In 2020 and 2021, several protests were held in the
U.S. city
Local government in the United States refers to governmental jurisdictions below the level of the state. Most states and territories have at least two tiers of local government: counties and municipalities. Louisiana uses the term parish and Alas ...
of
Minneapolis that coincided with judicial proceedings and the criminal
trial of
Derek Chauvin
Derek Michael Chauvin ( ; born March 19, 1976) is an American former police officer who was convicted for the murder of George Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American man, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Chauvin was a member of the Minneapolis Police ...
.
As an officer with the
Minneapolis Police Department
The Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) is the primary law enforcement agency in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. It is also the largest police department in Minnesota. Formed in 1867, it is the second-oldest police department in Minnesot ...
, Chauvin was charged with the
murder
Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person wit ...
of
George Floyd
George Perry Floyd Jr. (October 14, 1973 – May 25, 2020) was an African-American man who was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during an arrest made after a store clerk suspected Floyd may have used a counterfeit twe ...
, an unarmed
African American man who died during an arrest incident on May 25, 2020. A bystander's video captured Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for over nine minutes while Floyd struggled to breathe, lost consciousness, and died. Protesters opposed Chauvin's pre-trial release from jail on bail in October 2020.
In the lead up to and during the criminal trial in early 2021, demonstrators sought conviction and maximum sentencing for Chauvin, and the enactment of
police reform measures.
Local government officials surrounded a downtown Minneapolis courthouse building that was the venue for Chauvin's judicial proceedings with a temporary security barrier in anticipation of civil disorder.
Demonstrations grew in size during Chauvin's
criminal trial that commenced on March 8, 2021, and concluded on April 19, 2021. The court announced a guilty verdict on April 20, 2021, and several marches and rallies took place afterwards.
Minnesota government officials spent $25 million to mobilize 3,500
National Guard troops and amass hundreds of law enforcement officers in security efforts they referred to as Operation Safety Net.
Organized demonstrations in Minneapolis during the trial and verdict announcement were largely peaceful.
Protests and gatherings were also held in several major U.S. cities, and throughout the world, that coincided with the verdict announcement.
Background
Murder of George Floyd
On May 25, 2020,
George Floyd
George Perry Floyd Jr. (October 14, 1973 – May 25, 2020) was an African-American man who was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during an arrest made after a store clerk suspected Floyd may have used a counterfeit twe ...
, an unarmed African American man, died while under the custody of
Minneapolis Police Department
The Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) is the primary law enforcement agency in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. It is also the largest police department in Minnesota. Formed in 1867, it is the second-oldest police department in Minnesot ...
officers Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, and J. Alexander Kueng, and Tou Thao. Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for over nine minutes while the other three officers assisted with the arrest and held concerned onlookers back.
The Hennepin County
medical examiner ruled Floyd's death a
homicide
Homicide occurs when a person kills another person. A homicide requires only a volitional act or omission that causes the death of another, and thus a homicide may result from accidental, reckless, or negligent acts even if there is no inten ...
and Derek Chauvin was charged with murder, and the other three officers who assisted in his arrest were charged with lesser criminal charges.
George Floyd protests in Minneapolis–Saint Paul
The
murder of George Floyd, which was captured by a bystander's video that circulated widely in the media, inspired a worldwide
protest movement
A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration or remonstrance) is a public expression of objection, disapproval or dissent towards an idea or action, typically a political one.
Protests can be thought of as acts of cooper ...
against
police brutality
Police brutality is the excessive and unwarranted use of force by law enforcement against an individual or a group. It is an extreme form of police misconduct and is a civil rights violation. Police brutality includes, but is not limited to, ...
and
racism. In late May and early June 2020, protests and riots occurred in the
Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan in reaction to Floyd's murder. Protesters demanded justiceby holding Chauvin and three other Minneapolis police officers who were at the scene of Floyd's murder accountable for their actions.
On May 26, 2020, protesters gathered outside Chauvin's
Oakdale, Minnesota, home.
Over subsequent days, protesters demanded that Chauvin be charged with murder. Chauvin was fired from the Minneapolis police force and the first criminal charges were filed against him on May 29, 2020.
Trial of Derek Chauvin
Chauvin was charged in May 2020, and later convicted in April 2021, of
second-degree unintentional murder,
third-degree murder, and
second-degree manslaughter
Manslaughter is a crime in the United States. Definitions can vary among jurisdictions, but manslaughter is invariably the act of causing the death of another person in a manner less culpable than murder. Three types of unlawful killings constit ...
in connection with Floyd's death. The criminal charges were filed in
Hennepin County of the
U.S. state of
Minnesota. Judicial proceedings were held at the
Hennepin County Government Center, a local government office building in downtown Minneapolis that included
courtroom
A courtroom is the enclosed space in which courts of law are held in front of a judge. A number of courtrooms, which may also be known as "courts", may be housed in a courthouse. In recent years, courtrooms have been equipped with audiovisual ...
s.
Events
In Minneapolis
Judicial proceedings
Hundreds rallied outside the Hennepin County Government Center building on September 11, 2020, during a pretrial hearing for the former Minneapolis police officers Chauvin, Lane, and Keung, and Thao, who were charged criminally for Floyd's death. Confrontations between some in the crowd and the officers' attorney were described as "angry". On November 5, 2020, defense attorneys for the officers cited the exchange on September 11 and other safety concerns in their arguments in court to have a change of venue to another jurisdiction for the trial, but
Peter Cahill, the presiding judge, rejected their motion.
On October 7, 2020, protesters took to the streets and held rallies at several places in Minneapolis to express anger over the release of Chauvin on
bail. Chauvin was initially arrested on May 29, 2020, and held at
Oak Park Heights prison, but he later posted bond for the $1 million bail for his release pending trial.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz sent 100 National Guards troops, as well as 100
Minnesota State Patrol officers and 75
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources conservation officers, to keep the peace in Minneapolis. Law enforcement made 51 arrests late at night on October 7, of which 49 were for misdemeanor offences such as unlawful assembly, one arrest for assault, and one arrest for having an outstanding felony warrant.
Protests were held on October 15, 2020, at the Hennepin County Government Center building during a court appearance for the four officers facing criminal charges related to Floyd's death. Thomas Wilder Moseley, a 29-year old from Blaine, Minnesota, gained entry to the building during the demonstration and was arrested for carrying a semi-automatic pistol. He was later charged and pled guilty to illegal possession of firearms.
Peter Cahill, the judge overseeing the Chauvin trial, dismissed the most serious charge for
third-degree murder (it was later reinstated) on October 22, 2020, as a protest group of about 100 people demonstrated.
Walz proactively mobilized 100 National Guard troops and an unspecific number of state patrol officers to support local law enforcement.
In early 2021, Minneapolis and Hennepin County officials spent $1 million on fencing and barricades for government buildings and police stations in anticipation of civil unrest during the trial.
In February 2021, Walz deployed the National Guard for trial security and in the event of civil unrest, in response to requests from
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and
Saint Paul Mayor
This is a list of people who have served as mayor of Saint Paul, Minnesota.
;Parties
References
*
*
{{City of Saint Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
...
Melvin Carter.
On March 7, 2021, several hundred protesters marched in downtown Minneapolis and rallied outside the Hennepin County Government Center building to mourn George Floyd and call for reform of policing. The event, dubbed the "'
I Can't Breathe' Silent March For Justice" by its organizers, came one day ahead of jury selection in the
trial of Derek Chauvin slated for March 8. Protesters carried a white-colored replica
coffin
A coffin is a funerary box used for viewing or keeping a corpse, either for burial or cremation.
Sometimes referred to as a casket, any box in which the dead are buried is a coffin, and while a casket was originally regarded as a box for jewel ...
adorned with red flowers. Another group of
faith leaders, held a "Pray for MN" gathering at the government center building later that afternoon.
Jury trial
Approximately one thousand protesters gathered peacefully outside a downtown courthouse as Chauvin's trial commenced on March 8, 2021, to call for justice for Floyd and raise broader issues of
racial injustice. Officials had surrounded the facility with a temporary concrete barrier, metal fencing, and
barbed wire
A close-up view of a barbed wire
Roll of modern agricultural barbed wire
Barbed wire, also known as barb wire, is a type of steel fencing wire constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals along the strands. Its primary use is t ...
in anticipation of potential unrest. Protests and rallies planned for the
George Floyd Square
George Floyd Square, officially George Perry Floyd Square, is the commemorative street name for the section of Chicago Avenue in the U.S. city of Minneapolis from East 37th Street to East 39th Street. It is named after George Floyd, a Black ma ...
were halted for several days after a fatal shooting there on March 6, 2021.
On March 28, 2021, the day before opening statements in the trial of Derek Chauvin, several rallies and protests were held in Minneapolis. The family of George Floyd and
Al Sharpton hosted a vigil at the Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Minneapolis. Separately, protesters marched in downtown Minneapolis to demand justice for Floyd and rallied at the Hennepin County Government Center and
Minneapolis City Hall, and some demonstrators parked cars on the
Metro light-rail tracks, which closed train traffic for several hours. At
38th and Chicago Avenue, the intersection where Floyd was murdered, a group of people who self-identified as "
anarchists" and "
anti-fascists" held a training workshop at the square on how to avoid arrest and keep calm if detained by police. Protesters claimed that the street intersection was not public property and demanded that journalists leave the area before the training workshop began.
The George Floyd Square functioned as a gathering place during the trial of Derek Chauvin for people protesting racial injustice and seeking justice for Floyd. The square hosted daily visitors from around the United States who made pilgrimages to the intersection.
Groups of protesters also gathered outside Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis during the trial of Derek Chauvin and marched on the streets calling for justice over Floyd's murder.
The streets in Minneapolis, however, were largely empty of the mass marches that were a feature of protests in May and June 2020.
On April 6, several civil rights leaders, including
Al Sharpton and former New York Governor
David Paterson, led a rally outside the Hennepin County Government Center building and led prayers for the conviction of Derek Chauvin. The Chauvin murder trial concluded on April 19, 2021, and the jury began deliberations.
Brooklyn Center and Minneapolis unrest
The
killing of Daunte Wright
On April 11, 2021, Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, was fatally shot by police officer Kimberly Potter during a traffic stop and attempted arrest for an outstanding warrant in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, United States. After a brief str ...
, a Black
man, by a police officer took place in the adjacent Minneapolis suburb of
Brooklyn Center on April 11, 2021. Protests and unrest over Wright's death intersected with the looming verdict in Chauvin's criminal trial. A few days after Wright's death, visiting
U.S. Representative Maxine Waters' told demonstrators in Minnesota that they should "stay on the street" and "get more confrontational" if Chauvin's trial resulted in acquittal.
On April 13, members of the George Floyd and Daunte Wright families held a press conference outside the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis.
Early in the morning on April 18, several gunshots were fired at National Guard troops in Minneapolis near Broadway Avenue. The troops had been deployed as part of Operation Safety Net, a planned government mobilization to prepare for and respond to potential unrest related to the Chauvin trial.
A bullet struck a windshield of a military vehicle that held four soldiers. No one was hit by a bullet, but one soldier was transported to a hospital for injuries from shattered glass, and another was treated at the scene for minor wounds.
Twenty activist groups on April 19, 2020, coordinated a large demonstration and march through the streets in Minneapolis near the Hennepin County Government Center building. Protesters made several demands: lengthy sentences for the officers they deemed responsible for George Floyd's death, enactment of police reform legislation in Minnesota, to have charged dropped against demonstrators in Brooklyn Center and at other protest events, and for officials to end the Operation Safety Net mobilization and other government measures. Protesters and law enforcement authorities did not engage with one another and the April 19 event was reported as peaceful.
Jury deliberations
The trial of Derek Chauvin concluded in Minneapolis just after 5 p.m. on April 19, 2021, and the jury began deliberations the same evening. The trial had been one of the most closely watched cases of police brutality in United States history. Walz declared a peacetime emergency and deployed 3,000 National Guard troops and hundreds of state patrol officers to assist local law enforcement. He also sought deployment of law enforcement officers from nearby
states. Some schools in the Minneapolis metropolitan area announced plans to proactively move to
distance learning and business had been boarding up out of worries of potential unrest.
Officials with the Operation Safety Net reported three business burglaries in Minneapolis and that a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources vehicle deployed for potential unrest was broken into and had a firearm stolen from it. Officials did not make any arrests connected to April 19 events.
In
northeast Minneapolis, as the city was on edge awaiting the verdict announcement, a fire that began around 7 p.m. on April 19 destroyed the 100-year old Sacred Heart of Jesus, a
Polish National Catholic Church
The Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC) is an independent Old Catholic church based in the United States and founded by Polish-Americans.
The PNCC is not in communion with the Roman Catholic Church.http://www.saplv.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/ ...
.
The church was located several miles from where peaceful protests were held the evening of April 19. The cause of the fire was falsely blamed on Black Lives Matter and "Antifa" activists in a social media post to
Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
that were flagged as misinformation by the parent
Facebook company. After a several-months investigation, the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and prevent ...
said in September 2021 that the fire was the result of
arson
Arson is the crime of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, wat ...
and they sought the public's held to identify a person of interest.
An investigation of persons responsible and their motive was open in late 2021.
Verdict announcement
Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering George Floyd on April 20, 2021. People gathered outside the
Hennepin County Government Center where the trial was held and at the
38th and Chicago Avenue street intersection in Minneapolis where Floyd was murdered, to await the verdict at approximately 4 p.m. Crowds chanted in approval as the verdict was read that found Chauvin guilty on all charges. As news of the Chauvin verdict spread, thousands of people marched in downtown Minneapolis and others gathered at 38th and Chicago Avenue in elation over the outcome. Activists chanted, "One down! Three to go!", in reference to the looming trials of officers of the other three officers who participated in Floyd's arrest and subsequent murder.
Protesters also called for reforms to policing and justice for other black men killed by police.
Protest events after the verdict announcement occurred without incident and officials described them as peaceful.
Sentencing
People gathered at multiple locations in Minneapolis for the announcement of Chauvin's sentencing on June 25, 2021, when he received a 22.5-year prison term. The ''
Star Tribune
The ''Star Tribune'' is the largest newspaper in Minnesota. It originated as the ''Minneapolis Tribune'' in 1867 and the competing ''Minneapolis Daily Star'' in 1920. During the 1930s and 1940s, Minneapolis's competing newspapers were consolida ...
'' reported that crowds were smaller and more subdued than the jubilant celebrations in April 2021 when Chauvin was found guilty of criminal charges.
Upon hearing of Chauvin's sentence, Floyd's family and civil rights activists expressed disappointment and said it should have been for the 30-year maximum, and they advocated for passage of the federal
George Floyd Justice in Policing Act
The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021 was a policing reform bill drafted by Democrats in the United States Congress. The legislation was introduced in the United States House of Representatives on February 24, 2021. The legislation ai ...
legislation.
Several demonstrations were held in Minneapolis the evening of June 25, 2021. Protesters temporarily blocked vehicular traffic on downtown Minneapolis streets. Civil rights activists and protesters noted the forthcoming civil rights case against the four police officers at the scene of Floyd's death, and the criminal case against former officers Kueng, Lane, and Thao scheduled for March 2022, and their plans to continue protesting.
Elsewhere
Protests were held at several locations in the United States in conjunction with Chauvin's trial. Local officials in several major cities prepared for potential unrest, but events were peaceful as many who participated celebrated the announcement of a guilty verdict.
The verdict announcement was celebrated by people gathering at events in
European
European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to:
In general
* ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe
** Ethnic groups in Europe
** Demographics of Europe
** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe ...
countries,
South Africa, and other countries.
Security measures
Operation Safety Net
In late 2020, state and local government officials in the U.S. state of Minnesota began preparing for the possibility of continued unrest in 2021 with the trials of the four Minneapolis police officers deemed responsible for Floyd's death scheduled for begin that year.
The pre-emptive government mobilization was a contrast to May and June 2020 when a massive law enforcement operation scaled up to respond to fires and unrest in Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
Minnesota state officials led a 12-week mission referred to as "Operation Safety Net" to amass law enforcement agencies and the state National Guard before, during, and after the conclusion of the jury trial of Derek Chauvin.
Officials surrounded the Hennepin County Government Center, a public building that included the court rooms were the Chauvin trial would take place, with a temporary concrete barrier, metal fencing, and
barbed wire
A close-up view of a barbed wire
Roll of modern agricultural barbed wire
Barbed wire, also known as barb wire, is a type of steel fencing wire constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals along the strands. Its primary use is t ...
in anticipation of civil unrest.
Government officials said they did not prepare in advance for the contingency that Operation Safety night might intersect with unrest following another police shooting, as the killing of Daunte Wright occurred on April 11, 2021, which resulted in clashes between patrols mobilized by Operation Safety Net and demonstrators in Brooklyn Center and Minneapolis.
By its end, Operation Safety Net cost $25 million, most of which was for mobilization of 3,500 guard troops, but included costs to mobilize other law enforcement agencies.
Roughly 120 law enforcement officers from the U.S. states of
Nebraska and
Ohio were also mobilized to the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Officials, though they encounter unrest in Brooklyn Center after Wright's shooting, encountered few issues during and after the Chauvin verdict announcement.
Some residents felt the mobilization of troops and state patrols subjected residents to further trauma.
Minneapolis officials spent approximately $1 million in contracts with seven community organizers to act as “positive outreach and support” during the protests and help deescalate potential tension between demonstrators and law enforcement. Hennepin County, which oversaw the courthouse where Chauvin was trial, spent $3.7 million for security measures.
On April 21, 2021, officials began demobilization of Operation Safety Net, a process that took several days.
The security operation faced some criticism by advocates and Minneapolis residents for escalating tension and for resembling a military-style operation. Organized demonstrations that occurred in Minneapolis during the trial and that coincided with the verdict announcement were largely peaceful.
Federal warnings
Prior to the trial, federal authorities warned in classified briefings that extremists, such as
white supremacist organizations and the
Boogaloo movement could attempt to exploit peaceful protests to engage in violence. Officials also speculated that foreign
intelligence agencies in Russia, China, and Iran could use the trial as cover for surveillance of law enforcement and government officials and to use proxy websites and online accounts to amplify criticism of the United States. The possible threats were part of the government security measures ahead of the trial. However, political unrest and violence did not occur during the trial or after the verdict.
Aftermath
Demonstrator criminal case
Thomas Moseley, a 29-year-old man from
Blaine, Minnesota, was arrested and charged by authorities for his role in several protests and riots in 2020. He twice had his bail paid for by the
Minnesota Freedom Fund
The Minnesota Freedom Fund is a non-profit organization that operates a bail fund. It was founded in 2016 and is based in the U.S. city of Minneapolis. The organization pays bail for people who have been arrested and are awaiting trial. Initially ...
and was released from law enforcement custody. Authorities alleged that Moseley was responsible for vandalizing a Minneapolis police station on August 15, 2020, possessing unauthorized weapons and damaging property inside the
Hennepin County Government Center building during a demonstration on October 15, 2020, and participating in a riot in downtown Minneapolis on December 31, 2020. The Minnesota Freedom Fund paid the $5,000 bail for the arrest on October 15, 2020, and the $60,000 bail for his arrest related to the December 31 riot. Mosely pled guilty to federal weapons charges in August 2021, stemming from investigations from his prior arrests at demonstrations.
Attack on the Minnesota National Guard
Andrew Thomas, a 28-year-old man with home addresses in Minneapolis and
Chicago,
was charged by the
United States District Attorney's Office for Minnesota and by Hennepin County officials for shooting at Minnesota National Guard troops on April 18, 2021, that were deployed as part of Operation Safety Net. Thomas was charged by federal authorities with
felony possession of a firearm
Gun laws and policies, collectively referred to as firearms regulation or gun control, regulate the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, modification, and use of small arms by civilians. Laws of some countries may afford civilians a right to ...
.
Hennepin County officials charged Thomas with first-degree and second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and illegal weapons possession.
In July 2021, Thomas pled guilty in Hennepin County court for the drive-by shooting and illegal possession of a firearm. He received an eight-year sentence that included five years in jail and three years under supervised release.
See also
*
2020–2021 Minneapolis–Saint Paul racial unrest
The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen b ...
*
History of Minneapolis
*
List of incidents of civil unrest in Minneapolis–Saint Paul
*
Police brutality in the United States
References
Further reading
*
Derek Chauvin murder trial continues amid peaceful protests: 57 Photos (April 19, 2021).
''USA Today''. April 19, 2021.
Despite Chauvin verdict, ACLU says the US still needs international accountability (April 22, 2021).
''The World'' (radio program). Retrieved April 22, 2021.
*Ferguson, Dana (April 21, 2021).
Operation Safety Net, massive Chauvin trial security task force, will conclude this week. ''
Pioneer Press''. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
*
Take Action MN (April 15, 2020).
Press Release: Community Organizations Call on Walz, Frey, Carter and Hutchinson to Stop “Operation Safety Net” Immediately. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
*Sullivan, Tim (April 20, 2020).
In Minneapolis, city fortified after Chauvin guilty verdict.
''Associated Press''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
*Walz, Tim (April 19, 2021).
Executive Order 21–20: Declaring a Peacetime Emergency to Provide Safety and Protection. ''State of Minnesota, Executive Department''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
External links
Operation Safety Net official website
{{Black Lives Matter
2020–2021 Minneapolis–Saint Paul racial unrest
George Floyd protests in Minneapolis–Saint Paul
African-American riots in the United States
2020 in Minnesota
2021 in Minnesota
2020s in Minneapolis
Minneapolis
Riots and civil disorder in Minnesota
African Americans' rights organizations
Anti-black racism in the United States
Anti-racism in the United States
Civil rights protests in the United States
Criminal justice reform in the United States
Criticism of police brutality
History of African-American civil rights
Minnesota National Guard
Post–civil rights era in African-American history
Race and crime in the United States