New Orleans, LA – The night of June 3, hundreds of New Orleans protesters climbed the Crescent City Connection to fight racist violence and demand justice for police murders. The Connection is a highway bridge that crosses the Mississippi River to connect the East and West banks of New Orleans. The protesters fought as part of the Black Lives Matter and Justice for George Floyd movements, rallying behind various calls to abolish prisons and police.
Salt Lake City, UT – Since the May 30 National Day of Protest action here, led by Utah Against Police Brutality, demonstrations in Salt Lake City have continued every day, with hundreds in the streets demanding justice for the killing of all victims of police violence, like of George Floyd from Minneapolis and Bernardo Palacios from Rose Park, Utah. Protests have continued even with a strict 8 p.m. curfew issued by Mayor Erin Mendenhall enforced by armed police and National Guard troops with armored vehicles.
St. Paul, MN – Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced this afternoon, June 3, an increase of the charges against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, adding a second-degree murder charge to the indictment against him. In addition, three additional Minneapolis police officers, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder; they stood by watching Derek Chauvin kneel on George Floyd’s neck for nine minutes until his body was lifeless. They are expected to be taken into custody today.
Minneapolis, MN – June 1 marked the fourth of a planned eight days of protest by University of Minnesota students in Dinkytown, a university neighborhood, following the death of George Floyd. Chanting slogans such as “I can’t breathe” and “No justice, no peace,” dozens of students blocked a road at the intersection of 15th Avenue SE and 4th Street SE.
Boston, MA – On the evening of June 2, an estimated 55,000 people gathered in Boston’s Franklin Park to protest the police murder of George Floyd. The event began with the blocking of Blue Hill Avenue, next to the park in the working-class neighborhood of Dorchester, for a die-in. Protesters laid down in the street for eight minutes and 46 seconds – marking the length of time that Floyd was held down by the Minneapolis police officers who crushed the life out of his body. The enormous crowd chanted the names of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others who have been killed by police throughout the country.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Translation by Greg Butterfield of Struggle / La Lucha.
Laredo, TX – On May 30, 200 mostly working-class protesters took to the streets and in front of their city hall to unite in solidarity with Black sisters, brothers and comrades around the U.S. The event was called for and led by Red Wing and was part of the National Day of Protest call made by the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR).
New York, NY – On day five of the protests that have overtaken New York, one took place at the Stonewall Inn. On June 2 at 5 p.m., over 7000 protesters gathered at the historic location of the Stonewall Riots to honor Black trans lives lost to police violence.
Milwaukee, WI – The weekend has come and gone, but the uprising that began on Friday, May 29 has continued and grown. On June 2, the largest demonstration to date occurred, even in spite of the blistering heat and heavy humidity.
Minneapolis, MN – Hundreds gathered outside the Davis Center, the headquarters of the Minneapolis Public Schools, June 2, rallying to end the contract with Minneapolis Police Department. It was announced last Friday that the school board drafted a resolution to do so.
On Monday, June 1, with protests over George Floyd’s murder in their seventh day, President Trump and Attorney General William Barr used violence to clear peaceful protesters near the White House. The protesters had committed no crime, but were met with tear gas, flashbang grenades and pepper balls and beaten with batons by Federal Park Police. An Australian camera person and their assistant were hit with a shield and struck with batons as they tried to escape. Trump threatened even more violence as he berated mayors and governors and warned that he would call out the U.S. military to suppress protests in cities across the United States.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the influential Greek labor organization, the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME), that was sent to AFSCME Local 3800.
Minneapolis MN – The driver who drove his tanker truck in the large demonstration on the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis, was released from custody today, June 2, after Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman failed to press charges.
Appleton, WI – On May 30, as many as 1000 people braved the pandemic, wearing masks and practicing social distancing where they could while filling Houdini Plaza in downtown Appleton. People joined together to protest the savage and racist police killing of Minneapolis resident George Floyd last week, and to rally for the Black Lives Matter movement.
New Orleans, LA – May 30, 400 New Orleanians gathered in Duncan Plaza to protest in memory of George Floyd and in solidarity with Minneapolis demonstrators. The rally coordinated with the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression’s National Day of Protest. Participants demanded: “Justice for victims of police crime,” “Community control of the police,” and “Mass release of prisoners, in response to COVID-19.”
Fort Lauderdale, FL – Over 3000 members of the South Florida community took to the streets in downtown Fort Lauderdale to protest the killing of George Floyd. They marched to demand the arrest of the other Minneapolis cops involved in Floyd’s murder and an end to all racist police violence.
New York, NY – On the early evening of June 1, around 1500 people gathered in the Lower East Side. This was one gathering out of dozens happening throughout the five boroughs.
