A massive crowd of demonstrators descended upon a police headquarters in Minneapolis to protest a recent killing of an unarmed man. They were met with an arsenal of riot control weapons, including stun grenades and rubber bullets.
Thousands of marchers could be seen around the 3rd police precinct headquarters in Minneapolis on Tuesday, demanding answers after a local man, George Floyd, was killed by an officer’s chokehold, despite repeatedly stating that he couldn’t breathe.
Hours after the firing of the four cops involved, this is the south Minneapolis intersection near where George Floyd was killed on Memorial Day when an officer knelt on his neck. Protest has the whole block at a standstill. Vid: @KSTPpic.twitter.com/bOqYlyEoYe
Police pushing the line further. More cops coming down the alley from Minnehaha. Can’t see the crowd on Lake st. @MPRnewspic.twitter.com/zvBWzBQd88
The action started near a restaurant in the city’s center, eventually making its way to the police headquarters around three miles away.
Breaking: Police are using tear gas and stun grenades as major protests continue in Minneapolis in response to the killing of George Floyd. Reports indicate that protesters are picking up the tear gas grenades and throwing them back at police. pic.twitter.com/fjxYOT71eo
Protesters reportedly smashed a door on the building, while footage shared online shows marchers breaking into a police squad car parking lot to vandalize vehicles.
Fence to the squad parking lot is torn open. Cars being busted pic.twitter.com/g0ltLZGdWx
Tear gas and rubber bullets in Minneapolis, @UR_Ninja filming outside the third precinct. I lost count of the number of canisters fired in this clip. By the sounds of it, caught everyone off guard. pic.twitter.com/XloCW8ka0S
An especially raucous group of protesters were filmed pelting a police SUV with projectiles, smashing out several windows as the car apparently attempted to flee the area.
Protests in #Minneapolis turning violent after death of #GeorgeFloydpic.twitter.com/GWCo0Yc5zU
The protesters soon met a forceful police response, however, with officers clad in riot gear unleashing thick clouds of tear gas, rubber bullets and sound grenades.
If this was happening in Venezuela or Iran, the corporate media and the US political establishment would be all over it.Instead, watch them either ignore or smear these demonstrations against the state-sanctioned murder of a Black civilian in Minneapolis. https://t.co/yvzQ6HD1Zd
Energized demonstrators could also be seen chanting anti-police slogans as they marched in line, holding signs and shouting “No justice, no peace, prosecute the police.”
Police in riot gear macing protestors marching for #JusticeForFloydpic.twitter.com/7mazRZ4ddZ
The scenes of unrest came on the heels of Floyd’s killing on Monday, which was caught on film and went viral on social media, putting the Minneapolis Police Department at the center of a major scandal.
In the video, Floyd is heard begging for his life, at times calling out for his mother, as an officer pins the man to the ground with a knee on his throat. While police insist Floyd “physically resisted officers,” footage of the incident appears to belie their story.
Police deploying stun grenades. @MPRnewspic.twitter.com/h2YTu3KSo4
Though four officers were fired after the video emerged online, the killing has stoked widespread outrage, with many critics – including Floyd’s family – calling for murder charges for the four policemen.
Floyd’s killing follows a similar incident in New York City in 2014, in which a black man named Eric Garner was strangled to death in a police chokehold, while gasping “I can’t breathe.” His final words have become a rallying cry for anti-police abuse activists and could be heard chanted repeatedly throughout Tuesday’s action.
The crowd has arrived at the 3rd precinct. Rain is coming down. @MPRnewspic.twitter.com/Apv1yDMz4k
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