Protests continue at scene where George Floyd was pinned down by Minneapolis police
Protesters gathered again Wednesday at the south Minneapolis intersection where George Floyd lost consciousness while a city police officer pressed his knee against his neck for several minutes, CBS Minnesota reports.
Dozens of people blocked traffic midday at the intersection of Chicago Avenue and East 38th Street, where police were recorded Monday evening pinning Floyd to the pavement as he repeatedly told them he couldn't breathe. Floyd, 46, was pronounced dead at a hospital shortly thereafter.
The noontime protest Wednesday was peaceful, with demonstrators chanting and lifting signs. On Tuesday afternoon, thousands had gathered at the same intersection. While Tuesday's demonstration began peacefully, the tone of the protest changed in the evening as a smaller group marched to Minneapolis police's Third Precinct headquarters and clashed with officers in riot gear.
The vibe at 38th and Chicago is a stark contrast from 3rd Precinct. There's still pain, anger, frustration - but it's being channeled differently.#GeorgeFloyd @WCCO pic.twitter.com/YxWGtNRllw
— Jeff Wagner (@Jeff_Wagner4) May 27, 2020
Protesters also gathered Tuesday at the home of Derek Chauvin, one of the four officers involved in the fatal arrest. A second protest is again slated to happen near Chauvin's home in a St. Paul suburb Wednesday afternoon.
Video of Floyd's arrest taken by a bystander circulated Tuesday on social media, sparking outrage across the country. Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo later fired Chauvin and the other three officers involved in the encounter. The other three officers have yet to be identified.
Chauvin and his three former colleagues were initially called to the Powderhorn neighborhood intersection Monday evening on a report of someone trying to use a forged document at a deli.
Minneapolis police initially said Floyd resisted arrest, but video obtained by CBS News contradicts that, at least in the early moments of the encounter.
On Wednesday afternoon, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called for the Hennepin County Attorney's Office to charge the officer who had his knee on Floyd's neck. He also stated that he wanted the body camera video of the incident released as soon as possible.
Floyd's death is currently under investigation by the FBI, the Minnesota Department of Criminal Apprehension, and the Hennepin County Attorney's Office.