Protesters Demanding Justice for Floyd George Got Tear Gas
Minneapolis police fired tear gas and bean bag rounds at thousands of demonstrators who rallied outside a police station to protest the death of George Floyd.
Simmering community anger simmered over into violence on Tuesday night even after the city declared that the four officers involved had been fired. The protesters and Floyd’s family and are now demanding that the officers are charged with murder.
“They treated him worse than they treat animals,” said Philonise Floyd, the deceased man’s brother told CNN on Tuesday night. “They took a life — they deserve life.”
“He didn’t deserve what happened to him,” says Tera Brown, cousin of George Floyd, who said he couldn’t breathe as a police officer used a knee to hold him down by the neck. Brown said the four Minneapolis police officers involved in Floyd’s death should be “charged with murder.” pic.twitter.com/ESXMVMdcXH
— CNN (@CNN) May 27, 2020
Thousands of protesters in Minneapolis fill 38th Street and Chicago Avenue where George Floyd was detained by four police officers and killed. #JusticeForFloyd
Earlier, the mayor said that all four killer cops had been fired. This is how the community responded. Video: KSTP-TV pic.twitter.com/ht9m3SY6YH
— Camila (@camilateleSUR) May 27, 2020
Some protesters climbed on top of the building while others threw bottles and rocks at police officers in riot gear.
Police shooting more tear gas and marking rounds. Guy next to me got nailed w marker from across the street. Truck drove full speed into a bunch of carts and protestors rushed it. Vehicle drove off dragging a cart down Lake. More rain now and ppl dispersing pic.twitter.com/RdzZtJTBhj
— Andy Mannix (@AndrewMannix) May 27, 2020
The police responded by firing tear gas, rubber bullets, and flashbangs at protesters.
A lot of tear gas spent tonight pic.twitter.com/7ie9Aq562M
— Andy Mannix (@AndrewMannix) May 27, 2020
Seeing some folks debating what I was hit with. It's not a marking round, at least there was no color residue on my clothes. Plastic base, squishy end
Don't know if it's rubber or another kind of less lethal round. pic.twitter.com/i7MdjkHtC3— Andy Mannix (@AndrewMannix) May 27, 2020
The scene at the Minneapolis 3rd Police Precinct. pic.twitter.com/ykxsfPn8PD
— Carlos Gonzalez (@CarlosGphoto) May 27, 2020
The department said in a statement Tuesday that after Floyd got out of the car he was sitting in, “he physically resisted officers” before they handcuffed him. However, CCTV footage of the arrest obtained by ABC suggests this was not the case.
Remember how the cops said George Floyd was "resisting" officers when they put him in handcuffs? Well, that was a fucking lie. pic.twitter.com/CM0yxJfk57
— Matt Novak (@paleofuture) May 27, 2020
The four officers, who have not been formally identified, are helping with the investigation into Floyd’s death, according to the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis.
“Our officers are fully cooperating,” the union head, Lt. Bob Kroll, told local media. “We must review all video. We must wait for the medical examiner’s report.”
Hennepin County officials have said it could take at least three weeks to learn how exactly how Floyd died.
