Protests over Death of Black Man Spread across US

Clouds of smoke hung over Minneapolis, Minnesota on Friday, hours after cheering protesters set fire to a police station in the city. The demonstrators are protesting the death of George Floyd, an unarmed African American man, following his arrest by police.

The unrest started on May 26 after videos of the arrest were shared on social media. They showed a white police officer pressing his knee on Floyd’s neck. Floyd repeatedly said, “I can’t breathe” and “Please, I can’t breathe” as the crowd asked the police to stop.

The Minneapolis police force said officers were answering a call about a man suspected of using counterfeit money. They said the suspect was “under the influence,” “physically resisted officers,” and “appeared to be suffering medical distress.”

Floyd died.

The reaction was quick.

The mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey, and other local leaders denounced the police officers’ action. The four officers involved in the incident were dismissed from the force. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice joined the investigation.

Some protesters marched peacefully during the day and appealed for the officers’ arrests. But others came out at night, throwing stones at police, setting fire to buildings, and attacking businesses.

Minneapolis fire officials reported that 16 buildings were burned Wednesday night. National Guard troops were called in to protect the area.

Late Thursday, police officers were told to leave the 3rd Precinct police station, where the crowd had gathered to protest Floyd’s death. Livestream video showed protesters throwing objects, breaking glass entrance, and set the building on fire.

U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the violence and the city’s mayor, who belongs to the Democratic Party. Trump is a Republican.

The president wrote on Twitter that he would send in National Guard troops to “get the job done right” if the “weak” mayor failed to restore order. He added, “Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts.”

The message led to a warning from Twitter, which said it violated rules about “glorifying violence.”

 

Meeting with reporters on Friday, Mayor Jacob Frey defended his decision to evacuate the police station, saying it had become dangerous for officers. He said, “There is a lot of pain and anger right now in our city. I understand that … What we have seen over the past several hours and past couple of nights here in terms of looting is unacceptable.”

Across the street from the police station, windows in nearly every business had been broken. The Target department store chain said it would close several nearby stores, including the one heavily damaged by looters. A Wendy’s restaurant was burned almost beyond recognition. Other businesses covered their windows and doors.

Protests in other cities

The protests in Minneapolis spread across the river to the city of Saint Paul. St. Paul’s Mayor Melvin Carter, who is black, wrote on Twitter, “Please stay home. Please do not come here to protest. Please keep the focus on George Floyd, on advancing our movement and on preventing this from ever happening again.”

In New York City, protesters disobeyed the city’s ban on public gatherings during the coronavirus health crisis. Some demonstrators clashed with police on Thursday. Demonstrators also blocked traffic in Denver, Colorado, and Columbus in Ohio. A day earlier, protesters demonstrated in Los Angeles and Memphis, Tennessee.

In Louisville, Kentucky, police confirmed that at least seven people had been shot Thursday night. The protesters were demanding justice for Breonna Taylor, a black woman who was fatally shot by police in her home in March.

I’m Jonathan Evans.

 

Hai Do adapted this story for Learning English based on Associated Press and Reuters news reports. George Grow was the editor.

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Words in This Story

 

counterfeit – n. an exact copy of something in order to trick people

distress – n. pain

loot – v. to steal something from a place

glorify – v. to make something seem much better or more important than it really is

evacuate – v. to leave a dangerous place

focus – v. to direct attention and effort at something

 

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