-in-police-custody |title=A&E's Popular Show 'Live PD' Is Canceled Amid Protests Over Police Brutality |newspaper=[[NPR]]|date=June 10, 2020 |last1=Booker |first1=Brakkton }}</ref> The streaming service [[HBO Max]] temporarily pulled the film ''[[Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind]]'' until video that explains and condemns the film's racist depictions could be produced to accompany it.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-protests-for-racial-justice/2020/06/10/873716494/hbo-max-shelves-gone-with-the-wind-temporarily-for-racial-prejudices |title=HBO Max Shelves 'Gone With The Wind' Temporarily For 'Racial Prejudices' |newspaper=[[NPR]]|date=June 10, 2020 |last1=Limbong |first1=Andrew }}</ref> In the United Kingdom, the [[BBC]] pulled the famed "[[The Germans]]" episode of ''[[Fawlty Towers]]'' from its [[UKTV]] streaming service, but later reinstated it after criticism from series star and co-writer [[John Cleese]]. He later criticized their use of the word "fury" to describe his comments.<ref>{{cite tweet |last1=Cleese |first1=John |title=The BBC's website refers to my 'fury'<br/>I think my comments were quite measured and moderate<br/>So why would the BBC refer to them as my 'fury' ?<br/>Because it will get them a few more 'clicks'<br/>This sort of thing happens when marketing executives and tabloid journalists take charge |user=JohnCleese |number=1271581771939774466 |date=June 13, 2020 |access-date=July 12, 2020}}</ref> This was later removed by the BBC.<ref>{{cite tweet |last1=Cleese |first1=John |title=Pleased to see that the BBC website has already removed the word 'fury' |user=JohnCleese |number=1271615778123476992 |date=June 13, 2020 |access-date=July 12, 2020}}</ref> The episode, which included racial slurs about the [[West Indies cricket team]], now features a disclaimer at the beginning warning of "offensive content and language".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-53032895 |title=Fawlty Towers: The Germans episode to be reinstated by UKTV |date=June 13, 2020 |access-date=June 14, 2020 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=UKTV to reinstate Fawlty Towers episode The Germans |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/jun/12/john-cleese-attacks-stupid-removal-of-fawlty-towers-episode |website=[[The Guardian]] |date=June 12, 2020 |access-date=July 12, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Griffiths |first1=George |title=Fawlty Towers episode The Germans to be reinstated on UKTV after removal for racial references |url=https://metro.co.uk/2020/06/12/fawlty-towers-episode-germans-reinstated-uktv-removal-racial-references-12845814/ |website=Metro |date=June 12, 2020 |access-date=July 12, 2020}}</ref> The BBC also removed the ''[[Little Britain (sketch show)|Little Britain]]'' series and its spinoff ''[[Come Fly with Me (2010 TV series)|Come Fly with Me]]'' from the [[BBC iPlayer|iPlayer]] and [[BritBox]] services as well as [[Netflix]] for its use of blackface.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 9, 2020 |title=Little Britain removed from BBC iPlayer, Netflix and BritBox due to use of blackface |url=http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/jun/09/little-britain-removed-from-bbc-iplayer-netflix-and-britbox-blackface|access-date=June 9, 2020 |website=[[The Guardian]] |language=en}}</ref> |
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The week of June 24, 2020, several animated series that had black, mixed or non-white characters voiced by white actors, including ''[[Big Mouth (American TV series)|Big Mouth]], [[Central Park (TV series)|Central Park]], [[Family Guy]]'' and ''[[The Simpsons]]'', announced those characters would be recast with people of color.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Otterson |first1=Joe |title=Jenny Slate Exits 'Big Mouth': 'Black Characters Should Be Played by Black People' |url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/jenny-slate-big-mouth-missy-1234648600/ |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=June 24, 2020 |access-date=June 24, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/kristen-mixed-race-character-central-park-apple-1234648875/ |title=Kristen Bell Will No Longer Voice Mixed-Race Character in Apple's 'Central Park' |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |first=Will |last=Thorne |date=June 24, 2020 |access-date=June 24, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2020/06/family-guy-voice-actor-mike-henry-stepping-down-from-cleveland-role-1202971407/ |title='Family Guy' Voice Actor Mike Henry Stepping Down From 'Cleveland Brown' Role |first=Bruce |last=Haring |date=June 26, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://tvline.com/2020/06/26/the-simpsons-recast-non-white-characters-actors-voice/ |title=''Simpsons'' Will 'No Longer' Have White Actors Play Non-White Characters |first=Vlada |last=Gelman |work=[[TVLine]] |date=June 26, 2020 |access-date=June 26, 2020}}</ref> That same week, episodes of ''[[30 Rock]]'', ''[[The Office (US TV series)|The Office]]'', ''[[It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia]]'', ''[[Community (TV series)|Community]]'', ''[[The Golden Girls]]'', and ''[[Peep Show (British TV series)|Peep Show]]'' that involved characters using blackface were either removed or edited from syndication and streaming services.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/23/entertainment/30-rock-episodes-blackface-trnd/index.html |title=Tina Fey asks platforms to pull several '30 Rock' episodes that showed characters in blackface |first=Scottie |last=Andrew |work=[[CNN]] |date=June 23, 2020 |access-date=June 26, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/the-office-blackface-scene-edited-out-community-episode-pulled-netflix-1234691427/ |title='The Office' Blackface Scene Edited Out, Netflix Pulls 'Community' Blackface Episode |first=Will |last=Thorne |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=June 26, 2020 |access-date=June 26, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Shafer |first=Ellise |title='Golden Girls' Episode With Blackface Scene Removed From Hulu |url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/golden-girls-blackface-hulu-removed-1234692451/ |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=June 28, 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/stayingin/tvfilm/netflix-peep-show-blackface-scene-removed-a4483401.html|title=Netflix removes Peep Show blackface scene|date=June 29, 2020|website=Evening Standard}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=These TV shows recently removed blackface episodes. Here's what you need to know |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ct-ent-tv-shows-blackface-episodes-20200701-4km7yy24l5bw5gcvgqdonszcpu-story.html |access-date=2023-04-21 |website=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=July 2020 }}</ref> |
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In light of the protests, ''[[Brooklyn Nine-Nine]]'' co-star [[Terry Crews]] said that the first four episodes of the show's eighth season had to be rewritten.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tvline.com/2020/06/23/brooklyn-nine-nine-spoilers-season-8-episodes-police-violence-protests/ |title=''Brooklyn Nine-Nine'' to Scrap All Episodes Written for Season 8, Terry Crews Says: 'We Have to Start Over' |first=Dave |last=Nemetz |work=[[TVLine]] |date=June 23, 2020 |access-date=June 26, 2020}}</ref> |
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The ''[[Penny Dreadful: City of Angels]]'' episode "Sing, Sing, Sing", opens with an additional viewer discretion warning about its content, specifically the lynching of a character by members of the [[Los Angeles Police Department]]. The episode originally aired less than one month after Floyd's murder, and was the only episode to feature this additional warning.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Donaldson |first1=Adam |title=[RECAP] PENNY DREADFUL: CITY OF ANGELS, EPISODE 9 "SING, SING, SING" |url=https://nofspodcast.com/recap-penny-dreadful-city-of-angels-episode-9-sing-sing-sing |website=Nightmare on Film Street |date=June 22, 2020 |access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref> |
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=== Impact on brand marketing === |
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In reaction to the higher sensitivity by customers for racial issues in the aftermath of Floyd's murder, multiple companies decided to rebrand some products. The brands [[Aunt Jemima]], [[Uncle Ben's]], and [[Fair & Lovely (cosmetics)|Fair & Lovely]] made adaptations to eliminate racial stereotypes. In sports, the [[NFL]] football team in Washington, D.C., dropped the "[[Washington Redskins name controversy|Redskins]]" nickname and the [[MLB]] baseball team in Cleveland said it would discontinue the "[[Cleveland Indians name and logo controversy|Indians]]" nickname after the 2021 season and adopt the "[[Cleveland Guardians|Guardians]]" nickname.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Shiffer|first=James Eli|date=May 25, 2021|title=The ways that George Floyd changed the world.|work=[[Star Tribune]]|url=https://www.startribune.com/ways-that-george-floyd-murder-changed-the-world/600056733/|access-date=May 26, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=July 23, 2021|title=Cleveland announces name change to Guardians|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/31868331/cleveland-changing-name-indians-guardians|access-date=July 30, 2021|website=[[ESPN]]|language=en}}</ref> In June 2020, [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] announced that their theme park attraction [[Splash Mountain]], which had been themed to the 1946 film ''[[Song of the South]]'', controversial for its depiction of African Americans, would be re-themed based on the 2009 film ''[[The Princess and the Frog]]'', which had Disney's first depiction of a black princess.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hipes|first=Patrick|date=June 25, 2020|title=Disneyland's Splash Mountain To Be Reimagined With 'Princess And The Frog' Theme|url=https://deadline.com/2020/06/splash-mountain-new-theme-princess-and-the-frog-song-of-the-south-1202969821/|access-date=June 25, 2020|work=[[Deadline Hollywood]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Barnes|first=Brooks|date=June 25, 2020|title=Disney's Splash Mountain to Drop 'Song of the South' Depictions|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/25/business/media/disney-splash-mountain-princess-frog.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200625210057/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/25/business/media/disney-splash-mountain-princess-frog.html |archive-date=2020-06-25 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=December 18, 2020}}</ref> |
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=== Public art === |
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Artistic impressions of George Floyd's likeness became an icon of the protest movement that unfolded following his murder.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=de Sam Larazo|first1=Fred|last2=Lane|first2=Sam|date=May 21, 2021|title=How George Floyd's image became an icon for artists and helped communities mourn|work=PBS|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-george-floyds-image-became-an-icon-for-artists-and-helped-communities-mourn|access-date=May 22, 2021}}</ref> Paintings of Floyd appeared on exterior walls in many cities in the United States and around the world. A mapping project of [[protest art]] after Floyd's murder had by May 19, 2021, documented 2,100 entries of George Floyd-related and anti-racism art around the world, though much of it was from the Minneapolis and Saint Paul area. Many works appeared on [[plywood]] that covered up boarded-up windows and doors as result of unrest.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Onwuamaegbu|first=Natachi|date=May 19, 2021|title=Preserving protest art before it gets washed away|work=[[The Boston Globe]]|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/05/19/lifestyle/preserving-protest-art-before-it-gets-washed-away/|access-date=May 19, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Enninga|first=Heidi|date=May 6, 2021|title=Documenting Street Art, St. Thomas Researchers Better Understand Crisis|url=https://news.stthomas.edu/documenting-street-art-st-thomas-researchers-better-understand-crisis/|access-date=May 21, 2021|website=St. Thomas Newsroom|language=en-US}}</ref> |
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===COVID-19 pandemic=== |
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{{Further|COVID-19 pandemic#Transmission}} |
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[[File:Black Lives Matter, Anti-racism rally at Vancouver Art Gallery (49957866563) (cropped).jpg|thumb|A protester in [[Vancouver]], Canada, mentioning COVID-19 on their clothing]] |
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The protests occurred during the early, pre-vaccination phase of the global [[COVID-19 pandemic]], which led officials and experts to express concerns that the demonstrations could lead to further spread of [[SARS-CoV-2]].<ref name="cnbc-cdc">{{cite news |last1=Lovelace |first1=Berkeley Jr. |title=CDC warns George Floyd protests may be 'seeding event' for more coronavirus outbreaks |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/04/cdc-warns-george-floyd-protests-may-be-seeding-event-for-more-coronavirus-outbreaks.html |access-date=June 5, 2020 |work=[[CNBC]] |date=June 4, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> The demonstrations thus sparked debate among commentators, political leaders, and health experts over coronavirus restrictions on gatherings.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Powell|first=Michael|date=July 6, 2020|title=Are Protests Dangerous? What Experts Say May Depend on Who's Protesting What|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/06/us/Epidemiologists-coronavirus-protests-quarantine.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200706091400/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/06/us/Epidemiologists-coronavirus-protests-quarantine.html |archive-date=2020-07-06 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=July 7, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In June 2020 the CDC released the "Considerations for Events and Gatherings" which assesses large gatherings where it is difficult for people to stay at least six feet apart, and where attendees travel from outside the local area as "highest risk".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Goodnough |first1=Abby |title=C.D.C. Calls for Masks at Large Gatherings, Warning of Crowd Risks |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/12/health/coronavirus-cdc-masks-gatherings.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612212004/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/12/health/coronavirus-cdc-masks-gatherings.html |archive-date=2020-06-12 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=June 16, 2020 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=June 12, 2020}}</ref> Public health experts and mayors urged demonstrators to [[Face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic|wear face coverings]], follow physical separation ([[social distancing]]) practices, engage in proper [[hand hygiene]], and seek out [[COVID-19 testing]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Fauci underscores concerns about protests spreading coronavirus |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/502001-fauci-underscores-concerns-about-protests-spreading-coronavirus |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |date=June 10, 2020}}</ref><ref name="latimes-protestsfuelwave">{{cite web |title=U.S. cities fear George Floyd protests may fuel new wave of coronavirus outbreaks |url=https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-05-30/us-cities-fear-protests-may-fuel-new-wave-of-virus-outbreaks |agency=[[Associated Press]] |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=May 31, 2020 |language=en |date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> |
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Subsequent studies and public health reports showed that the protests in 2020 did not drive an increase in COVID-19 transmission.<ref name="SeattleVirus">{{cite web|last=Bernton|first=Hal|date=June 30, 2020|title=Protests don't appear to be driving coronavirus surge in Seattle area or elsewhere, researchers say|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/protests-in-seattle-and-elsewhere-dont-appear-to-be-driving-virus-surge-researchers-say/|newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]]}}</ref><ref name="Daveetal">{{cite journal|author1=Dhaval M. Dave|author2=Andrew I. Friedson|author3=Kyutaro Matsuzawa|author4=Joseph J. Sabia|author5=Samuel Safford|date=June 2020|title=NBER Working Paper No. 27408: Black Lives Matter Protests, Social Distancing, and COVID-19|url=https://www.nber.org/papers/w27408 |journal=National Bureau of Economic Research|series=Working Paper Series |doi=10.3386/w27408|s2cid=235158402 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name="WhatWeKnow">{{cite web|last=Goldstein|first=Joseph|date=July 1, 2020|title=Did Floyd Protests Lead to a Virus Surge? Here's What We Know|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/01/nyregion/nyc-coronavirus-protests.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200701091316/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/01/nyregion/nyc-coronavirus-protests.html |archive-date=2020-07-01 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Epidemiologists and other researchers attributed this to the location of the demonstrations outdoors (where the virus is less likely to spread as compared to indoors);<ref name="SeattleVirus" /><ref name="WhatWeKnow" /> because many protesters wore masks;<ref name="WhatWeKnow" /> and because persons who demonstrated made up a small portion of the overall U.S. population (about 6% of adults).<ref name="Lopez">{{cite news|last=Lopez|first=German|date=June 26, 2020|title=Coronavirus cases are increasing, but Black Lives Matter protests may not be to blame. Here's why.|work=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]|url=https://www.vox.com/2020/6/26/21300636/coronavirus-pandemic-black-lives-matter-protests|quote=So what is causing the recent uptick in Covid-19 cases, which led to the US hitting its highest number of daily new cases ever this week? Experts pointed to states reopening, particularly allowing indoor gatherings — at bars, restaurants, barbershops, workplaces, and so on — in which the coronavirus is more likely to spread. Studies show that previous measures to close down such gatherings likely helped lower Covid-19 cases.}}</ref> Outdoor events were analyzed to have a substantially lower risk of spreading the virus than indoor ones,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Weintraub|first1=Ken Alltucker and Karen|title=Experts warn large protests may 'become breeding grounds' for the coronavirus|work=[[USA Today]]|url=https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/06/01/george-floyd-protests-gatherings-increase-risk-coronavirus-spread-covid-19/5307140002/|access-date=June 8, 2020}}</ref><ref name="seattletimes-trust">{{cite news|date=May 31, 2020|title=Mass gatherings, erosion of trust upend coronavirus control|work=[[The Seattle Times]]|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/mass-gatherings-erosion-of-trust-upend-coronavirus-control/|access-date=June 10, 2020}}</ref> and transient contact was considered less risky than extended close contact.<ref name="seattletimes-trust" /> |
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Some protesters that were arrested were detained in crowded, indoor environments and did not have protective masks, which prompted concern over potential jail-spread of SARS-CoV-2.<ref name="Ransom">{{cite news|last=Ransom|first=Jan|date=June 4, 2020|title=Despite Virus, Hundreds Arrested in Unrest Are Held in Cramped Jails|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/04/nyregion/nyc-protests-jail.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604175027/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/04/nyregion/nyc-protests-jail.html |archive-date=2020-06-04 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live}}</ref> Some law enforcement personnel in New York City who responded to protests were criticized for failing to wear face masks.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Ashley Southall and Michael Gold|date=October 4, 2020|title=N.Y.P.D. Warns Officers: Wear Your Masks|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/04/nyregion/nypd-masks-mandatory-virus.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004225006/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/04/nyregion/nypd-masks-mandatory-virus.html |archive-date=2020-10-04 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|quote=Police officers' failure to wear masks has been a point of tension since the spring, when they were initially made responsible for enforcing social-distancing measures. During mass protests that erupted in the city after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, thousands of officers assigned to the demonstrations did not wear masks.|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> An [[Outbreak of COVID-19|outbreak]] was detected among Houston, Texas, police department officers, but it was not clear if the officers were exposed on or off of their police duty.<ref>{{cite news|last=Oberg|first=Ted|date=June 30, 2020|title=200 HPD officers under COVID-19 quarantine, chief not among them|publisher=KTRK|url=https://abc13.com/chief-art-acevedo-houston-police-department-coronavirus-covid-19/6286402/}}</ref> |
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While many U.S. states experienced growth in new cases during the initial wave of protests, these upticks are thought to be attributed to reopenings of workplaces, bars, restaurants, and other businesses.<ref name=Lopez/> |
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==Gallery== |
==Gallery== |
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<gallery widths="200" heights="125"> |
<gallery widths="200" heights="125"> |
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File:Protest against police violence - Justice for George Floyd, May 26, 2020 08.jpg|A protest march in [[Minneapolis]] on May 26, 2020 |
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File:A fire burns at maX it PAWN in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Friday morning. (49948399113).jpg|A fire burns at maX it PAWN in Minneapolis, Minnesota |
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File:People leave the Target on Lake Street with goods from the store in Minneapolis, Minnesota (49945679736) (cropped).jpg|"[[Black Lives Matter|Black Lives Fucking Matter]]", "[[A.C.A.B.]]", and "[[wikt:fuck 12|Fuck 12]]" graffiti on a looted [[Target Corporation|Target]] store on [[Lake Street (Minneapolis)|Lake Street]], Minneapolis the morning of May 28, 2020 |
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File:20200528- DSC7862 (49947770871).jpg|Firefighters observing the damage in Minneapolis the afternoon of May 28, 2020 |
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File:2020-05-29 GeorgeFloyd-BlackLivesMatter-Protest-in-Oakland-California 185 (49951925551).jpg|Protesters in [[George Floyd protests in California|Oakland, California]], on May 29, 2020 |
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File:People leave the Target on Lake Street with goods from the store in Minneapolis, Minnesota (49945679736).jpg|"[[Black Lives Matter|Black Lives Fucking Matter]]" and "[[wikt:fuck 12|Fuck 12]]" graffiti on a looted [[Target Corporation|Target]] store in [[Lake Street (Minneapolis)|Lake Street]], Minneapolis, the morning of May 28, 2020 |
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File:Chicago Protest at Trump Tower 5 30 20.webm|Police confront protesters near [[Trump International Hotel and Tower (Chicago)|Trump Tower in Chicago]] on May 30, 2020 |
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File:George Floyd protest 2020-05-28 Columbus, Ohio 46.jpg|Protests in Columbus, Ohio, on May 28, 2020 |
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File:George Floyd protests |
File:George Floyd protests in Washington DC. Lafayette Square.jpg|Protesters in Washington, D.C., in front of the [[White House]] on May 30, 2020 |
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File: |
File:Helpers (cropped).jpg|[[Georgia National Guard]] medics treat a protester injured by tear gas on June 2, 2020 |
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File:George Floyd |
File:George Floyd protests in Seattle - June 3, 2020 - Sit-in at Seattle City Hall 01.jpg|Protesters in [[George Floyd protests in Washington (state)#Seattle|Seattle]] on June 3, 2020 |
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File:George Floyd protests in Philadelphia 02.jpg|Protesters in [[George Floyd protests in Philadelphia|Philadelphia]] on June 6, 2020 |
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File:May 31 2020 Charleston County curfew.png|[[SWAT]] units impose a curfew across [[Charleston County, South Carolina]], on May 31, 2020 |
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File:Black Lives Matter - Denver - Day 9 (49981072372).jpg|Protesters in [[George Floyd protests in Colorado|Denver]] on June 6, 2020 |
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</gallery> |
</gallery> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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{{Portal|Society|United States}} |
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* 1965 [[Watts riots]] – A black motorist resisting arrest ignited days of widespread violence fueled by decades of institutional racism. |
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* <!-- already in article: ** 1965 [[Watts riots]] – A black motorist resisting arrest ignited days of widespread violence in a formerly [[Racial segregation in the United States|segregated]] Los Angeles neighborhood. -->[[Long, hot summer of 1967]] – Protests and riots in which the statement "When the looting starts, the shooting starts" was first coined by Miami police chief Walter E. Headley. |
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* [[1980 Miami riots]] – Protests after an unarmed black salesman with a fractured skull was beaten to death by police officers in 1979 and the officers involved were acquitted in May 1980. |
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* [[ |
* [[1968 Democratic National Convention protests]] – Protests against the Vietnam War that were later described as a "police riot". |
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* [[1980 Miami riots]] – Protests after an unarmed black salesman was beaten to death by police officers in 1979 and the officers involved were acquitted in May 1980. |
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* 2014 [[Ferguson unrest]] – The large-scale unrest after the fatal [[shooting of Michael Brown]] by police. |
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<!-- already in article: * [[1992 Los Angeles riots]] – Protests after police officers involved in the beating of [[Rodney King]], a black man, were acquitted by the court in April 1992. --> |
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* [[2015 Baltimore protests]] – Protests following the arrest and subsequent [[death of Freddie Gray]]. |
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* 2014 [[Ferguson unrest]] – The large-scale unrest after the fatal shooting of Michael Brown by police. |
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* 2020 [[Kenosha protests]] – Protests after the [[shooting of Jacob Blake]] in [[Kenosha, Wisconsin]] |
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*<!-- already in article: * [[United States racial unrest (2020–present)]] --> <!-- already in article: * [[Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone]] – Intentional community developed in response to protests --><!-- already in article: * [[List of incidents of civil unrest in the United States]] -->2021 [[Daunte Wright protests]] – Protests after the [[killing of Daunte Wright]] |
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==References== |
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== Further reading == |
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{{reflist}} |
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==Further reading== |
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* Sprunt, Barbara. [https://www.npr.org/2020/05/29/864818368/the-history-behind-when-the-looting-starts-the-shooting-starts The History Behind 'When The Looting Starts, The Shooting Starts'] ''[[NPR]]''. May 29, 2020 |
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===Contemporary reports=== |
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*Owen, Tess. [https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pkyb9b/far-right-extremists-are-hoping-to-turn-the-george-floyd-protests-into-a-new-civil-war Far-Right Extremists Are Hoping to Turn the George Floyd Protests Into a New Civil War]. ''[[Vice Media|Vice]]''. May 29, 2020 |
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Arrangement is chronological. |
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* Hartman, Sid. [https://www.startribune.com/unrest-in-minneapolis-echoes-summer-of-1967/570896512/ Unrest in Minneapolis echoes summer of 1967]. ''[[Star Tribune]]''. May 30, 2020 |
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* {{cite news |last=Sprunt |first=Barbara |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/05/29/864818368/the-history-behind-when-the-looting-starts-the-shooting-starts |title=The History Behind 'When The Looting Starts, The Shooting Starts' |work=[[NPR]] |date= May 29, 2020}} |
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*[https://time.com/5845622/george-floyd-protesters-confederate-monuments/ George Floyd Protesters in Multiple Cities Target Confederate Monuments.] ''[[Associated Press|AP]]/[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''. May 31, 2020 |
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* |
* {{cite news |last=Owen |first=Tess |url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pkyb9b/far-right-extremists-are-hoping-to-turn-the-george-floyd-protests-into-a-new-civil-war |title=Far-Right Extremists Are Hoping to Turn the George Floyd Protests Into a New Civil War |work=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]] |date=May 29, 2020 }} |
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* {{cite news |last=Hartman |first=Sid |url=https://www.startribune.com/unrest-in-minneapolis-echoes-summer-of-1967/570896512/ |title=Unrest in Minneapolis echoes summer of 1967 |work=[[Star Tribune]] |date=May 30, 2020 }} |
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* {{cite news |url=https://time.com/5845622/george-floyd-protesters-confederate-monuments/ |title=George Floyd Protesters in Multiple Cities Target Confederate Monuments |agency=[[Associated Press]] |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=May 31, 2020 |access-date=June 2, 2020 |archive-date=June 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200601141022/https://time.com/5845622/george-floyd-protesters-confederate-monuments/ |url-status=dead }} |
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* {{cite news |last=Pellerin |first=Ananda |url=https://www.cnn.com/style/article/george-floyd-mural-social-justice-art/index.html |title=The people creating art to remember George Floyd |work=[[CNN Style]] |date=June 1, 2020 }} |
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* {{cite news|last=Steinmetz|first=Katy|date=June 8, 2020|title='A War of Words.' Why Describing the George Floyd Protests as 'Riots' Is So Loaded|url=https://time.com/5849163/why-describing-george-floyd-protests-as-riots-is-loaded/|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}} |
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* {{cite news |last=Chayka |first=Kyle |url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/dept-of-design/the-mimetic-power-of-dcs-black-lives-matter-mural |title=The Mimetic Power of D.C.'s Black Lives Matter Mural |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |date=June 9, 2020 }} |
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* {{cite news|title=The massive scope of change following George Floyd's death|first=Jennifer|last=Rubin|date=June 12, 2020|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/06/12/signs-times-look-whats-changing/}} |
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* {{cite news |first1=Aurda D. S. |last1=Burch |first2=Weiyi |last2=Cai |first3=Gabriel |last3=Gianordoli |first4=Morrigan |last4=McCarthy |first5=Jugal K. |last5=Patel |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/06/13/us/george-floyd-protests-cities-photos.html |title=How Black Lives Matter Reached Every Corner of America |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=June 13, 2020 }} |
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* {{cite news |first1=Lara |last1=Putnam |first2=Jeremy |last2=Pressman |first3=Erica |last3=Chenoweth |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/07/08/black-lives-matter-beyond-americas-big-cities/ |title=Black Lives Matter beyond America's big cities |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=July 8, 2020 }} |
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=== Scholarly studies=== |
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* Balakrishnan, Karthik, et al. "Racial diversity exposure and firm responses following the murder of George Floyd." ''Journal of Accounting Research'' 61.3 (2023): 737-804; Reaction of large American businesses. |
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* Beckett, Balthazar I., and Salimah K. Hankins. " 'Until We Are First Recognized as Humans': The Killing of George Floyd and the Case for Black Life at the United Nations" ''International Journal of Human Rights Education'' 5.1 (2021): 4+ [https://repository.usfca.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1104&context=ijhre online]. |
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== Notes == |
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* Boudreau, Cheryl, Scott A. MacKenzie, and Daniel J. Simmons. "Police violence and public opinion after George Floyd: How the Black Lives Matter movement and endorsements affect support for reforms." ''Political Research Quarterly'' 75.2 (2022): 497-511. [https://simmonsdj.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/boudreaumackenziesimmons_prq22.pdf online] |
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{{notelist}} |
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* Christián, László, Ákos Erdős, and Gergő Háló. "The Background and repercussions of the George Floyd case." ''Cogent Social Sciences'' 8.1 (2022): 2082094. [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/23311886.2022.2082094 online] |
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==References== |
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* Cross, A. R., Tom, K. E., Wallace, D., Trinkner, R., & Fine, A. D. "Did George Floyd’s murder shape the public’s felt obligation to obey the police?" '' Law and Human Behavior'' (2023) [https://doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000536 online] |
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{{reflist}} |
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* Eichstaedt, Johannes C., et al. "The emotional and mental health impact of the murder of George Floyd on the US population." ''Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences'' 118.39 (2021): e2109139118. [https://www.pnas.org/doi/pdf/10.1073/pnas.2109139118 online] |
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* Fine, Adam D., et al. "Did the Murder of George Floyd Damage Public Perceptions of Police and Law in the United States?." ''Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency'' (2024): 00224278241263527. [https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/123745/1/Did_the_murder_of_George_Floyd_-_pre-pub_version.pdf online] |
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* Green, Hilary N., and Andrew L. Slap. ''The Civil War and the Summer of 2020'' (Fordham University Press, 2024) |
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* Jackson, J. et al. "Social Identity and Support for Defunding the Police in the Aftermath of George Floyd," ''Group Processes & Intergroup Relations'', (2023). 26#4, 833-858. |
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* Jacobs, Walter R. ''Sparked: George Floyd, Racism, and the Progressive Illusion'' (Minnesota Historical Society Press. 2021) |
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* Johnson, Andre E., and Amanda Nell Edgar. ''The Summer of 2020: George Floyd and the Resurgence of the Black Lives Matter Movement'' (Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2024). |
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* {{cite journal|last1=Kaske|first1=Erika A.|last2=Cramer|first2=Samuel W.|last3=Pena Pino|first3=Isabela|last4=Do|first4=Truong H.|last5=Ladd|first5=Bryan M.|last6=Sturtevant|first6=Dylan T.|last7=Ahmadi|first7=Aliya|last8=Taha|first8=Birra|last9=Freeman|first9=David|last10=Wu|first10=Joel T.|last11=Cunningham|first11=Brooke A.|date=January 13, 2021|title=Injuries from Less-Lethal Weapons during the George Floyd Protests in Minneapolis|journal=[[The New England Journal of Medicine]]|volume=384|issue=8|pages=774–775|doi=10.1056/NEJMc2032052|pmid=33440082|issn=0028-4793|doi-access=free}} |
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* Pryce, Daniel K., and Randy Gainey. "Race differences in public satisfaction with and trust in the local police in the context of George Floyd protests: An analysis of residents’ experiences and attitudes." ''Criminal Justice Studies'' 35.1 (2022): 74-92. [https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Daniel-Pryce/publication/355196895_Race_differences_in_public_satisfaction_with_and_trust_in_the_local_police_in_the_context_of_george_floyd_protests_an_analysis_of_residents'_experiences_and_attitudes/links/62dff6d34246456b55e8f041/Race-differences-in-public-satisfaction-with-and-trust-in-the-local-police-in-the-context-of-george-floyd-protests-an-analysis-of-residents-experiences-and-attitudes.pdf online] |
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* Reny, Tyler T., and Benjamin J. Newman. "The opinion-mobilizing effect of social protest against police violence: Evidence from the 2020 George Floyd protests." ''American Political Science Review'' 115.4 (2021): 1499-1507. |
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* Samuels, Robert, and Toluse Olorunnipa. ''His Name Is George Floyd: One Man's Life and the Struggle for Racial Justice'' (Penguin, 2024); Pulitzer Prize for biography. [https://books.google.com/books?id=gpLxEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22George+Floyd%22&pg=PR11 online] |
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* Sierra‐Arévalo, Michael, Justin Nix, and Scott M. Mourtgos. "The 'war on cops,' retaliatory violence, and the murder of George Floyd." ''Criminology'' 61.3 (2023): 389-420. [https://www.crimrxiv.com/pub/uxbu62sz online] |
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*Toosi, Negin R., Kristin Layous, and Gretchen M. Reevy. "Recognizing racism in George Floyd's death." ''Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy'' 21.1 (2021): 1184-1201. |
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* {{cite journal|last1=Valentine|first1=Randall|last2=Valentine|first2=Dawn|last3=Valentine|first3=Jimmie L.|date=November 23, 2020|title=Relationship of George Floyd protests to increases in COVID-19 cases using event study methodology|journal=[[Journal of Public Health]]|volume=42|issue=4|pages=696–697|doi=10.1093/pubmed/fdaa127|issn=1741-3842|pmc=7454741|pmid=32756893}} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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{{Commons category|George Floyd protests}} |
{{Commons category|George Floyd protests}} |
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* [https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/?tags=111 George Floyd protest] tag, U.S. Press Freedom Tracker |
* [https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/?tags=111 George Floyd protest] tag, U.S. Press Freedom Tracker |
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* [https://acleddata.com/2020/09/03/demonstrations-political-violence-in-america-new-data-for-summer-2020/ Demonstrations & Political Violence In America: New Data For Summer 2020] // Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project |
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*[https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/janelytvynenko/hoax-misleading-claims-george-floyd-protests Running list of hoaxs and misleading posts], BuzzFeed News |
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* [https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/janelytvynenko/hoax-misleading-claims-george-floyd-protests Running list of hoaxes and misleading posts], BuzzFeed News |
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* [[Wikiversity: Were George Floyd protests in 2020 a good thing?]] |
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{{Monuments and memorials removed during the George Floyd protests}} |
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Latest revision as of 00:12, 27 August 2024
George Floyd protests | |
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Part of the United States racial unrest (2020–present) and the Black Lives Matter movement | |
Clockwise from top:
| |
Date | In whole of the Vereinigte Staaten: May 26, 2020 – May 26, 2021 (1 year)
In Minneapolis–Saint Paul: May 26, 2020 – May 2, 2023 (2 years, 11 months and 1 week) George Floyd Square: May 26, 2020 – present (4 years, 3 months and 2 weeks) |
Standort | |
Caused by |
|
Methods | Protests, demonstrations, civil disobedience, civil resistance, online activism, strike action, riots |
Resulted in |
|
Deaths, arrests and damages | |
Death(s) | 19 confirmed (May 26 – October 31, 2020)[3] |
Arrested | 14,000+[4] |
Property damage |
The George Floyd protests were a series of riots and demonstrations against police brutality that began in Minneapolis in the United States on May 26, 2020.[7][8] The protests and civil unrest began in Minneapolis as reactions to the murder of George Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed African American man, by city police during an arrest. They spread nationally and internationally. Veteran officer Derek Chauvin was recorded as kneeling on Floyd's neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds; Floyd complained of not being able to breathe,[9] but three other officers looked on and prevented passers-by from intervening.[16] Chauvin and the other three officers involved were later arrested.[17] In April 2021, Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter.[18] In June 2021, Chauvin was sentenced to 22+1⁄2 years in prison.[19]
The George Floyd protest movement began hours after his murder as bystander video and word of mouth began to spread.[20] Protests first emerged at the East 38th and Chicago Avenue street intersection in Minneapolis, the location of Floyd's arrest and murder, and other sites in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area of Minnesota.[21] Protests quickly spread nationwide and to over 2,000 cities and towns in over 60 countries in support of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.[22][23][24] Polls in the summer of 2020 estimated that between 15 million and 26 million people had participated at some point in the demonstrations in the United States, making the protests the largest in U.S. history.[25][26][27]
While the majority of protests were peaceful,[28] demonstrations in some cities escalated into riots, looting,[29] and street skirmishes with police and counter-protesters. Some police responded to protests with instances of violence, including against reporters.[30][31][32] At least 200 cities in the U.S. had imposed curfews by early June 2020, while more than 30 states and Washington, D.C. activated over 96,000 National Guard, State Guard, 82nd Airborne, and 3rd Infantry Regiment service members.[33][34][35][36] The deployment, when combined with preexisting deployments related to the COVID-19 pandemic and other natural disasters, constituted the largest military operation other than war in U.S. history.[37] By the end of June 2020, at least 14,000 people had been arrested.[4][38][39] By June 2020, more than 19 people had died in relation to the unrest. A report from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project estimated that between May 26 and August 22, 93% of individual protests were "peaceful and nondestructive"[40][41] and research from the Nonviolent Action Lab and Crowd Counting Consortium estimated that by the end of June, 96.3% of 7,305 demonstrations involved no injuries and no property damage.[42] However, arson, vandalism, and looting that occurred between May 26 and June 8 caused approximately $1–2 billion in insured damages nationally, the highest recorded damage from civil disorder in U.S. history, and surpassing the record set during the 1992 Los Angeles riots.[6][43]
The protests precipitated a worldwide debate on policing and racial injustice that has led to numerous legislative proposals on federal, state, and municipal levels in the U.S. intended to combat police misconduct, systemic racism, qualified immunity and police brutality.[44][45] The protests led to a wave of monument removals, name changes, and societal changes throughout the world[46] and occurred during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic and amid the 2020 U.S. presidential election season.[47][48] Protests continued through 2020 and into 2021,[49] most notably in Minneapolis at the 38th and Chicago Avenue street intersection where Floyd was murdered that activists have referred to as George Floyd Square.[50][51] Several demonstrations coincided with the criminal trial of Chauvin in March and April 2021 and the one-year anniversary of Floyd's murder in May 2021. Officials in Minnesota and elsewhere proactively mobilized counter-protest measures for Chauvin's trial, but it did not result in unrest like what happened immediately after Floyd's murder.[52]
Local officials in Minneapolis–Saint Paul prepared counter-protest measures in early 2022 for the start of the federal trial for the other three police officers at the scene of Floyd's murder.[53][54] Relatively small protests took place during the trial and after the verdict announcement.[55] On May 25, 2021, the one-year anniversary of Floyd's murder, a number of protests took place; most of these were short-lived, with calm being restored on the early hours of May 26, 2021.[56] While the nationwide protests ended, the occupation of George Floyd Square in Minneapolis–Saint Paul persisted into 2024,[57] however as of 2022 vehicular traffic was finally allowed to pass through it.[58][59][60][61][62] On May 2, 2023, Tou Thao was found guilty of aiding and abetting manslaughter—the last federal or state court case related to Floyd's murder. The conviction fulfilled a key demand of protesters that all four police officers be held legally accountable for murdering George Floyd.[63][64] The protest at George Floyd Square continued into 2024.[65]
Background
Police brutality protests in the United States
Cases of police misconduct and fatal use of force by law enforcement officers[66] in the U.S., particularly against African Americans, have long led the civil rights movement and other activists to protest against a lack of police accountability in incidents they see as involving excessive force. Many protests during the civil rights movement were in response to the perception of police brutality, including the 1965 Watts riots which resulted in the deaths of 34 people, mostly African Americans.[67] The largest post-civil rights movement protest in the 20th century was the 1992 Los Angeles riots, which were in response to the acquittal of police officers responsible for excessive force against Rodney King, an African American man.[68]
The Black Lives Matter movement was originally started in 2013, after Trayvon Martin’s murderer was found not guilty in court.[69] In 2014, the shooting of Michael Brown by police in Ferguson, Missouri, resulted in local protests and unrest while the killing of Eric Garner in New York City resulted in numerous national protests. In 2015, the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore police custody resulted in riots in the city and nationwide protests as part of the Black Lives Matter movement.[70] Several nationally publicized incidents occurred in Minnesota, including the 2015 shooting of Jamar Clark in Minneapolis; the 2016 shooting of Philando Castile in Falcon Heights;[71] and the 2017 shooting of Justine Damond. In 2016, Tony Timpa was killed by Dallas police officers in the same way as George Floyd.[72] In August 2019, Elijah McClain died after Aurora police ordered paramedics to administer ketamine under dubious circumstances.[73] In March 2020, the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor by police executing a search warrant at her Kentucky apartment was also widely publicized.[74] After Eric Garner and George Floyd repeatedly said "I can't breathe" during their arrests, the phrase became a protest slogan against police brutality.
The murder of George Floyd sparked mass protests and calls for police reform in the face of ongoing police violence against African-Americans. Large companies such as Nike and Walmart aimed to express their support for the movement through branding themselves as antiracist. Despite some politicians expressing backlash for the Black Lives Matter protests, politicians such as Republican Senator Mitt Romney participated.[75] The movement sought to express their understanding of police brutality as a result of anti-black sentiment, which is seen as structural in nature.[76]
Murder of George Floyd
![Tribute items left at site of Floyd's murder forming a makeshift memorial](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/George_Floyd_Memorial_at_38th_and_Chicago_Avenue_South%2C_Minneapolis_%2849942178738%29.jpg/220px-George_Floyd_Memorial_at_38th_and_Chicago_Avenue_South%2C_Minneapolis_%2849942178738%29.jpg)
According to a police statement, on May 25, 2020, at 8:08 p.m. CDT,[77] Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) officers responded to a 9-1-1 call regarding a "forgery in progress" on Chicago Avenue South in Powderhorn, Minneapolis. MPD Officers Thomas K. Lane and J. Alexander Kueng arrived with their body cameras turned on. A store employee told officers that the man was in a nearby car. Officers approached the car and ordered George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, who according to police "appeared to be under the influence", to exit the vehicle, at which point he "physically resisted". According to the MPD, officers "were able to get the suspect into handcuffs, and noted he appeared to be suffering medical distress. Officers called for an ambulance." Once Floyd was handcuffed, officers Kueng and Lane attempted to help Floyd to their squad car, but at 8:14 p.m., Floyd stiffened up and fell to the ground. MPD Officers Derek Chauvin and Tou Thao then arrived and made more failed attempts to get Floyd into the squad car.[78]
Floyd, who was still handcuffed, went to the ground face down. Officer Kueng held Floyd's back and Lane held his legs. Chauvin placed his left knee in the area of Floyd's head and neck. A Facebook Live livestream recorded by a bystander showed Officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck.[79][80] Floyd repeatedly tells Chauvin "Please" and "I can't breathe", while a bystander is heard telling the police officer, "You got him down. Let him breathe."[81] After some time, a bystander points out that Floyd was bleeding from his nose while another bystander tells the police that Floyd is "not even resisting arrest right now", to which the police tell the bystanders that Floyd was "talking, he's fine". A bystander replies saying Floyd "ain't fine". A bystander then protests that the police were preventing Floyd from breathing, urging them to "get him off the ground ... You could have put him in the car by now. He's not resisting arrest or nothing."[80] Floyd then goes silent and motionless. Chauvin does not remove his knee until an ambulance arrives. Emergency medical services put Floyd on a stretcher. Not only had Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for about seven minutes (including four minutes after Floyd stopped moving) but another video showed an additional two officers had also knelt on Floyd while another officer watched.[82][83]
Although the police report stated that medical services were requested prior to the time Floyd was placed in handcuffs,[84] according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Emergency Medical Services arrived at the scene six minutes after getting the call.[85][improper synthesis?] Medics were unable to detect a pulse, and Floyd was pronounced dead at the hospital.[86][85] A May 26 autopsy conducted by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office found that there were "no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation"; the preliminary findings stated that underlying health conditions, the police restraint, and potential intoxicants likely contributed to Floyd's death.[87][88]
On May 26, Chauvin and the other three officers were fired.[89] Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter;[90] the former charge was later changed to second-degree murder.[91]
On June 1, a private autopsy commissioned by the family of Floyd found the death to be a homicide and that Floyd had died due to asphyxiation from sustained pressure, which conflicted with the original autopsy report done earlier that week.[92] Shortly after, the official post-mortem declared Floyd's death a homicide.[93] Video footage of Officer Derek Chauvin applying 8 minutes 15 seconds of sustained pressure to Floyd's neck generated global attention and raised questions about the use of force by law enforcement.[94] On June 25, 2021, Chauvin was sentenced to 22 years and 6 months in prison with the possibility of supervised release after serving two-thirds of his sentence or 15 years for second-degree murder.[19]
Protests
![World map showing sites of protests](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/Map_of_George_Floyd_protests_worldwide.png/420px-Map_of_George_Floyd_protests_worldwide.png)
In Minneapolis–Saint Paul
Organized protests began in Minneapolis on May 26, the day after George Floyd's murder and when a video of the incident had circulated widely in the media. By midday, people had gathered by the thousands and set up a makeshift memorial.[95][96] Organizers of the rally emphasized keeping the protest peaceful.[97] Protesters and Floyd's family demanded that all four officers at the scene of his arrest and killing be charged with murder and that judicial consequences be swift.[98][99] That evening, the protest rally turned into a march to the Minneapolis Police Department's third precinct station where the officers were believed to work. After the main protest group disbanded on the night of May 26, a much smaller group, numbering in the hundreds, spray-painted the building, threw rocks and bottles, broke a window at the station, and vandalized a squad car. A skirmish soon broke out between the vandals and protesters trying to stop them.[96][97][100][101] At around 8 p.m., police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at demonstrators, some of whom had thrown water bottles at police officers.[102]
Protests were held at several locations throughout the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area in subsequent days. The situation escalated the nights of May 27 to 29 where widespread arson, rioting, and looting took place, which were noted as a contrast to daytime protests that were characterized as mostly peaceful events.[101] Some initial acts of property destruction on May 27 by a 32-year-old man with ties to white supremacist organizations, who local police investigators said was deliberately inciting racial tension, led to a chain reaction of fires and looting.[103] The unrest, including people overtaking the Minneapolis third precinct police station and setting it on fire the night of May 28, garnered significant national and international media attention.[100][104] After state officials mobilized Minnesota National Guard troops in its largest deployment since World War II,[105][106] the violent unrest subsided and mostly peaceful protests resumed.[100] However, the violence by early June 2020 had resulted in two deaths,[107][108] 604 arrests,[109][110] an estimated $550 million[5] in property damage to 1,500 locations, making the Minneapolis–Saint Paul events alone the second-most destructive period of local unrest in United States history, after the 1992 Los Angeles riots.[111][112][113][110] About 60% of the local financial losses were uninsured.[114]
In Minneapolis, protesters barricaded the street intersection at East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue where Floyd was murdered and transformed it into a makeshift memorial site, which was adorned with public art installments and described as like a "shrine". Thousands of visitors protested and grieved at the site.[115][116] When Minneapolis city officials attempted to negotiate the re-opening of the intersection in August 2020, protesters demanded that before removing cement barricades the city meet a list of 24 demands,[117] which included holding the trial for the four officers present during Floyd's murder.[118]
On September 11, 2020, hundreds rallied outside a downtown Minneapolis court building where a pretrial hearing was held for the four police officers involved in Floyd's murder.[119] On October 7, 2020, several protests were held in Minneapolis to express anger over Chauvin's release from jail pending trial after he posted bond for his $1 million bail. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz deployed 100 National Guards troops, 100 Minnesota state police troops, and 75 conservation officers.[120] Fifty-one arrests were reported that night, mostly for misdemeanor offenses, such as unlawful assembly.[121]
In early 2021, Minneapolis and Hennepin County officials spent $1 million on fencing and other barricades for police stations and other government buildings to prepare for potential civil unrest during the trial of Derek Chauvin in March. State and local officials also made plans to deploy thousands of police officers and National Guard soldiers.[122] In early March, in the days preceding Chauvin's trial, local organizers staged peaceful protests[123] with thousands of people marching in the streets.[124] The situation at George Floyd Square in Minneapolis grew tense when a person was fatally shot inside the protester-held "autonomous zone" during an altercation on March 6, 2021.[123][125] In March and April 2021, groups of protesters gathered at George Floyd Square and outside Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis during Chauvin's trial,[126] but the streets of Minneapolis were largely empty of mass demonstrations like those in late May and early June 2020.[127]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1b/05_18_21_George_Floyd_Square_%2851191852173%29.jpg/220px-05_18_21_George_Floyd_Square_%2851191852173%29.jpg)
In April 2021, 3,000 National Guard troops and law enforcement officers were called from neighboring states in preparation for potential unrest over the outcome of the Derek Chauvin trial. On April 20, 2021, Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering George Floyd. By then, Floyd's murder had resulted in one of the largest civil rights protest movements in recent decades, and the Minneapolis–Saint Paul region had experienced a prolonged series of protests and intermittent unrest over issues of police brutality and racial injustice.[128][129] As news of the Chauvin's guilty verdict spread on April 20, 2021, a crowd of one-thousand people marched in downtown Minneapolis and others gathered at 38th and Chicago Avenue to celebrate the outcome.[50][51] Demonstrations in Minneapolis during Chauvin's criminal trial and verdict announcement were largely peaceful.[130]
Following Chauvin's verdict, many activists in Minneapolis did not perceive that "Justice for Floyd" was final as J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao still awaited trial, and issues of systemic racism and police reform had not been addressed satisfactorily.[131] George Floyd Square occupation protest organizers, who had transformed the street intersection where Floyd was murdered into an "autonomous zone" adorned with public art, said they would continue to protest.[132][51][133][134][135] Activists changed a marquee that had counted down the days to Chauvin's trial to read, "Justice served?", and chanted, "One down! Three to go!", in reference to the looming trials of officers of the other three officers who participated in Floyd's arrest and subsequent murder.[136] The street intersection area had been a "continuous site of protest" since the day Floyd was murdered,[137] and at nearly a year after his murder, thousands of people from multiple countries had visited the active,[138] ongoing[139] protest and memorial site there.[139]
People gathered at multiple locations in Minneapolis for the announcement of Chauvin's sentencing on June 25, 2021, when he received a 22.5-year prison term. Family and civil rights activists expressed disappointment and said it should have been for the 30-year maximum, and they advocated for passage of the federal George Floyd Justice in Policing Act legislation. Several demonstrations were held in Minneapolis the evening of June 25. Civil rights activists and protesters noted the forthcoming civil rights case against the four police officers at the scene of Floyd's murder, and the criminal case against former officers Kueng, Lane, and Thao scheduled for March 2022.[140][141][142]
Though the City of Minneapolis began the process of reopening the street intersection at George Floyd Square to vehicular traffic in June 2021, organizers of the protest movement rooted there still considered their presence an "occupation" and "resistance".[143] The square hosted a celebration of life for Floyd on October 14, 2021.[144] By December 23, 2021, the occupied protest had persisted at George Floyd Square for 19 consecutive months.[58] Activists in Minneapolis had vowed to continue protesting until the outcome of the criminal case of all involved officers at the scene of Floyd's murder. The criminal trial was scheduled to begin on June 13, 2022.[145][146][147]
In early 2022, local officials prepared counter-protest measures and for potential unrest ahead of the January 20 schedule start of the federal civil rights trial of Kueng, Lane, and Thao. Officials erected security fencing around the Warren E. Burger Federal Building in Saint Paul, Minnesota, that contained the courtroom for the trial.[53][54][148][130] Protest demonstrations were held in the streets surrounding the courtroom building during the trial.[149][150] On February 24, 2022, Kueng, Lane, and Thao were convicted on all federal civil rights charges they faced at trial. A small group of protesters gathered outside the court building in Saint Paul and at the location in Minneapolis where Floyd was murdered while the verdict was read.[55]
George Floyd Square in Minneapolis continued to be a place of protest for over two years after Floyd's murder,[151][152] with the movement there persisting into 2023.[153] On May 2, 2023, Tou Thao was found guilty of aiding and abetting manslaughter, which marked the conclusion of all state and federal court cases for the four Minneapolis police officers. Thao's conviction signaled that a key demand of the George Floyd Square's Justice Resolution 001 had been met, that all four police officers be held legally accountable for murdering George Floyd.[63][64] By the forth anniversary of Floyd's murder in 2024, the streetway remained a continued place of protest.[65]
Elsewhere in the United States
2020
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/Reported_George_Floyd_protest_arrests_as_of_June_6%2C_2020.svg/440px-Reported_George_Floyd_protest_arrests_as_of_June_6%2C_2020.svg.png)
Protests outside the Minneapolis area were first reported on May 27 in Memphis and Los Angeles. By May 28, protests had sprung up in several major U.S. cities with demonstrations increasing each day.[154][155][156] By June, protests had been held in all U.S. states. At least 200 cities had imposed curfews, and at least 27 states and Washington, D.C., activated over 62,000 National Guard personnel in response to the unrest.[157][36]
In Seattle, starting in early June, protesters occupied an area of several city blocks after the police vacated it, declaring it the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, where according to protesters "the police are forbidden, food is free and documentaries are screened at night". On June 11, President Trump challenged mayor Jenny Durkan and governor Jay Inslee to "take back your city", and implying, according to Durkan, the possibility of a military response.[158][159]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/60/Entering_Free_Capitol_Hill.jpg/220px-Entering_Free_Capitol_Hill.jpg)
On June 10, thousands of academics, universities, scientific institutions, professional bodies and publishing houses around the world shut down to give researchers time to reflect and act upon anti-Black racism in academia.[160] Organizations involved with #ShutDownSTEM day included Nature Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the American Physical Society.
On June 14, an estimated 15,000 people gathered outside the Brooklyn Museum at Grand Army Plaza for the Liberation March, a silent protest in response to police brutality and violence against black transgender women. Frustrated by the lack of media coverage over the deaths of Nina Pop, who was stabbed in Sikeston, Missouri, on May 3 and Tony McDade, who was shot by police in Tallahassee, Florida, on May 27, artist and drag performer West Dakota and her mentor, drag queen Merrie Cherry, decided to organize a silent rally inspired by the 1917 NAACP Silent Parade.[161][162] The march generated widespread media attention as one of the largest peaceful protests in modern New York City history.[163][164]
On June 19, Juneteenth, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) shut down ports on the West Coast in solidarity with protesters. An educator from the University of Washington said that the union has a history of protest and leftist politics since its founding: "[The ILWU] understood that division along the lines of race only benefited employers, because it weakened the efforts of workers to act together and to organize together.[165] The UAW also asked members to join the protests by standing down for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the amount of time Chauvin was initially reported to have held his knee to Floyd's neck.[166][167]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/George_Floyd_Protest%2C_Columbus_%28May_30th%29_George_Floyd_Protest%2C_Columbus_%28May_30th%29_IMG_2873_%2849953566713%29.jpg/220px-George_Floyd_Protest%2C_Columbus_%28May_30th%29_George_Floyd_Protest%2C_Columbus_%28May_30th%29_IMG_2873_%2849953566713%29.jpg)
On June 17, in response to the protests, three different police reform plans, plans from the Republicans, the Democrats, and the White House, were unveiled aiming to curb police brutality and the use of violence by law enforcement.[168] On June 25, NPR reported that the hopes for passage were doubtful because they were "short-circuited by a lack of bipartisan consensus on an ultimate plan [and] the issue is likely stalled, potentially until after the fall election".[169]
Protests continued over the weekend of June 19 in many cities, and observations of Juneteenth gained a new awareness.[24] Jon Batiste, bandleader for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, took part in a Juneteenth day of protests, marches, rallies and vigils to "celebrate, show solidarity, and fight for equal rights and treatment of Black people" in Brooklyn. Batiste also appeared in concert with Matt Whitaker in a performance presented in partnership with Sing For Hope, performed on the steps of the Brooklyn Public Library.[170]
By the end of June, more than 4,700 demonstrations had occurred in the United States—a daily average of 140—with an estimate of 15 million and 26 million total participants.[171] Protests had occurred in over 40% of the counties in the United States.[26] Protests in the aftermath of Floyd's murder were then considered the largest in United States history.[26][171]
As of July 3, protests were ongoing.[26] On July 4, the Independence Day holiday in the United States, several protests were held, including in several cities where protests had been going on since the day after Floyd's murder.[172] On July 20, the Strike for Black Lives, a mass walkout intended to raise awareness of systemic racism, featured thousands of workers across the United States walking off their jobs for approximately 8 minutes, in honor of Floyd.[173]
The theme for the March on Washington held in Washington, D.C., on August 28, 2020, was, "Commitment March: Get Your Knee Off Our Necks", a reference to Floyd's arrest by Chauvin.[174]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Civil_Unrest_2020_5C2A6287R.jpg/220px-Civil_Unrest_2020_5C2A6287R.jpg)
Over the Labor Day holiday weekend, which the Saturday marked 100 nights of protests since Floyd's murder, marches and rallies where held in many cities.[175] In Miami, Florida, protesters on September 7, 2020, commemorated Floyd's murder and pressured local authorities to enact changes to policing policies, such as banning chokeholds during arrests.[176]
To mark what would have been Floyd's 47th birthday, groups across the United States staged protest events on October 14, 2020.[177] Rallies and vigils were held in Minneapolis, Brooklyn, and Los Angeles, among other places. In Portland, Oregon, where Black Lives Matter protests had been held daily since Floyd's murder, demonstrators staged a sit-in.[178]
For some Black Americans, particularly a group interviewed in George Floyd's hometown in Houston, Texas, the protests over Floyd's murder transformed to greater political activity and increased voter turnout in the November 2020 election.[179] Terrance Floyd, George's brother, and other family members rallied voters in support of the candidacy of Joe Biden, and they made an appearance with the Biden family at a campaign event in Tallahassee, Florida. Terrence Floyd also rallied voters in New York City on the November 3, 2020, Election Day.[180]
By December, the protest movement was still "deeply rooted" at George Floyd Square, an occupied protest of the East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue intersection in Minneapolis where Floyd was killed.[116]
2021
In many parts of the United States, protests over Floyd's murder gradually diminished over time. In Portland, Oregon, however, Floyd's murder resulted in a yearlong period of "near-continuous protests" over racial injustice and police violence, at times featuring clashes between demonstrators and authorities and resulting in property damage.[181]
In Boston, activists rallied on March 4, 2021, to demand the conviction of all four officers present at the scene of Floyd's murder and for local authorities to investigate past cases where police officers used excessive force.[182] Two days later, thousands marched in Boston to call for justice for Floyd as part of a coordinated, 17-state set of rallies.[183] In Salt Lake City, activists protested Floyd's murder by staging a car caravan on March 6, 2021.[184] Prayer vigils seeking justice for Floyd were held in conjunction with the Chauvin trial at several locations. In Houston, Texas, Floyd's family held an event on April 9, 2021.[185] In Maryland, a group gathered to pray that for justice for Floyd and his family as the jury began deliberations in the Chauvin criminal trial on April 19, 2021.[186] As a jury deliberated in Chauvin's criminal trial, a vigil for Floyd was held on April 19, 2021, in Melbourne, Florida.[187]
People in many cities in the United States reacted to Chauvin's murder conviction on April 20, 2021, with largely peaceful demonstrations. Some jurisdictions had proactively mobilized National Guard troops and declared states of emergency in preparation for possible violence,[188] and some businesses had boarded up to prevent potential looting.[189] Many activists perceived the guilty verdict as just one step in the process to obtain justice over Floyd's murder.[190] At nearly a year after Floyd's murder, civil rights activists continued to call for passage of the federal George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.[191][192] Many activists believed that "justice for George Floyd" required changing the systems of policing and criminal justice in a way that would have prevented his murder.[193][191][192]
On April 23, 2021, in Austin, Texas, activists rallied outside the state's capitol to call for passage of the Texas’ George Floyd Act—reform legislation introduced to ban chokeholds and require officers to intervene to stop excessive use of force—that had stalled in the state legislature.[194] On May 6, 2021, Black mothers led a march in Washington, D.C., to encourage passage federal police reform legislation named after Floyd.[195] On May 19, 2021, in Nevada, protesters jammed phone lines to the state legislature after police reform legislation introduced as result of the global protest movement begun by Floyd's murder did not advance.[196]
By late May 2021, Floyd's murder, and the video of it, had given way to a yearlong, nationwide movement featuring the largest mass protests in United States history.[20] To commemorate the one-year anniversary of his murder in a several-day event titled "One Year, What's Changed", the George Floyd Memorial Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Floyd's family, planned marches and rallies in Minneapolis, New York, and Houston for May 23, 2021, and called for two days of virtual activism everywhere in the United States in support of federal police reform legislation.[197][198][199]
At a rally in New York City outside Brooklyn Borough Hall on May 23, 2021, Terrance Floyd, George's brother, called on the crowd to continue advocating for police reform and for communities to “stay woke”.[200] Civil rights activist Al Sharpton said, "convicting Chauvin is not enough", and encouraged congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, as well as continued activism ahead of the criminal trials of Lane, Kueng, and Thao and the federal civil rights trial of all four officers.[201]
By May 25, 2021, the anniversary of Floyd's murder, the United States had experienced a yearlong movement to address racial injustice in policing.[202] Several street protests were held in many locations in the United States to mark the anniversary.[171] There was mass disturbance on May 25, 2021, to mark the anniversary of George Floyd's murder including rioting but situations were finally said to have calmed down in the early hours of May 26, 2021.[56] In New York City, protesters marched and then knelt for 9 minutes and 29 seconds while blocking traffic.[203][171] A rally in Portland, Oregon, was peaceful in the afternoon, but at night, 150 demonstrators set fire to a dumpster outside the Multnomah County Justice Center and damaged other property. Police declared the gathering a riot and made five arrests.[204][205][171] Most demonstrations—which included street marches, prayer services, and festivals—in the United States were peaceful. At many rallies, protesters expressed disappointment with the lack of change to policing policies and budgets, and some said they would continue protesting and advocating for their desired goals.[171]
International
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/BlackLivesMatter_protest_Alexanderplatz_Berlin_2020-06-06_26.jpg/220px-BlackLivesMatter_protest_Alexanderplatz_Berlin_2020-06-06_26.jpg)
Floyd's murder came as the global Black Lives Matter movement had been slowly building for years, but outrage over what was captured in a bystander's video and Floyd's dying words, "I can't breathe", resulted in solidarity protests in more than 50 countries and led to what was described as a "social awakening" on issues of racial injustice and brought renewed attention on past police brutality cases.[206] Protests in Canada, Europe, Oceania, Asia, and Africa rallied against what they perceived as racial discrimination and police brutality, with some protests aimed at United States embassies.[207]
Over the weekend of June 6 and 7, surfers around the world held a "Paddle Out", which is a Hawaiian mourning tradition. The tribute was held for George Floyd and all the lives lost to police violence. Thousands observed the tradition in Honolulu, Hawaii,[208] La Jolla, Hermosa Beach and Santa Monica, California, Galveston, Hackensack, New Jersey, Rockaway Beach, New York,[209] Biarritz, France, Senegal and Australia.[210][211]
By the conclusion of the criminal trial of Derek Chauvin on April 20, 2021, millions of people worldwide had viewed video footage of Floyd's murder and protests were ongoing internationally over issues of police brutality and systemic racism.[212] The murder conviction of Chauvin was celebrated by activists in many countries and several of them expressed their desire for further progress on racial justice and police accountability issues.[213][214] Protesters globally called on lawmakers in the United States to address the issues of police violence and the police-state structure.[193]
Protesters in London rallied outside the United States embassy on May 22, 2021. Protesters remarked that the Chauvin murder conviction was "a small amount of justice of what [George Floyd] really deserves". The protest was among of new set of peaceful protests in the United Kingdom to mark the one-year anniversary of Floyd's murder.[215] On May 25, 2021, protesters took the streets in Germany[216] and demonstrators took a knee in and raised their fists at rallies in Glasgow, London, and Edinburgh.[171] Rallies were held outside U.S. Embassies in Greece and Spain.[217][218]
For some, the so-called "George Floyd effect" had demonstrators and activists connecting historic racism and social injustice to contemporary, local examples of police brutality.[219] Movements spawned by Floyd's murder, which served as a catalyst,[214] were still active in Australia, Brazil, India, Japan, New Zealand, Nigeria, United Kingdom, and elsewhere by May 2021.[206] In Canada and France, where Floyd's murder initiated protests, activists were unsatisfied with the levels of reform made by officials at nearly a year after Floyd's murder.[220][221]
In Australia, the Black Lives Matter movement sparked calls for white people to be more aware of race relations within the country. "Australia Day" is celebrated in the nation as the date the country was founded. The Black Lives Matter movement in Australia sought emphasis on acknowledging the colonial history of Australia, however, by changing "Australia Day" to "Invasion Day" in recognition of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were massacred when the European settlement was established in Australia on January 26th, 1788.[222]
In Japan, the Black Lives Matter movement seemed to become more prominent after the murder of George Floyd. Scholars cite evidence that the global movement was illustrated in Japan through transnational connective action. Because Japan as a more homogenous country as compared to the United States, there was a more culturally specific meaning to the movement, and much of the activism in Japan also sought conversations about colorism. [223] Naomi Osaka, a Japanese-American tennis player, expressed excitement as she had never seen a Black Lives matter protest in Japan before 2020. Along with other athletes, Osaka also put out statements withdrawing from an athletic tournament to protest the murder of George Floyd and similar incidents. Her statements, in English and Japanese, discussed her identity as a woman of color and sought to bring public attention to the issue of racial violence. However, celebrity activism in Japan is generally not as accepted as in the United States, and her statements faced some criticism in both America and Japan.[224]
In Nigeria, many protests took place in October 2020 surrounding the issue of police brutality. On October 20th, 2020, unarmed protesters were shot by nearby police forces, resulting in 20 casualties. This event, now known as Black Tuesday or the Lekki tollgate massacre, has brought increased attention to the ENDSARS movement in Nigeria, which seeks to end Nigeria's Special Anti-Robbery Squad, also known as SARS. Reports of SARS' torture and extrajudicial killings had sparked protests for years before 2020. However, the death of George Floyd increased protests against police brutality in an international context, with Black transnational activism in Nigeria condemning their domestic police forces and those who they believe perpetuate police brutality internationally.[225]
Government response
Vereinigte Staaten
![Map of US showing National Guard deployments at of June 16, 2020](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/National_Guard_deployment_for_George_Floyd_protests.svg/300px-National_Guard_deployment_for_George_Floyd_protests.svg.png)
At least 200 cities in the U.S. had imposed curfews by early June 2020, while more than 30 states and Washington, D.C., activated over 96,000 National Guard and State Guard service members.[33][34][35][36] The deployment constituted the largest military operation other than war in U.S. history.[37]
Middle: National Guard snipers atop the North Carolina State Capitol building on June 1, 2020
Bottom: President Donald Trump walks to St. John's Church amid protests in Washington, D.C., on June 1, 2020
United States President Donald Trump demanded governors and city governments crackdown on protesters and controversially threatened to deploy the 82nd Airborne and 3rd Infantry Regiment in response to the unrest.[33] On May 29, Trump tweeted "when the looting starts, the shooting starts", which Twitter marked as "glorifying violence".[226][227] Trump later said he was not advocating violence, noting that the tweet could be read as either a threat or a statement of fact and that he intended for it to be read as "a combination of both".[228] On June 3, he said "If a city or state refuses to take the actions necessary to defend the life and property of their residents, then I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem."[229] This would have required invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807,[229] last used to quell the 1992 Los Angeles riots on May 1, 1992, by Executive Order 12804. Arkansas senator Tom Cotton also pushed for the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division to be deployed to quell the unrest, calling protesters "Antifa terrorists".[230] Massachusetts Representative Seth Moulton said federal troops should "lay down [their] arms" if deployed in the United States.[231]
On June 4, federal agencies added about 1.7 miles (2.7 km) of fencing around the White House, Lafayette Square, and The Ellipse.[232] Protesters used the fencing to post signs and artwork expressing their views.[233] On June 11, the fencing was taken down, and some signs were collected by Smithsonian Museum curators from the National Museum of African American History and Culture.[234] U.S. Customs and Border Protection, authorized to provide aerial surveillance "to assist law enforcement and humanitarian relief efforts" when requested, provided drone imagery during the protests.[235][236]
As of June 5, 2020, 2,950 federal law enforcement personnel from a dozen agencies, including the Secret Service, Capitol Police, Park Police, Customs and Border Protection, FBI's Hostage Rescue Team, Bureau of Prisons' Special Operations Response Team, DEA's Special Response Team, ATF, and Marshals Service's Special Operations Group, have been dispatched to assist local authorities, with most of them being garrisoned in D.C.[237][238][239][240] The DEA's legal authority was specifically expanded by the Department of Justice beyond usual limits to include surveillance of protesters and the ability to arrest for non-drug related offenses.[241] In response, Representatives Jerry Nadler and Karen Bass of the House Judiciary Committee denounced the move and requested a formal briefing from DEA Acting Administrator Timothy Shea.[242]
From at least July 14, 2020, unidentified federal officers wearing camouflage used unmarked vans to detain protesters in Portland, Oregon—sometimes without explaining the reason for their arrest.[243][244][245][246][247][248] The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) called these actions unconstitutional kidnappings.[249] In The Nation, Jeet Heer also called the actions unconstitutional and wrote that "The deployment of unidentified federal officers is particularly dangerous in... Portland and elsewhere in America, because it could easily lead to right-wing militias' impersonating legal authorities and kidnapping citizens."[248]
On July 20, 2020, the Chicago Tribune reported that the Department of Homeland Security was preparing to send 150 federal agents to Chicago.[250]
On June 26, 2020, President Trump signed an executive order permitting federal agencies to provide personnel "to assist with the protection of Federal monuments, memorials, statues, or property".[251] Following the executive order, the Department of Homeland Security sent officers from Customs and Border Protection to Portland, Oregon, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. This was a departure from Homeland Security's normal role of protecting against threats from abroad.[252] Critics accused federal authorities of overstepping their jurisdiction and using excessive force against protesters.[252][253][254] Oregon governor Kate Brown called for federal agents to scale back their response and criticized Trump's actions: "President Trump deploying armed federal officers to Portland only serves to escalate tensions and, as we saw yesterday, will inevitably lead to unnecessary violence and confrontation."[254] Portland mayor Ted Wheeler demanded the agents be removed after citizens were detained far from the federal property agents were sent to protect.[255]
In the wake of the George Floyd protests, Republicans in state legislatures nationwide pushed for legislation targeting protesters. The bills, which conflate peaceful protests, riots and looting, imposed harsher punishment on individuals found guilty of unlawful assembly and public disorder, as well as provided immunity for motorists that hit protesters.[256] The Florida anti-riot law was struck down as unconstitutional by a federal district judge, on the grounds of vagueness, freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, and due process. The law also made it a felony to destroy historically commemorative objects and structures, and in response to calls to "defund the police" requires police departments to justify budget reductions.[257] Months after Derek Chauvin's sentencing, another police officer involved in the case, Thomas Lane was sentenced to 3 years in prison on September 21, 2022.[258]
International
In France, the government banned demonstrations near the United States Embassy and Eiffel Tower in Paris out of concern for potential violence.[259]
Violence and controversies
By June 22, 2020, police had made 14,000 arrests in 49 cities since the protests began, with most arrests being locals charged with low-level offenses such as violating curfews or blocking roadways.[4] By June 8, 2020, at least 19 people had died during the protests.[260] Several protests over Floyd's murder, including one in Chicago,[261] turned into riots.[262] On May 29, 2020, civil rights leader Andrew Young stated that riots, violence, and looting "hurt the cause instead of helping it"[263] while George Floyd's family also denounced the violent protests.[264] A study conducted by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project found that about 93% of 7,750 protests from May 26 through August 22 remained peaceful and nondestructive.[40]
There have been numerous reports and videos of aggressive police actions using physical force including "batons, tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets on protesters, bystanders and journalists, often without warning or seemingly unprovoked".[265] These incidents have provoked "growing concern that aggressive law enforcement tactics intended to impose order were instead inflaming tensions".[265] The police responded that such tactics are necessary to prevent vandalism and arson, and that police officers themselves have been assaulted with thrown rocks and water bottles.[265] Amnesty International issued a press release on May 31, 2021, calling for the police to end excessive militarized responses to the protests.[266][267] A project by ProPublica compiled 68 videos during the George Floyd protests of police officers who used what appeared to researchers to be excessive levels of force. By a year later, police departments had disciplined 10 officers in connection to those captured on video.[268]
Multiple police officers were shot or attacked during the protests.[269] Four officers were shot in St. Louis after facing violent protesters who had been looting and vandalising local businesses.[270] In Las Vegas, a policer officer was shot in the head at Circus Circus Hotel and Casino whilst they were fighting a suspect.[271] Law enforcement officers were also injured by vehicles in Denver and New York City and hit by projectiles elsewhere in the U.S.A.[269] In New York City, nearly 400 officers were injured following two weeks of protesting. Injuries resulted from being hit by moving vehicles and being hit in the head with objects such as bricks and bottles.[272] In one incident in Los Angeles, two officers were shot whilst sitting in their patrol car and protesters blocked the responding ambulance from entering the hospital whilst shouting "we hope they die".[273] In London, protesters threw objects at police, and picked up and threw temporary barriers at the gates of Downing Street where officers were stationed prompting more officers to enter the area.[274] In all, twenty-seven officers were injured in London,[275] with fourteen officers injured when protesters clashed with mounted police, with Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick saying it was "shocking and completely unacceptable".[276][277]
At least 104 incidents of vehicles driving into crowds of protesters, including eight involving police officers, were recorded from May 27 to September 5, with 39 drivers charged. According to experts some incidents involved frightened drivers surrounded by protesters while other incidents involved angry drivers or were politically motivated.[278] Since 2015, such actions have been encouraged against Black Lives Matter protests by "Run Them Over" and "All Lives Splatter" memes online, as well as items posted on Fox News and on social media by police officers.[279][280] In Buffalo, three Buffalo Police Department officers were struck by a car, and in Minneapolis, a Minnesota National Guard soldier fired 3 rounds at a speeding vehicle that was driving towards police officers and soldiers.[281][282][283][284]
There were allegations of foreign influence stoking the unrest online, with the role of outside powers being additive rather than decisive as of May 31.[285] Several analysts have said that there was a lack of evidence for foreign meddling – whether to spread disinformation or sow divisiveness – but suggest that the messaging and coverage from these countries has more to do with global politics.[286]
- Burning buildings amid riots in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on May 29
- Police and protesters stand off in Seattle on May 30
- Vehicles on fire during a riot in Washington, D.C., on May 30
- Georgia National Guard and police clash with protesters in Atlanta in late May-early June
- Protesters and counter-protesters faceoff in Columbus, Ohio, on July 18
Police attacks on journalists
According to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, at least 100 journalists have been arrested while covering the protests, while 114 have been physically attacked by police officers.[287] Although some journalists have been attacked by protesters, over 80% of incidents involving violence against the news media were committed by law enforcement officers.[288] The Committee to Protect Journalists has accused police officers of intentionally targeting news crews in an attempt to intimidate them from covering the protests.[289] Some journalists covering the protests in Minneapolis had their tires slashed by Minnesota State Patrol troopers and Anoka County sheriff's deputies.[290]
Injuries caused by police projectiles
During the week of May 30, 2020, 12 people, including protesters, journalists and bystanders, were partially blinded after being struck with police projectiles.[291] By June 21, at least 20 people had suffered serious eye injuries.[292] The American Academy of Ophthalmology has called on police departments to stop using rubber bullets for crowd control, writing in a statement that "Americans have the right to speak and congregate publicly and should be able to exercise that right without the fear of blindness."[293]
Extremist participation
As unrest grew in the days after Floyd's murder, there was speculation by federal, state, and local officials that various extremist groups using the cover of the protests to foment general unrest in the United States. Officials initially provided few details to the public about the claims.[294]
Donald Trump, FBI Director Christopher A. Wray,[295] New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio,[296] United States Attorney General William Barr, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms,[297] Seattle Police Guild President Mike Solan,[298] and Huntsville Police Chief Mark McMurray[299] blamed anarchists and "far-left extremist" groups, including antifa, for inciting and organizing violent riots.[300][301][302] According to a Justice Department spokesperson, Barr came to this conclusion after being provided with information from state and local law enforcement agencies.[303]
Contrastingly, several mid-June investigations by news agencies including The Washington Post and the Associated Press concluded there was no solid evidence of antifa involvement in causing violence during the protests, contradicting prior claims by law enforcement officials,[304][305][306] and the Trump administration provided no further evidence for its claims.[306] This is in part because "antifa is a moniker, not a single group", making it difficult to attribute any violence directly to the movement.[307]
The majority of protests in the aftermath of Floyd's murder were peaceful;[308][309][310] among the 14,000 arrests made, most were for minor offenses such as alleged curfew violations or blocking a roadway.[4] An analysis of state and federal criminal charges of demonstrators in the Minneapolis area found that disorganized crowds had no single goal or affiliation, many opportunist crowds amassed spontaneously during periods of lawlessness, and that people causing destruction had contradictory motives for their actions.[311] Other analysis found that persons involved in visible crimes such as arson or property damage were not ideologically organized, although some were motivated by anger towards police.[4] Episodes of looting were committed by "regular criminal groups" and street gangs[312][305] and were motivated by personal gain rather than ideology.[4] A large number of white nationalists did not appear in response to the protests, although "a handful of apparent lone actors" were arrested for attempting to harm protesters.[4] However, there was a scattered number of armed paramilitary-style militia movement groups and there were "several cases where members of these groups discharged firearms, causing chaos or injuring protesters".[4]
According to the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights (IREHR), which mapped the appearance of various right-wing or far-right actors or extremist groups at rallies throughout the United States, there were 136 confirmed cases of right-wing participation at the protests by June 19, 2020, with many more unconfirmed. Boogaloo, Three Percenters, Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, neo-Confederates, white nationalists, and an assortment of militias and vigilante groups reportedly had a presence at some protests, mostly in small towns and rural areas.[4][313]
Boogaloo groups, who are generally pro-gun, anti-government, and far-right accelerationists, have reportedly been present at least 40 George Floyd protests, several reportedly linked with violence.[4][314] Their continued presence online has caused Facebook and TikTok to take action against their violent and anti-government posts.[315][316] On July 25, 2020, 28-year old armed Black Lives Matter protester Garrett Foster was shot and killed in an altercation with a motorist in Downtown Austin. Foster identified with the boogaloo movement and had expressed anti-racist, libertarian, and anti-police views in his Facebook posts.[317] Police said initial reports indicate that Foster was carrying an AK-47 style rifle, and was pushing his fiancée's wheelchair moments before he was killed.[318][319]
By late 2020, the United States Attorney's office had charged three alleged adherents of Boogaloo Bois movement who attempted to capitalize on the unrest in Minneapolis in late May.[320][321] Two had pled guilty by May 2021.[322] According to the federal charging documents, the 30-year-old Michael Robert Solomon of New Brighton, Minnesota, who pled guilty to federal charges, recruited Boogaloo adherent participation via Facebook and at least five others traveled to Minneapolis to participate in the unrest.[323][324] One of the persons, Benjamin Ryan Teeter, a 22-year old from Hampstead, North Carolina, also pled guilty to several federal criminal charges. Officials believed Teeter traveled to Minneapolis in the days after Floyd's murder to participate in rioting and looting and that he also had plans to destroy a courthouse with Solomon.[325] A 26-year-old man from Boerne, Texas, who self-identified as a local leader of the Boogaloo movement, also faced federal riot charges for allegedly shooting 13 rounds from an AK-47-style machine gun into the Minneapolis third police precinct building while people were inside, looting it, and helping to set it on fire the night of May 28, 2020.[104][326]
Perception of pervasiveness of violence
A December 2020 poll found 47% of Americans believed that the majority of the protests were violent, and 16% were unsure.[327] According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, an estimated 93%–96.3% of demonstrations were peaceful and nondestructive, involving no injuries or no property damage.[40][328][329] Police made arrests in about 5% of protest events (deploying chemical irritants in 2.5% of events); 3.7% of protest events were associated with property damage or vandalism (including damages by persons not involved in the actual demonstration); and protesters or bystanders were injured or killed in 1.6% of events.[328]
Media coverage
The protests were the subject of extensive media coverage, documentaries, and television specials. The documentary Say His Name: Five Days of George Floyd, released in February 2021, contained footage of protests and unrest in a neighborhood of Minneapolis in the five days that elapsed between Floyd's murder and the criminal charges being filed against Derek Chauvin.[330][331] In August 2020, the occupied protests at 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis was the subject of a multi-part PBS News Hour series, "George Floyd Square: The epicenter of a protest movement that's swept the world"[332] and in December 2020, it was the subject of a monthlong series by Minnesota Public Radio, "Making George Floyd's Square: Meet the people transforming 38th and Chicago".[333]
Several documentaries and news specials were broadcast to coincide with first anniversary of Floyd's murder.[334] The ABC-produced After Floyd: The Year that Shook America examined the "generation-defining movement" of Floyd's murder and Our America: A Year of Activism reflected on the year-long period of activism on social justice issues that followed. PBS-produced Race Matters: America After George Floyd reported on ongoing protests in communities over issues of police brutality a year after Floyd's murder.[334]
The Minneapolis-based Star Tribune newspaper received the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for the breaking news it reported of Floyd's murder and the resulting aftermath. Danielle Frazier, the then 17-year old who filmed Floyd's arrest and murder on her cellphone, received a Pulitzer special citation recognition in 2021 for her video.[335]
Use of social media
![Protesters wearing COVID masks marching down a Baltimore street on May 30](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Saturday_afternoon%2C_30_May_2020_National_Day_of_Protests_Against_Racism_%26_Repression_along_North_Avenue_-_Baltimore_MD_IMG_9686_%2849958234446%29.jpg/220px-Saturday_afternoon%2C_30_May_2020_National_Day_of_Protests_Against_Racism_%26_Repression_along_North_Avenue_-_Baltimore_MD_IMG_9686_%2849958234446%29.jpg)
The video recorded of Floyd's arrest and murder by Darneil Frazier on her mobile phone quickly went viral after she posted to Facebook a few hours later in the early morning hours of May 26.[336] Public outrage over the contents of the video became an inflection point that sparked the largest civil-rights protests in U.S. history as Americans confronted topics of structural racism and police reform. Protests had continued for over a year after Floyd's murder.[337][338]
Numerous individuals and celebrities used social media to document the protests, spread information, promote donation sites, and post memorials to George Floyd. Following Floyd's murder, a 15-year-old started a Change.org petition titled "Justice for George Floyd", demanding that all four police officers involved be charged.[339] The petition was both the largest and fastest-growing in the site's history,[339] reaching over 13 million signatures.[citation needed] During this time, multiple videos of the protests, looting, and riots were shared by journalists and protesters with many videos circulating widely on social media websites.[340]
Documentation
A remix of Childish Gambino's song "This is America" and Post Malone's "Congratulations" was used heavily by protesters sharing footage of protests and police action on TikTok.[341] Others used personal Twitter pages to post video documentation of the protests to highlight police and protesters actions, as well as points of the protests they felt would not be reported.[342] One example was a viral photo that appears to show white women protesters standing with their arms locked between Louisville Metro Police Officers and protesters, with the caption describing the image and "This is love. This is what you do with your privilege."[343]
Viral images of officers "taking a knee" with protesters and engaging in joint displays against police brutality, highlighted by hashtags such as #WalkWithUs,[344] have circulated widely on social media.[345] These acts have been identified by some cultural critics as copaganda, or "feel-good images" to boost public relations.[346][347][348] Official social media accounts of police departments boosted positive images of collaboration.[347] In some cases, these displays of solidarity, such as police kneeling, have been recognized as occurring moments before police teargassed crowds or inflicted violence on them.[346][348] An article in The Fader characterized these acts as public relations tactics which were being undermined by police violence, "It feels like we go past the point of no return several times each day."[347]
Activism
![Protesters in Miami on June 6](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/George_Floyd_Protests_in_Miami%2C_Florida_-_49979513917.jpg/220px-George_Floyd_Protests_in_Miami%2C_Florida_-_49979513917.jpg)
American K-pop fan accounts hijacked right wing and pro-Trump hashtags on social media, flooding trending hashtags with images and videos of their favorite artists. Users attempting to look up the hashtags #WhiteLivesMatter, #WhiteoutWednesday and #BlueLivesMatter were met with messages and video clips of dancing idols.[349] After the Dallas Police Department asked Twitter users to submit videos of protesters' illegal activity to its iWatch Dallas app, submissions of K-pop videos led to the temporary removal of the app due to "technical difficulties".[350][351]
On May 28, hacktivist group Anonymous released a video to Facebook and the Minneapolis Police Department entitled "Anonymous Message To The Minneapolis Police Department", in which they state that they are going to seek revenge on the Minneapolis Police Department, and "expose their crimes to the world".[352][353] According to Bloomberg, the video was initially posted on an unconfirmed Anonymous Facebook page.[354] 269 gigabytes of leaked internal law enforcement data spanning 10 years obtained by Anonymous were later published by the activist group Distributed Denial of Secrets on June 19 to coincide with Juneteenth. The leak consisted of over a million documents, in what investigative journalist and founder of the group—Emma Best—called "the largest published hack of American law enforcement agencies".[355] The leaked documents revealed that law enforcement agencies had been covertly monitoring protesters' private communication over social media, and that both federal and local law enforcement had been stoking fear among police officers, likely setting the stage for the escalation of violence against protesters by police.[356]
Facebook's decision not to remove or label President Trump's tweet of "When the looting starts, the shooting starts" prompted complaints from Facebook employees that political figures were getting a special exemption from the site's content policies. Actions included internal petition, questioning the CEO at an employee town hall, some resignations,[357] and an employee walkout.[358]
On June 3, as U.S. protests gained momentum, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted a recommendation for users to download end-to-end encryption (E2EE) messaging app Signal.[359] On June 6, an estimated half million people joined protests in 550 places in the United States.[26] By June 11, The New York Times reported that protest organizers relied on the E2EE app "to devise action plans and develop strategies for handling possible arrests for several years" and that downloads had "skyrocketed" with increased awareness of police monitoring leading protesters to use the app to communicate among themselves.[360] During the first week of June, the encrypted messaging app was downloaded over five times more than it had been during the week prior to Floyd's murder. Citizen, a community safety app, also experienced a high spike in downloads.[360]
Misinformation
Official statements
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz speculated that there was "an organized attempt to destabilize civil society", initially saying as many as 80% of the individuals had possibly come from outside the state,[361] and the mayor of St. Paul, Melvin Carter, said everyone arrested in St. Paul on May 29 was from out of state.[362] However, jail records showed that the majority of those arrested were in-state.[363] At a press conference later the same day, Carter explained that he had "shared... arrest data received in [his] morning police briefing which [he] later learned to be inaccurate".[364]
Numerous eyewitness accounts and news reporters indicated that tear gas was used to disperse protesters in Lafayette Square.[365] Despite this evidence, U.S. Park Police officials said, "USPP officers and other assisting law enforcement partners did not use tear gas or OC Skat Shells to close the area at Lafayette Park",[366][367] adding that they only used "pepper balls" and "smoke canisters". Donald Trump's presidential campaign demanded news outlets retract reports of "tear gas" use.[368] President Trump called the reports "fake" and said "they didn't use tear gas."[369]
Press statements
On the night of May 31, exterior lights on the north side of the White House went dark as usual at 11:00 pm,[370] while protesters were demonstrating outside. The Guardian mistakenly reported that "in normal times, they are only ever turned off when a president dies."[371] A 2015 stock photograph of the White House, edited to show the lights turned off, was shared tens of thousands of times online,[372] including by Hillary Clinton.[373] While the photograph did not depict the building at the time of the protests, Deputy White House Press Secretary Hogan Gidley confirmed that the lights "go out at about 11 p.m. almost every night".[374]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/Black_Live_Matter_March_%2849993779186%29.jpg/220px-Black_Live_Matter_March_%2849993779186%29.jpg)
On June 6, the New York Post reported that a NYPD source said $2.4 million of Rolex watches had been looted during protests from a Soho Rolex store.[375] However, the store in question was actually a Watches of Switzerland outlet that denied anything was stolen.[375] Rolex confirmed that "no watches of any kind were stolen, as there weren't any on display in the store."[376]
A June 12 article by The Seattle Times found that Fox News published a photograph of the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone that had been digitally altered to include a man armed with an assault rifle.[377] The Fox News website also used a photograph of a burning scene from the Minnesota protests to illustrate their articles on Seattle's protests. Fox removed the images and issued an apology, stating the digitally altered image was a collage that "did not clearly delineate" splicing.[377]
Conspiracy theories
False claims of impending antifa activity as part of the protests circulated through social media platforms, causing alarm in at least 41 towns and cities.[378][379][380] As a result of the rumors, several people were harassed.[379] Hundreds of members of armed self-proclaimed militias and far right groups gathered in Gettysburg National Military Park on Independence Day in response to a fake online claim that antifa protesters were planning on burning the U.S. flag.[381]
Some social media users spread images of damage from other protests or incidents, falsely attributing the damage to the George Floyd protests.[382]
Twitter suspended hundreds of accounts associated with spreading a false claim about a communications blackout during protests in Washington, D.C., or a claim that authorities had blocked protesters from communicating on their smartphones.[383] Also, some accounts shared a photo of a major fire burning near the Washington Monument, which was actually an image from a television show.[384][385]
A study by Zignal Labs identified three dominant themes in misinformation and conspiracy theories around the protests: unsubstantiated claims of antifa involvement, claims that Floyd's murder had been faked, and claims of involvement by the billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros.[386]
Social impact
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/George_Floyd_protest_in_Grand_Army_Plaza_June_7_%2873221%29.jpg/220px-George_Floyd_protest_in_Grand_Army_Plaza_June_7_%2873221%29.jpg)
A week into the protests, The Washington Post stated that the current situation suggests that the status quo was undergoing a shock, with the article stating "the past days have suggested that something is changing. The protests reached into every corner of the United States and touched nearly every strand of society."[387] Joe Biden told Politico that he had experienced an awakening and thought other White Americans had as well, saying: "Ordinary folks who don't think of themselves as having a prejudiced bone in their body, don't think of themselves as racists, have kind of had the mask pulled off."[388] A number of journalistic and academic sources described the protests as forcing Americans to face racial inequality, police brutality and other racial and economic issues. Many stated that the unrest was due to the prevailing political and cultural habits of overlooking or ignoring forms of oppression of Black Americans. Politico said the murder of George Floyd, captured on video, had "prompted a reckoning with racism [...] for a wide swath of white America."[388] Deva Woodly, Associate Professor of Politics at The New School for Social Research, wrote: "We are living in a world-historical moment."[389] NPR said that "a change of attitude seems to have swept through the national culture like a sudden wind."[390] CNN's Brianna Keilar said that "[y]ou are watching America's reckoning" as she outlined the "profound change" the country had experienced, including that in mid-June 15 of the 20 bestselling books were about race.[391]
In late June, The Christian Science Monitor's editorial board wrote: "It may still be too soon to say the U.S. has reached a true inflection point in its treatment of its citizens of African descent. But it has certainly reached a reflection point."[392] Reuters reported that Black candidates in June's primaries had benefited from "a national reckoning on racism."[393] By early July, The Washington Post was running a regularly updated section titled "America's Racial Reckoning: What you need to know."[394] On July 3, The Washington Post said that "the Black Lives Matter protests following the police killings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks focused the world's attention on racial inequities, structural racism and implicit bias."[395]
The New York Times described the events in the wake of Floyd's murder and video that circulated of it as "the largest protests in the United States since the Civil Rights era."[126]
According to the American Political Science Review, the George Floyd protests led to a reduction in favorability toward the police among politically liberal Americans, and further exacerbated racial and political tensions and attitudes regarding the "race and law enforcement" debate in the U.S.[396]
Economic impact
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/March_3%2C_2020_FOMC_Press_Conference_NZ73153_%2849614546592%29.jpg/220px-March_3%2C_2020_FOMC_Press_Conference_NZ73153_%2849614546592%29.jpg)
The Property Claim Services (PCS) of the U.S. Insurance industry states that in the "unrest that took place from May 26 to June 8" 2020 in 140 U.S. cities in 20 states was "the costliest civil unrest in U.S. history", and that insured losses are "estimated at over $2 billion".[398][399] According to Fortune, the economic impact of the protests exacerbated the COVID-19 recession by sharply curtailing consumer confidence, straining local businesses, and overwhelming public infrastructure with large-scale property damage.[307] A number of small businesses, already suffering from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, were harmed by vandalism, property destruction, and looting.[400][401] Curfews instated by local governments – in response to both the pandemic and protests – have also "restricted access to the downtown [areas]" to essential workers, lowering economic output.[307] President Donald Trump, after announcing a drop in overall unemployment from 14.7% to 13.3% on June 5, stated that strong economic growth was "the greatest thing [for race relations]" and "George Floyd would have been proud [of the unemployment rate]".[402] That same day reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated the unemployment rate among African Americans (covering the first two weeks of protests) was up 0.1%, rising to 16.8%.[403]
The U.S. stock market remained unaffected or otherwise increased from the start of the protests on May 26 to June 2.[404] The protest's first two weeks coincided with a 38% rise in the stock market.[405] A resurgence of COVID-19 (facilitated by mass protests) could have exacerbated the 2020 stock market crash according to economists at RBC.[406] The protests disrupted national supply chains over uncertainty regarding public safety, a resurgence of COVID-19, and consumer confidence. Several Fortune 500 retail companies, with large distribution networks, scaled back deliveries and shuttered stores in high-impact areas.[307] Mass demonstrations – of both peaceful and violent varieties – were linked to diminished consumer confidence and demand stemming from the public health risks of group gatherings amid COVID-19.[307]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Cub_Foods_Damage_-_Minneapolis_Riots.jpg/220px-Cub_Foods_Damage_-_Minneapolis_Riots.jpg)
Large-scale property damage stemming from the protests has led to increased insurance claims, bankruptcies, and curbed economic activity among small businesses and state governments. Insurance claims arising from property damage suffered in rioting is still being assessed, but is thought to be significant, perhaps record-breaking.[407] Estimates of property damages from fires and looting in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area were $550 million to 1,500 property locations.[5][112] Private insurance covered less than half of the estimated damages, which had a disproportionate effect on small business owners, many of who were immigrants and people of color.[5] Among the losses in Minneapolis was Minnehaha Commons, an under-construction, $30 million redevelopment project for 189 units of affordable housing, which was destroyed by fire after being torched on May 27, 2020.[408][409] A community organization in Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood said that between $10 million and $15 million in property damage (excluding losses from looting) was incurred over the weekend of May 29–31, mostly along storefronts along Peachtree Street and Phipps Plaza.[410] The damage to downtown Chicago's central business district (near the Magnificent Mile) was reported to have sustained "millions of dollars in damage" according to Fortune.[307]
Public financing and funding, particularly on the state level, has also been impacted by the protests. The COVID-19 recession eroded large parts of state budgets which subsequently struggled to finance the police overtime pay, security costs, and infrastructure repairs related to the demonstrations.[307] State governments have, since June, announced budget cuts to police departments as well as increased funding to other public safety measures. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced on June 5 he will seek up to $150 million in cuts to the Los Angeles Police Department budget.[411]
On May 31, Walmart temporarily closed several hundred of its stores as a precaution. Amazon announced it would redirect some delivery routes and scale back others as a result of the widespread unrest.[412]
Monuments and symbols
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Defaced-lee-statue-2020.jpg/220px-Defaced-lee-statue-2020.jpg)
A makeshift memorial emerged at the East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue intersection in Minneapolis where Floyd was murdered. Minneapolis officials renamed a stretch two block stretch of Chicago Avenue as George Floyd Perry Jr Place and designated it as one of seven cultural districts in city.[413][414][415]
Scrutiny of, discussion of removal, and removal of civic symbols or names relating to the Confederate States of America (frequently associated with segregation and the Jim Crow era in the United States) has regained steam as protests have continued.[416] On June 4, 2020, Virginia governor Ralph Northam announced the Robert E. Lee Monument in Richmond would be removed.[417]
On June 5, making specific reference to events in Charlottesville in 2017, the United States Marine Corps banned the display of the Confederate Battle Flag at their installations.[418][419] The United States Navy followed suit on June 9 at the direction of Michael M. Gilday, the Chief of Naval Operations.[420]
Birmingham, Alabama, Mayor Randall Woodfin ordered the removal of the Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Linn Park. The Alabama Attorney General has filed suit against the city of Birmingham for violating the Alabama Memorial Preservation Act.[421]
A statue of America's first president, George Washington, has been torn down and American flag was burned by rioters in Portland, Oregon.[422] Portland Public Schools was responding after protesters pulled down the Thomas Jefferson statue in front of Jefferson High School. Several protesters tore down the statue of the third President of the United States and wrote: "slave owner" and "George Floyd" in spray paint at its white marble base. PPS officials said they recognize that the act is part of a larger and very important national conversation.[423] The statues targeted included a bust of Ulysses S. Grant and statue of Theodore Roosevelt.[424][425] BLM activist Shaun King tweeted that statues, murals, and stained glass windows depicting a white Jesus should be removed.[426] Protesters defaced a statue of Philadelphia abolitionist Matthias Baldwin with the words "murderer" and "colonizer".[427] Protesters in San Francisco vandalized a statue of Miguel de Cervantes, a Spanish writer who spent five years as a slave in Algiers.[428]
Vandals defaced the statue of Winston Churchill in London's Parliament Square and Queen Victoria's statue in Leeds.[429][430] The Lincoln Memorial, the World War II Memorial and the statue of General Casimir Pulaski were vandalized during the George Floyd protests in Washington, D.C.[431] On June 7, the statue of Edward Colston was toppled and thrown into Bristol Harbour by demonstrators during the George Floyd protests in the United Kingdom.[432] BLM activists in London are calling for the removal of 60 statues of historical figures like Prime Ministers Charles Grey and William Gladstone, Horatio Nelson, Sir Francis Drake, King Charles II of England, Oliver Cromwell and Christopher Columbus.[433] Protesters in Belgium have vandalized statues of King Leopold II of Belgium.[434]
In Washington, D.C., a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in front of the Indian Embassy was vandalized on the intervening night of June 2 and 3. The incident prompted the embassy to register a complaint with law enforcement agencies. Taranjit Singh Sandhu, the Indian Ambassador to the United States, called the vandalism "a crime against humanity".[435][436][437] In London, another statue of Gandhi was vandalized by Black Lives Matter protesters along with the statue of Winston Churchill.[438]
On June 12, the city council in Hamilton, New Zealand removed the statue of Captain John Hamilton, a British officer who was killed during the New Zealand Wars in 1864.[439] A local Māori elder Taitimu Maipi, who had vandalized the statue in 2018, has also called for the city to be renamed Kirikiriroa.[440] New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters called the scrutiny of colonial-era memorials a "wave of idiocy".[441]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/Pedestal_base_of_Christopher_Columbus_statue_2.jpeg/220px-Pedestal_base_of_Christopher_Columbus_statue_2.jpeg)
On June 22, a crowd of rioters unsuccessfully attempted to topple Clark Mills' 1852 bronze equestrian statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square in President's Park, directly north of the White House in Washington, D.C.[442] Several days later, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) charged four men with destruction of federal property for allegedly trying to bring down the statue. The Justice Department alleged that a video showed one of the men breaking off and destroying the wheels of the cannons located at the base of the statue as well as pulling on ropes when trying to bring down the statue.[443]
Soon afterwards, the DOJ announced the arrest and charging of a man who was not only allegedly seen on video climbing up onto the Jackson statue and affixing a rope that was then used to try to pull the statue down, but had on June 20 helped destroy Gaetano Trentanove's 1901 Albert Pike Memorial statue near Washington's Judiciary Square by pulling it from its base and setting it on fire. The DOJ's complaint alleged that the man had been captured on video dousing the federally-owned Pike statue with a flammable liquid, igniting it as it lay on the ground and using the fire to light a cigarette.[444]
On June 30, after the Mississippi Legislature obtained a two-thirds majority in both houses to suspend rules in order to pass a bill addressing the Confederate Battle Flag on the Mississippi state flag, Governor Tate Reeves signed a bill that relinquished the state flag, mandated its removal from public premises within 15 days, and established a commission to propose a new flag design that excluded the Confederate Battle Flag and included the motto "In God We Trust".[445][446][447][448] The flag contained the infamous Confederate symbol in the canton (upper left corner) of the flag, and was the last U.S. state flag to do so.[449][450][451]
During a speech on July 3 at Mount Rushmore, U.S. president Donald Trump denounced the monument removals as part of a "left wing cultural revolution" to "overthrow the American Revolution".[452]
On July 13, the Washington Redskins announced that their name and logo would be retired upon completion of "a thorough review of the name" that was first announced on July 3.[453][454]
A week-long tour began July 28 in which a hologram of Floyd was projected on a monument to be removed, thereby "replacing" the monument with Floyd. Richmond, Virginia, was the first stop.[455]
In the response to the protests, Congress mandated the creation of a Commission on the Naming of Items of the Department of Defense that Commemorate the Confederate States of America or Any Person Who Served Voluntarily with the Confederate States of America in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021.[456] President Trump cited this provision in his veto of the NDAA,[457] resulting in the only veto override of his presidency.[458]
Impact on police activity
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7f/Civil_Unrest_2020_5C2A6205R.jpg/170px-Civil_Unrest_2020_5C2A6205R.jpg)
According to Lt. Bob Kroll, the head of the Minneapolis police union, officers began retiring "en masse"[459] alongside morale being at an "all-time low".[459]
Around 170 Atlanta police officers walked off of the job in mid-June following unresolved grievances in the Rayshard Brooks case.[460]
The New York City Police Department reported a 411% increase in police retirement application in the first week of July.[461] As a result, the department has limited new retirement applications to 40 a day.[462][463]
On July 11, at least 150 Minneapolis police officers reported nondescript injuries as well as symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, leading over half of them to leave their jobs with more likely to follow.[459] The Minneapolis police have denied there being any serious injuries inflicted on officers.[459]
Changes to police policies
In the wake of Floyd's killing, state and local governments evaluated their police department policies, and the response to protests, for themselves. For example, California Governor Gavin Newsom called for new police crowd control procedures for the state, and the banning of the police use of carotid chokeholds, which starve the brain of oxygen.[464] The Minneapolis police department banned police from using chokeholds;[465] Denver's police department also banned the use of chokeholds without exception, and also established new reporting requirements whenever a police officer holds a person at gunpoint.[466]
In June 2020, Democrats in Congress introduced the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020, a police reform and accountability bill that contains measures to combat police misconduct, excessive force, and racial bias in policing. The impetus for the bill were the killings of Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other African Americans at the hands of police.[44][467][468] It passed the House of Representatives one month after Floyd's killing, 236 to 181, with support from Democrats and three Republicans.[469] A Republican reform bill was blocked in the U.S. Senate by all but two Democrats; neither party negotiated the contents of the bill with the other.[469] Speaker Nancy Pelosi summarized Democratic opposition to the Senate bill: "it's not a question that it didn't go far enough; it didn't go anywhere".[470]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/33/George_Floyd_Miami_Protest%2C_June_7%2C_2020_17.jpg/220px-George_Floyd_Miami_Protest%2C_June_7%2C_2020_17.jpg)
On June 16, President Trump signed an executive order on police reform that incentivized departments to recruit from communities they patrol, encourage more limited use of deadly force, and prioritize using social workers and mental health professionals for nonviolent calls.[471] The order also created a national database of police officers with a history of using excessive force.[472]
On September 10, Ted Wheeler, the mayor and police commissioner of Portland, Oregon, banned city police from using tear gas for riot control purposes, but reiterated that police would respond to violent protests forcefully. Portland had seen over one hundred consecutive days of protests since they began on May 28.[473]
Push to abolish police
Nine members of the Minneapolis City Council — a veto-proof majority — pledged on June 7 to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department, despite opposition from Mayor Jacob Frey.[474][475] U.S. representative Ilhan Omar stated, "the Minneapolis Police Department has proven themselves beyond reform. It's time to disband them and reimagine public safety in Minneapolis."[476] Despite pledges by city council members to the end the Minneapolis Police Department, a proposed amendment to the Minneapolis city charter which was approved by the Minneapolis City Council on June 26 would only rename the police department and change its structure if approved by voters.[477] In August, the review of another proposal to dismantle the department was delayed by 90 days, meaning it wouldn't be voted on in the November ballot because it passed the statutory deadline of August 21.[478] The budget for the department was passed in December and the funding was reduced by $7.7 million.[479]
Impact on television and films
In the media industry, the protests have spurred scrutiny for cop shows and led to the cancellation of popular television shows referred to by critics as copaganda.[480][481] With long-standing criticism that it presented an unbalanced view of law enforcement in favor of police, encouraged police to engage in more dramatic behavior for the camera, and degraded suspects who had not yet been convicted of any crime, the Paramount Network canceled the 33rd season of the TV show Cops and pulled it from broadcast.[482] The television network A&E canceled a similar show, Live PD, which was also found to have destroyed footage documenting the police killing of Javier Ambler in Austin, Texas, in 2019.[483] The streaming service HBO Max temporarily pulled the film Gone with the Wind until video that explains and condemns the film's racist depictions could be produced to accompany it.[484] In the United Kingdom, the BBC pulled the famed "The Germans" episode of Fawlty Towers from its UKTV streaming service, but later reinstated it after criticism from series star and co-writer John Cleese. He later criticized their use of the word "fury" to describe his comments.[485] This was later removed by the BBC.[486] The episode, which included racial slurs about the West Indies cricket team, now features a disclaimer at the beginning warning of "offensive content and language".[487][488][489] The BBC also removed the Little Britain series and its spinoff Come Fly with Me from the iPlayer and BritBox services as well as Netflix for its use of blackface.[490]
The week of June 24, 2020, several animated series that had black, mixed or non-white characters voiced by white actors, including Big Mouth, Central Park, Family Guy and The Simpsons, announced those characters would be recast with people of color.[491][492][493][494] That same week, episodes of 30 Rock, The Office, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Community, The Golden Girls, and Peep Show that involved characters using blackface were either removed or edited from syndication and streaming services.[495][496][497][498][499]
In light of the protests, Brooklyn Nine-Nine co-star Terry Crews said that the first four episodes of the show's eighth season had to be rewritten.[500]
The Penny Dreadful: City of Angels episode "Sing, Sing, Sing", opens with an additional viewer discretion warning about its content, specifically the lynching of a character by members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The episode originally aired less than one month after Floyd's murder, and was the only episode to feature this additional warning.[501]
Impact on brand marketing
In reaction to the higher sensitivity by customers for racial issues in the aftermath of Floyd's murder, multiple companies decided to rebrand some products. The brands Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben's, and Fair & Lovely made adaptations to eliminate racial stereotypes. In sports, the NFL football team in Washington, D.C., dropped the "Redskins" nickname and the MLB baseball team in Cleveland said it would discontinue the "Indians" nickname after the 2021 season and adopt the "Guardians" nickname.[502][503] In June 2020, Disney announced that their theme park attraction Splash Mountain, which had been themed to the 1946 film Song of the South, controversial for its depiction of African Americans, would be re-themed based on the 2009 film The Princess and the Frog, which had Disney's first depiction of a black princess.[504][505]
Public art
Artistic impressions of George Floyd's likeness became an icon of the protest movement that unfolded following his murder.[506] Paintings of Floyd appeared on exterior walls in many cities in the United States and around the world. A mapping project of protest art after Floyd's murder had by May 19, 2021, documented 2,100 entries of George Floyd-related and anti-racism art around the world, though much of it was from the Minneapolis and Saint Paul area. Many works appeared on plywood that covered up boarded-up windows and doors as result of unrest.[507][508]
COVID-19 pandemic
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/Black_Lives_Matter%2C_Anti-racism_rally_at_Vancouver_Art_Gallery_%2849957866563%29_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-Black_Lives_Matter%2C_Anti-racism_rally_at_Vancouver_Art_Gallery_%2849957866563%29_%28cropped%29.jpg)
The protests occurred during the early, pre-vaccination phase of the global COVID-19 pandemic, which led officials and experts to express concerns that the demonstrations could lead to further spread of SARS-CoV-2.[509] The demonstrations thus sparked debate among commentators, political leaders, and health experts over coronavirus restrictions on gatherings.[510] In June 2020 the CDC released the "Considerations for Events and Gatherings" which assesses large gatherings where it is difficult for people to stay at least six feet apart, and where attendees travel from outside the local area as "highest risk".[511] Public health experts and mayors urged demonstrators to wear face coverings, follow physical separation (social distancing) practices, engage in proper hand hygiene, and seek out COVID-19 testing.[512][513]
Subsequent studies and public health reports showed that the protests in 2020 did not drive an increase in COVID-19 transmission.[514][515][516] Epidemiologists and other researchers attributed this to the location of the demonstrations outdoors (where the virus is less likely to spread as compared to indoors);[514][516] because many protesters wore masks;[516] and because persons who demonstrated made up a small portion of the overall U.S. population (about 6% of adults).[517] Outdoor events were analyzed to have a substantially lower risk of spreading the virus than indoor ones,[518][519] and transient contact was considered less risky than extended close contact.[519]
Some protesters that were arrested were detained in crowded, indoor environments and did not have protective masks, which prompted concern over potential jail-spread of SARS-CoV-2.[520] Some law enforcement personnel in New York City who responded to protests were criticized for failing to wear face masks.[521] An outbreak was detected among Houston, Texas, police department officers, but it was not clear if the officers were exposed on or off of their police duty.[522]
While many U.S. states experienced growth in new cases during the initial wave of protests, these upticks are thought to be attributed to reopenings of workplaces, bars, restaurants, and other businesses.[517]
Gallery
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A protest march in Minneapolis on May 26, 2020
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"Black Lives Fucking Matter", "A.C.A.B.", and "Fuck 12" graffiti on a looted Target store on Lake Street, Minneapolis the morning of May 28, 2020
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Protesters in Oakland, California, on May 29, 2020
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Police confront protesters near Trump Tower in Chicago on May 30, 2020
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Protesters in Washington, D.C., in front of the White House on May 30, 2020
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Georgia National Guard medics treat a protester injured by tear gas on June 2, 2020
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Protesters in Seattle on June 3, 2020
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Protesters in Philadelphia on June 6, 2020
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Protesters in Denver on June 6, 2020
See also
- Long, hot summer of 1967 – Protests and riots in which the statement "When the looting starts, the shooting starts" was first coined by Miami police chief Walter E. Headley.
- 1968 Democratic National Convention protests – Protests against the Vietnam War that were later described as a "police riot".
- 1980 Miami riots – Protests after an unarmed black salesman was beaten to death by police officers in 1979 and the officers involved were acquitted in May 1980.
- 2014 Ferguson unrest – The large-scale unrest after the fatal shooting of Michael Brown by police.
- 2020 Kenosha protests – Protests after the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin
- 2021 Daunte Wright protests – Protests after the killing of Daunte Wright
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- ^ Brufke, Juliegrace (June 5, 2020). "NRCC turns up heat on vulnerable Democrats over Omar's call to abolish police". The Hill.
- ^ Navratil, Liz (June 26, 2020). "Push to 'end' Minneapolis Police Department could keep officers". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
- ^ Jimenez, Omar; Levenson, Eric (August 6, 2020). "Proposal to abolish Minneapolis Police Department delayed past November ballot". CNN. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
- ^ Navratil, Liz (December 10, 2020). "Divided Minneapolis City Council votes to cut $8 million from police budget". Star Tribune. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
- ^ Wong, Jessica (June 12, 2020). "Protests against police brutality spur reflection on TV cop shows". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
- ^ Hess, Amanda (June 10, 2020). "The Protests Come for 'Paw Patrol'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 10, 2020. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
- ^ "'Cops' Show Canceled Amid Worldwide Protests Against Police Violence". NPR.
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- ^ Limbong, Andrew (June 10, 2020). "HBO Max Shelves 'Gone With The Wind' Temporarily For 'Racial Prejudices'". NPR.
- ^ Cleese, John [@JohnCleese] (June 13, 2020). "The BBC's website refers to my 'fury'
I think my comments were quite measured and moderate
So why would the BBC refer to them as my 'fury' ?
Because it will get them a few more 'clicks'
This sort of thing happens when marketing executives and tabloid journalists take charge" (Tweet). Retrieved July 12, 2020 – via Twitter. - ^ Cleese, John [@JohnCleese] (June 13, 2020). "Pleased to see that the BBC website has already removed the word 'fury'" (Tweet). Retrieved July 12, 2020 – via Twitter.
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- ^ Griffiths, George (June 12, 2020). "Fawlty Towers episode The Germans to be reinstated on UKTV after removal for racial references". Metro. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
- ^ "Little Britain removed from BBC iPlayer, Netflix and BritBox due to use of blackface". The Guardian. June 9, 2020. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
- ^ Otterson, Joe (June 24, 2020). "Jenny Slate Exits 'Big Mouth': 'Black Characters Should Be Played by Black People'". Variety. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
- ^ Thorne, Will (June 24, 2020). "Kristen Bell Will No Longer Voice Mixed-Race Character in Apple's 'Central Park'". Variety. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
- ^ Haring, Bruce (June 26, 2020). "'Family Guy' Voice Actor Mike Henry Stepping Down From 'Cleveland Brown' Role".
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- ^ Andrew, Scottie (June 23, 2020). "Tina Fey asks platforms to pull several '30 Rock' episodes that showed characters in blackface". CNN. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
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- ^ a b Bernton, Hal (June 30, 2020). "Protests don't appear to be driving coronavirus surge in Seattle area or elsewhere, researchers say". The Seattle Times.
- ^ Dhaval M. Dave; Andrew I. Friedson; Kyutaro Matsuzawa; Joseph J. Sabia; Samuel Safford (June 2020). "NBER Working Paper No. 27408: Black Lives Matter Protests, Social Distancing, and COVID-19". National Bureau of Economic Research. Working Paper Series. doi:10.3386/w27408. S2CID 235158402.
- ^ a b c Goldstein, Joseph (July 1, 2020). "Did Floyd Protests Lead to a Virus Surge? Here's What We Know". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 1, 2020.
- ^ a b Lopez, German (June 26, 2020). "Coronavirus cases are increasing, but Black Lives Matter protests may not be to blame. Here's why". Vox.
So what is causing the recent uptick in Covid-19 cases, which led to the US hitting its highest number of daily new cases ever this week? Experts pointed to states reopening, particularly allowing indoor gatherings — at bars, restaurants, barbershops, workplaces, and so on — in which the coronavirus is more likely to spread. Studies show that previous measures to close down such gatherings likely helped lower Covid-19 cases.
- ^ Weintraub, Ken Alltucker and Karen. "Experts warn large protests may 'become breeding grounds' for the coronavirus". USA Today. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
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Police officers' failure to wear masks has been a point of tension since the spring, when they were initially made responsible for enforcing social-distancing measures. During mass protests that erupted in the city after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, thousands of officers assigned to the demonstrations did not wear masks.
- ^ Oberg, Ted (June 30, 2020). "200 HPD officers under COVID-19 quarantine, chief not among them". KTRK.
Further reading
Contemporary reports
Arrangement is chronological.
- Sprunt, Barbara (May 29, 2020). "The History Behind 'When The Looting Starts, The Shooting Starts'". NPR.
- Owen, Tess (May 29, 2020). "Far-Right Extremists Are Hoping to Turn the George Floyd Protests Into a New Civil War". Vice.
- Hartman, Sid (May 30, 2020). "Unrest in Minneapolis echoes summer of 1967". Star Tribune.
- "George Floyd Protesters in Multiple Cities Target Confederate Monuments". Time. Associated Press. May 31, 2020. Archived from the original on June 1, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
- Pellerin, Ananda (June 1, 2020). "The people creating art to remember George Floyd". CNN Style.
- Steinmetz, Katy (June 8, 2020). "'A War of Words.' Why Describing the George Floyd Protests as 'Riots' Is So Loaded". Time.
- Chayka, Kyle (June 9, 2020). "The Mimetic Power of D.C.'s Black Lives Matter Mural". The New Yorker.
- Rubin, Jennifer (June 12, 2020). "The massive scope of change following George Floyd's death". The Washington Post.
- Burch, Aurda D. S.; Cai, Weiyi; Gianordoli, Gabriel; McCarthy, Morrigan; Patel, Jugal K. (June 13, 2020). "How Black Lives Matter Reached Every Corner of America". The New York Times.
- Putnam, Lara; Pressman, Jeremy; Chenoweth, Erica (July 8, 2020). "Black Lives Matter beyond America's big cities". The Washington Post.
Scholarly studies
- Balakrishnan, Karthik, et al. "Racial diversity exposure and firm responses following the murder of George Floyd." Journal of Accounting Research 61.3 (2023): 737-804; Reaction of large American businesses.
- Beckett, Balthazar I., and Salimah K. Hankins. " 'Until We Are First Recognized as Humans': The Killing of George Floyd and the Case for Black Life at the United Nations" International Journal of Human Rights Education 5.1 (2021): 4+ online.
- Boudreau, Cheryl, Scott A. MacKenzie, and Daniel J. Simmons. "Police violence and public opinion after George Floyd: How the Black Lives Matter movement and endorsements affect support for reforms." Political Research Quarterly 75.2 (2022): 497-511. online
- Christián, László, Ákos Erdős, and Gergő Háló. "The Background and repercussions of the George Floyd case." Cogent Social Sciences 8.1 (2022): 2082094. online
- Cross, A. R., Tom, K. E., Wallace, D., Trinkner, R., & Fine, A. D. "Did George Floyd’s murder shape the public’s felt obligation to obey the police?" Law and Human Behavior (2023) online
- Eichstaedt, Johannes C., et al. "The emotional and mental health impact of the murder of George Floyd on the US population." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118.39 (2021): e2109139118. online
- Fine, Adam D., et al. "Did the Murder of George Floyd Damage Public Perceptions of Police and Law in the United States?." Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency (2024): 00224278241263527. online
- Green, Hilary N., and Andrew L. Slap. The Civil War and the Summer of 2020 (Fordham University Press, 2024)
- Jackson, J. et al. "Social Identity and Support for Defunding the Police in the Aftermath of George Floyd," Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, (2023). 26#4, 833-858.
- Jacobs, Walter R. Sparked: George Floyd, Racism, and the Progressive Illusion (Minnesota Historical Society Press. 2021)
- Johnson, Andre E., and Amanda Nell Edgar. The Summer of 2020: George Floyd and the Resurgence of the Black Lives Matter Movement (Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2024).
- Kaske, Erika A.; Cramer, Samuel W.; Pena Pino, Isabela; Do, Truong H.; Ladd, Bryan M.; Sturtevant, Dylan T.; Ahmadi, Aliya; Taha, Birra; Freeman, David; Wu, Joel T.; Cunningham, Brooke A. (January 13, 2021). "Injuries from Less-Lethal Weapons during the George Floyd Protests in Minneapolis". The New England Journal of Medicine. 384 (8): 774–775. doi:10.1056/NEJMc2032052. ISSN 0028-4793. PMID 33440082.
- Pryce, Daniel K., and Randy Gainey. "Race differences in public satisfaction with and trust in the local police in the context of George Floyd protests: An analysis of residents’ experiences and attitudes." Criminal Justice Studies 35.1 (2022): 74-92. online
- Reny, Tyler T., and Benjamin J. Newman. "The opinion-mobilizing effect of social protest against police violence: Evidence from the 2020 George Floyd protests." American Political Science Review 115.4 (2021): 1499-1507.
- Samuels, Robert, and Toluse Olorunnipa. His Name Is George Floyd: One Man's Life and the Struggle for Racial Justice (Penguin, 2024); Pulitzer Prize for biography. online
- Sierra‐Arévalo, Michael, Justin Nix, and Scott M. Mourtgos. "The 'war on cops,' retaliatory violence, and the murder of George Floyd." Criminology 61.3 (2023): 389-420. online
- Toosi, Negin R., Kristin Layous, and Gretchen M. Reevy. "Recognizing racism in George Floyd's death." Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy 21.1 (2021): 1184-1201.
- Valentine, Randall; Valentine, Dawn; Valentine, Jimmie L. (November 23, 2020). "Relationship of George Floyd protests to increases in COVID-19 cases using event study methodology". Journal of Public Health. 42 (4): 696–697. doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdaa127. ISSN 1741-3842. PMC 7454741. PMID 32756893.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- George Floyd protest tag, U.S. Press Freedom Tracker
- Demonstrations & Political Violence In America: New Data For Summer 2020 // Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project
- Running list of hoaxes and misleading posts, BuzzFeed News
- Wikiversity: Were George Floyd protests in 2020 a good thing?
- George Floyd protests
- 2020 controversies in the United States
- 2020 riots
- 2020–2021 United States racial unrest
- African-American riots in the United States
- Murder of George Floyd
- Left-wing politics in the United States
- Political violence in the United States
- Post–civil rights era in African-American history
- Presidency of Donald Trump
- Presidency of Joe Biden
- Protests against police brutality
- Race-related controversies in the United States
- Trump administration controversies