'I Believe In Justice': Hundreds Of Protesters Gather Outside George Floyd Pretrial Hearing
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the family court building in Minneapolis where a hearing in the death of George Floyd is being held. All four officers who have been charged in Floyd's death are in court Friday morning.
At least an hour before that court hearing, people gathered outside the Family Justice Center.
"I came all the way from Ohio to be a part of the protest," Ta-Mara Moore said.
Moore drove 750 miles to be in Minneapolis Friday morning. It's something he's done before.
"I do believe in that message. I believe in justice. I believe that something should happen to those officers. They went beyond what they should have done," Moore said.
Moore was one of hundreds of people who RSVP'd to the rally.
"Demanding justice. That's what I fight for. Justice for all people. For humanity," Kenneth Lax said.
Organizers gave speeches outside, while Judge Peter Cahill listened to arguments inside. But when the court hearing ended some of the former officers and their attorneys exited the building and tried to make their way through an angry crowd. There were tense moments as Hennepin County Sheriff's deputies tried to catch up and escort Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Keung to a truck.
The defendants left after a morning of debate between attorneys, which people outside were following on social media.
Most of the protesters WCCO talked with believe all four officers should be tried together in Minneapolis.
"I'm definitely hoping the trial stays here. It seems like they are trying to move the trial to get a more conservative jury to condone police behavior," Kerstin Tuttle said.
"The likelihood at being murdered by cop and ever getting to trial is very unlikely. The fact we're this far is because people stood up and made a big deal," Kayla Larson said.
Lane's attorney Earl Gray said he is contacting the judge to express his concerns about what happened with the crowd after the hearing.
