Protesters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, are defying a city-wide curfew and in some instances clashing with the state’s national guard as the public backlash to the death of George Floyd enters its third night.
As of 9:00 p.m. central standard time (CST), hundreds of protesters were on the streets of Minneapolis, despite a mandatory 8:00 p.m. curfew imposed by both the city’s mayor and Minnesota’s governor.
Although some of the protesters appeared to be peaceful, opting to walk through the streets chanting Floyd’s name along with slogans such as “No Justice, No Peace,” a number were also observed hurling rocks at national guard units and setting fires.
In some portions of the city, most notably the area in which Floyd died, protesters openly clashed with the national guard as the curfew took effect. The guards responded by “shooting what seemed to be rubber bullets” and throwing canisters of tear gas into the crowd, according to the Washington Post.
The protests continue even as the officer at the center of the controversy surrounding Floyd’s death was arrested on Friday and charged with murder. Derek Chauvin, a 19-year veteran of the Minneapolis police department, was fired earlier this week after a video went viral showing him kneeling on Floyd’s neck while attempting to arrest the man for alleged forgery.
In the video, Floyd is heard pleading for help, claiming he cannot breathe, as Chauvin stands over him. Tou Thao, Chauvin’s partner, who also has a record of police brutality complaints, is seen in the video refusing to intervene.