MINNEAPOLIS - Protesters angry over the death of George Floyd blocked several streets in the Powderhorn neighborhood Tuesday afternoon before heading to The Third Minneapolis Police Station, where officers in riot gear deployed tear gas and sent crowds to jostle in the rain.
The protest began in the early afternoon near 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in south Minneapolis, less than 24 hours after a video of a bystander showing a police officer holding his knee above Floyd's neck at the same intersection. He later died, resulting in the dismissal of four police officers on Tuesday. The case caught the attention of the FBI and prompted Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden to call for "justice" in a tweet.
Throughout the morning of Tuesday and early afternoon, activists, neighbourhood groups and community organizers created memorials at the intersection of 38th and Chicago and drew messages such as "No Justice, No Peace," "RIP" and "Remember his name."
Angie Evans, who has been in church for two decades in the neighborhood and brought her 10-year-old daughter to the protests, said Floyd's video in police custody had "mortified" her.
"I couldn't sleep," Evans said. "It was just a horrible experience to witness something like this in broad daylight in front of all these people. It's heartbreaking. I feel like we're taking a step backwards."
Leon Lyons, a longtime Powderhorn resident, said the images evoked memories of the death of Philando Castile - who was streamed live on Facebook by Castile's girlfriend. Although he called for criminal proceedings, he commended the MPD for dismissing the officers involved.
"Praise the Lord, praise the mayor and praise the chief of police," Lyons said. "It's the first time this has happened."
In the late afternoon, thousands of protesters arrived on the scene with placards and loudsels spread over several blocks. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people wore masks, and organizers distributed masks to those who did not. Shortly after 6 p.m., organizers marched to the third riding, a few kilometres away, just east of the intersection of Hiawatha and Lake Street.
KARE 11's partners, MPR News, said the team's cars and police station windows were smashed at some point in the early evening.
Shortly before 8 p.m., with rain beginning to fall, uniformed officers in riot gear began to deploy tear gas, casting a haze over an entire block. Many of the demonstrators began running toward the nearby Target parking lot on East Lake Street, as loud booms filled the background. Police marched into the streets as people began throwing water bottles and other items at them.
All of this was a testament to the anger that led to George Floyd's death.
"We're all in the same boat," said Angie Evans, who is black. "Here you see blacks, whites, Asians, Hispanics. We've had enough. We need justice."
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