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Derek Chauvin protests

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Derek Chauvin protests
Part of George Floyd protests in Minneapolis–Saint Paul
Protest march in Minneapolis, April 19, 2021
DateSeptember 11, 2020 – June 25, 2021 (9 months and 2 weeks)
Location
Caused byMurder of George Floyd
Goals
  • Changed with murder[1]
  • No release on bail[2]
  • Conviction at criminal trial[3]
  • 30-year prison sentence[4]
  • Police-reform measures[4][5][6]
MethodsProtests, demonstrations, civil disobedience, and civil resistance
StatusCivil trial pending
Result
Arrested
  • 51 on October 7, 2020[2]
  • 1 on October 15, 2020[7]
ChargedAt least 1[7]

In 2020 and 2021, several protests were held in the U.S. city of Minneapolis that coincided with judicial proceedings and the criminal trial of Derek Chauvin.[1] As an officer with the Minneapolis Police Department, Chauvin was charged with the murder of George Floyd, 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 conscious, and died.[8] Local government officials surrounded a downtown Minneapolis courthouse building that was the venue for the proceedings with a temporary concrete barrier, metal fencing, and barbed wire in anticipation of civil disorder.[9] 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.[10]

Background[edit]

Murder of George Floyd[edit]

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, an unarmed African American man, died while under the custody of Minneapolis Police Department officers 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.[11] Floyd’s death was ruled a homicide and Derek Chauvin was charged with murder, and the other three officers who assisted in his arrest were charged with lesser criminal charges.[12][13]

George Floyd protests in Minneapolis–Saint Paul[edit]

George Floyd's death, which was captured by a bystander's video that circulated widely in the media, inspired a worldwide protest movement against police brutality 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 justice—by holding Chauvin and three other Minneapolis police officers who at the scene of Floyd’s death—accountable for their actions.[1] On May 26, 2020, protesters gathered outside Chauvin's Oakdale, Minnesota, home.[14] In subsequent demonstrations, protesters demanded that Chauvin be charged with murder, and the first charges were file against him on May 29, 2020.[15]

Trial of Derek Chauvin[edit]

Chauvin was charged in May 2020, and later convicted in April 2021, of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in connection with Floyd's death.[16]

The criminal charges were filed in Hennepin County of the U.S. state of Minnesota. Judicial proceedings were held a the Hennepin County Government Center, a downtown Minneapolis local government and court building.

Events[edit]

Judicial proceedings[edit]

Protest march in Minneapolis, March 7, 2021.

Hundreds rallied outside the Hennepin County Government Center on September 11, 2020, during a pretrial hearing for former officers Chauvin, Lane, and Keung, and Thao.[17] 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 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 the their motion.[18]

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,[19] but he later posted bond for the $1 million bail for his release pending trial. Governor Walz sent 100 National Guards troops, as well as 100 state police troops and 75 conservation officers, to keep the peace in Minneapolis.[20] 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.[2]

Protests were held on October 15, 2020, at the Hennepin County Government Center building in Minneapolis 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.[21][7]

Peter Cahill, the judge overseeing the Chauvin trial, dismissed the most serious charge for third-degree murder on October 22, 2020, as a protest group of about 100 people demonstrated.[22] Walz proactively mobilized 100 National Guard troops and an unspecific number of Minnesota State Patrol officers to support local law enforcement.[23]

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.[24] In February 2021, Governor Walz deployed the Minnesota 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 Melvin Carter.[25]

On March 7, 2021, several hundred protesters marched in downtown Minneapolis and rallied outside the Hennepin County Government Center building to mourn the death of 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 adorned with red flowers. Another group of faith leaders, held a "Pray for MN" gathering at the government center building later that afternoon.[26]

Jury trial[edit]

Security fencing and a Minnesota National Guard vehicle, March 8, 2021

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 in anticipation of potential unrest. Protests and rallies planned for the George Floyd Square were halted for several days after a fatal shooting there on March 6, 2021.[27]

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 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 killed, 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.[28]

The George Floyd Square remained an important 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.[29] 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.[30] The streets in Minneapolis, however, were largely empty of the mass marches that were a feature of protests in May and June 2020.[31]

On April 6, several civil rights leaders, including Al Sharpton and former New York Governor David Paterson, led a rally outside the government building and prayed for the conviction of Derek Chauvin.[32] The Chauvin murder trial concluded on April 19, 2021, and the jury began deliberations.[3]

Brooklyn Center unrest[edit]

Minnesota National Guard M-ATVs in front of Uptown Theater on April 12, 2021

The killing of Daunte Wright, a biracial Black man, took place in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center on April 11, 2021. Protests and unrest over Wright's death intersected with the looming verdict in Chauvin's trial. A few days after Wright's death, 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.[33] On April 13, members of the George Floyd and Daunte Wright families held a press conference outside the Minneapolis courthouse.[34]

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 where the trial of Derek Chauvin was held. Protesters made several demands: lengthy sentences for the officers they deemed responsible for George Floyd's death, police reform legislation in Minnesota, to have charged dropped against demonstrators in Brooklyn Center and at other recent events, and for officials to end government mobilization dubbed "Operation Safety Net" and other government counter-protest measures. Protesters and law enforcement authorities did not engage with one another the April 19 event was peaceful.[35][36]

Jury deliberations[edit]

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 the United States. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz declared a peacetime emergency and deployed 3,000 Minnesota National Guard troops and state patrol officers to assist local law enforcement. He also sought deployment of law enforcement officers from nearby states. Some schools in the metropolitan area announced plans to proactively move to distance learning and business had been boarding up out of worries of potential unrest.

Verdict announcement[edit]

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 died, 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.[37] 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 death.[38] Protesters also called for reforms to policing and justice for other black men killed by police.[10][39][40]

A sign at the George Floyd Square occupied protest, May 18, 2021

Protest events occurred without incident and officials described them as "peaceful". Officials with the Operation Safety Net also 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.[41]

Sentencing[edit]

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 reported that crowds were smaller and more subdued than the jubilant celebrations in April 2021 when Chauvin was found guiltily.[4] 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 legislation.[4][5][6]

Several demonstrations were held in Minneapolis the evening of June 25, 20201. 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.[5][6][4]

Aftermath[edit]

Government mobilization[edit]

Members of the Minnesota National Guard at the Hennepin County Government Center on March 31, 2021

State and local officials prepared 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.[1] 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 in anticipation of civil unrest.[42]

Minnesota state officials led a 12-week mission referred to as “Operation Safety Net” to amass law enforcement agencies and the state National Guard for the conclusion of the jury trial of Derek Chauvin. Officials did not prepare in advance for the contingency of unrest following another police shooting, such as the killing of Daunte Wright on April 11, which resulted in clashes between patrols mobilized by Operation Safety Net and demonstrators in Brooklyn Center and Minneapolis.[43] The operation cost state officials $25 million, most of which was for mobilization of 3,500 guard troops, but included costs to mobilize other law enforcement agencies.[44] Roughly 120 law enforcement officers from the U.S. states of Nebraska and Ohio were also mobilized to the Twin Cities area.[45]

Officials, though they encounter unrest in Brooklyn Center after Wright's shooting, encountered few issues during and after the Chauvin verdict announcement.[44] Some residents felt the mobilization of troops and state patrols subjected residents to further trauma.[43] Minneapolis officials spent approximately $1 millions 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.[46] Hennepin County, which oversaw the courthouse where Chauvin was trial, spent $3.7 million for security measures.[47]

Demonstrator criminal case[edit]

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 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.[21][7]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Montemayor, Stephen (2020-12-15). "State officials urge keeping fence around State Capitol well into 2021". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2020-12-16.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 "More than 50 protesters arrested during faceoff with law enforcement in Minneapolis after Derek Chauvin release". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Staff (2021-04-19). "Minneapolis demonstrators call for justice; Chauvin jury wraps for night without verdict". KARE-11. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Norfleet, Nicole; Forgrave, Reid (2021-06-26). "Derek Chauvin's sentencing sparks relief but also resolve to keep fighting injustice". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2021-06-26.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Champan, Reg (2021-06-25). "'Happy, But Also Not Happy': Community Reaction Mixed After Chauvin Sentencing". WCCO-TV. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Lick, Val (2021-06-25). "'A slap on the wrist', George Floyd's family reacts to Derek Chauvin sentencing". KARE-TV. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota (2021-08-06). "Blaine Man Pleaded Guilty to Illegal Possession of Multiple Firearms". www.justice.gov. Retrieved 2021-08-21. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  8. McGreal, Chris (April 20, 2021). "Derek Chauvin found guilty of George Floyd's murder". The Guardian. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  9. Jackson, Zoë; Forgrave, Reid Forgrave; Du, Susan (March 9, 2021). "Peaceful protesters march in Minneapolis as Derek Chauvin trial in George Floyd's death slowed by legal wrangling". Star Tribune. Retrieved March 9, 2021. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  10. 10.0 10.1 Mannix, Andy (2021-04-20). "Minneapolis streets erupt in elation over guilty verdicts for Derek Chauvin". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
  11. Chappell, Bill (June 3, 2020). "Chauvin And 3 Former Officers Face New Charges Over George Floyd's Death". NPR. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  12. "Court filings: Medical examiner thought George Floyd had 'fatal level' of fentanyl in system". FOX 9. August 25, 2020. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  13. Arango, Tim; Dewan, Shaila; Eligon, John; Bogel-Burroughs, Nicholas (April 20, 2021). "Derek Chauvin is found guilty of murdering George Floyd". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  14. "Demonstrators gather around Minneapolis to protest death of George Floyd". KSTP. May 26, 2020. Archived from the original on May 28, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  15. Staff (2020-05-30). "What charges are former officer Derek Chauvin facing in the death of George Floyd?" (URL and video). FOX-9. Retrieved 2020-05-31. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  16. Arango, Tim; Dewan, Shaila; Eligon, John; Bogel-Burroughs, Nicholas (April 20, 2021). "Derek Chauvin is found guilty of murdering George Floyd". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  17. Lauritsen, John (2020-09-11). "'I Believe In Justice': Hundreds Of Protesters Gather Outside George Floyd Pretrial Hearing". WCCO. Retrieved 2020-09-11.
  18. Karnowski, Steve; Forlit, Amy (2020-11-05). "Judge rejects moving trial of ex-officers in Floyd's death". Associated Press. Retrieved 2020-11-05.
  19. Staff (2020-05-29). "Former MPD Officer Derek Chauvin In Custody, Charged With Murder In George Floyd's Death". WCCO. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
  20. Eliott C. McLaughlin and Brad Parks. "Protesters take to streets following release on bond of former officer charged in George Floyd's killing". CNN. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  21. 21.0 21.1 Belcamino, Kristi (2021-08-08). "Blaine man bailed out by Freedom Fund pleads guilty to firearms charges in connection with George Floyd protests". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved 2021-08-08.
  22. Staff (2021-03-05). "Timeline: The killing of George Floyd and trial of Derek Chauvin". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
  23. Williams, Brandt (2020-10-22). "Floyd killing: Judge keeps 1 murder charge against Chauvin, drops another". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
  24. Navratil, Liz (March 4, 2021). "Minneapolis, Hennepin County to spend more than $1M on barricades ahead of Derek Chauvin trial". Star Tribune. Retrieved March 4, 2021. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  25. Williams, Brandt (February 5, 2021). "Gov. Walz deploys MN National Guard for Chauvin trial security". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  26. Staff (2021-03-07). "Ahead of Chauvin trial, silent marchers demonstrate in Minneapolis". KARE-11. Retrieved 2021-03-07. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  27. Jackson, Zoë; Forgrave, Reid Forgrave; Du, Susan (2021-03-09). "Peaceful protesters march in Minneapolis as Derek Chauvin trial in George Floyd's death slowed by legal wrangling". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2021-03-09. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  28. Du, Susan; Norfleet, Nicole (2021-03-28). "Prayer service on eve of Derek Chauvin trial urges peace, unity and justice". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2021-03-29. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  29. Hughes, Trevor (2021-04-04). "'No justice, no streets': Still grieving, Minneapolis residents wonder how city will move forward after Derek Chauvin trial". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2021-04-05. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  30. Martínez, Andrés R.; Arango, Tim (2021-03-29). "First Witnesses in Derek Chauvin Trial Testify About George Floyd's Death". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
  31. Hughes, Trevor (2021-04-04). "'No justice, no streets': Still grieving, Minneapolis residents wonder how city will move forward after Derek Chauvin trial". USA Today. Retrieved 2021-04-05. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  32. Forgrave, Reid (2021-04-06). "Civil rights leaders pray with Floyd family outside Chauvin trial". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2021-04-06. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  33. Dewan, Shaila; Arango, Tim; Bogel-Burroughs, Nicholas; Eligon, John (2021-04-20). "With Closing Arguments Finished, Chauvin's Fate Is Now in Jury's Hands". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
  34. Owens, Donna (April 13, 2021). "Families of George Floyd, Daunte Wright Hold Emotional Press Conference in Minneapolis". Essence. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  35. Staff (2021-04-19). "Minneapolis demonstrators call for justice; Chauvin jury wraps for night without verdict". KARE-11. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
  36. Staff (2021-04-19). "NIGHTCAST: Protesters gather in downtown Minneapolis as jury begins deliberations in Chauvin trial". KTSP. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
  37. Plambeck, Sean (2021-04-20). "Derek Chauvin Trial Live Updates: Chauvin Found Guilty of Murdering George Floyd". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
  38. Ismail, Aymann (2021-04-20). "When the Verdict Came Down". Slate. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
  39. Dakss, Brian; Sundby, Alex; Freiman, Jordan (April 13, 2021). "Second night of unrest after fatal police shooting of Daunte Wright outside Minneapolis". CBS News. cbsnews.com. Archived from the original on April 13, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2021. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  40. Ismail, Aymann (2021-04-20). "When the Verdict Came Down". Slate. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
  41. "Operation Safety Net Daily Update: April 20 | Operation Safety Net". SafetyNet.mn.gov. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  42. Jackson, Zoë; Forgrave, Reid Forgrave; Du, Susan (March 9, 2021). "Peaceful protesters march in Minneapolis as Derek Chauvin trial in George Floyd's death slowed by legal wrangling". Star Tribune. Retrieved March 9, 2021. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  43. 43.0 43.1 Raiche, Ryan (2021-04-29). "Operation Safety Net: Success or 'nightmare?'". KTSP. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  44. 44.0 44.1 Bakst, Brian (2021-04-28). "National Guard presence during Chauvin trial cost $25M". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  45. Ferguson, Dana (2021-04-21). "Minnesota's Operation Safety Net to wind down after Derek Chauvin verdict". Pine Journal. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
  46. Winter, Deena (2021-05-19). "Brooklyn Center turned to community groups, paying them to keep peace during protests". Retrieved 2021-05-19.
  47. "Derek Chauvin Trial Cost Hennepin County $3.7M". WCCO-TV. 2021-07-17. Retrieved 2021-07-17.


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