Filed under: Action, Featured, Police, The State, White Supremacy

Over the last two days, continued rioting, looting, and clashes with police have intensified in so-called Minneapolis, following the police murder of George Lloyd on Monday. On Wednesday, one protester has been shot and killed. County prosecutors on Thursday afternoon stated that they would not proceed forward with charging the officers involved in his death at this time, only adding to the growing anger on the streets.
#Minneapolis is a turning point, as the first large scale US grassroots rebellion in the midst of the pandemic, but also because it showed the drive of the people to take action in the face of various forces attempting to push them off the streets. https://t.co/egLLnIbKsa
— It's Going Down (@IGD_News) May 27, 2020
As one report wrote:
During a Thursday afternoon press conference, Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey attempted to placate protesters and pleaded with them to “be better than we have been.” Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arrodondo joined in the plea to restore order in the city. “I know that there is currently a deficit of hope in our city… But I will not allow anyone to continue to increase that deficit by re-traumatizing those folks in our community.”
Popular anger was further stoked Thursday by the comments of the prosecutor who has jurisdiction over the case, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman. He told reporters that there is “other evidence that does not support a criminal charge… I will not rush to justice.”
Freeman is responsible for the decision not to bring charges against the officer who killed Jamar Clark in 2016, sparking days of protest, as well as the more than half a year delay in deciding to charge and arrest the officer who shot and killed Justine Damond in 2017.
Rioting and looting continued to spread as it had the night before – into neighborhoods away from the initial epicenter and then into nearby St. Paul. On Thursday, as smoke still rose from burned out corporate stores such as Target, thousands of people took to the streets in Downtown Minneapolis in solidarity with George Floyd, as fresh clashes broke out with police and more stores were looted. Posts on social media also show liberated goods been distributed in the Target parking lot close to the 3rd police precinct, which has become the de-facto epicenter of the rioting.
Over @UR_Ninja livestream tonight:
*bus drivers refusing to transport those arrested to jail
*gangs calling truces in order to protect the protests from far-Right vigilantes
*people across racial lines coming together
*churches offering mutual aid to those gassed pic.twitter.com/I14EWYbsSq— It's Going Down (@IGD_News) May 28, 2020
As the afternoon wore on, people gathered outside of the precinct, as clashes with police continued. These running street battles escalated as rioters broke into the building, finally forcing police to flee in their vehicles. Once the building was empty, people then began to loot it and then set it on fire. What followed was a festive, party-life atmosphere for several hours while the precinct burned.
This victory over the police by thousands of people taking sustained action daily in the face of massive police violence, mainly young zoomers and millennials, represents a historical moment. As expressed in hours of interviews conducted by Unicorn Riot on the ground in the midst of the uprising, the revolt is not coming from the activist Left, nor from “progressives” or “liberals,” but instead from the local base of proletarian youth in Minneapolis. While the uprising has had a very multi-racial character, across the board there is an understanding that the entire anti-Black system of racialized capitalism must be destroyed.
As night wore on, solidarity demonstrations were kicking off across the so-called United States. Anarchists organized solidarity demonstrations and marches in Portland and Olympia, while students in Oakland blocked a freeway entrance. In Sacramento, street marches took place, while riots broke out in Fontana, which broke windows at City Hall. Meanwhile in Los Angels, two days of protests were organized, with people on Wednesday blocking the 101 freeway; busting out the windows of a police car that attempted to drive into demonstrators. Finally in Phoenix, rowdy street marches gave way to riots, as people lobbed rocks at the Phoenix Police Department.
More riots and clashes with the police continued in Denver, where people fought with police and blocked a freeway, while in Columbus, riots in the street soon led to mass vandalism of the Statehouse. Street-fighting also took place in Louisville, Kentucky, while in New York, clashes with police led to multiple arrests. In the evening, Trump took to Twitter to call protesters “thugs” and announced the arrival of several hundred National Guard troops on the streets of Minneapolis, whom he claimed would potentially open fire on looters.
What follows is a roundup of solidarity protests and riots from across the so-called United States. For a list of upcoming protests and demonstrations, go here.
Pacific Northwest
Olympia, WA: Solidarity demonstration tears down fences keeping people from access Downtown park. Graffiti written. Read report here and here.
Portland, OR: Protest and occupation outside of so-called Justice Center continues into second day. At night, street march launched; blockades of streets.
Southwest
Sacramento, CA: Street march blocks streets.
So we’re on Florin Rd in Sacramento blocking one of the three lanes in each direction when cops pull up.
Cops: “get out of the road”
Everybody at the protest: takes the other two lanes as well.
Cops: immediately give up and dip into the Walmart parking lot to restrategize pic.twitter.com/hywcWHUTiB
— looting the dipping mustard store (@starfoxmike) May 28, 2020
Oakland, CA: Youth shut down freeway entrance in downtown Oakland.
Young people shutting down streets and freeway entrance in #Oakland in solidarity with #GeorgeFloyd and #MinneapolisUprising. pic.twitter.com/2GL7AskNgJ
— It's Going Down (@IGD_News) May 29, 2020
Fontana, CA: Clashes with the police break out after protest takes to the streets. People begin throwing rocks and bottles at police. Windows broken at city hall.
Protesters in #Fontana broke out this window at city hall. pic.twitter.com/4nW5AfHrlM
— INLANDNEWS (@INLANDNEWS) May 29, 2020
Los Angeles, CA: Two days of solidarity actions. On Wednesday, mass march takes to the streets and blockades freeway 101. Police officer drives into crowd and police vehicle is attacked, windows broken out. Crowd marches and rallies in front of LAPD HQ where anti-police graffiti is written. Thursday sees more protests.
Protests have reached Los Angeles. This is downtown right now.
It’s all happening.
— TheCompanyMan.eth 🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@TheCompanyMan) May 28, 2020
BREAKING NEWS: Black Lives Matter protestors attacking police cars on 101 freeway in LA during #GeorgeFloyd protest @FOXLA pic.twitter.com/iMYnFU2mO6
— Liz Habib (@LizHabib) May 28, 2020
#FuckLAPD #FuckLBPD #Fuck12 #ACAB pic.twitter.com/Jk4Pr45VA2
— Long Beach Antifascists (@LBCAFA) May 28, 2020
Phoenix, AZ: Large march takes to streets. Riots breakout outside of Phoenix police headquarters; rioters pelt police station with rocks.
Crowd pelts Phoenix Police Department with rocks
Albuquerque, NM: Mass march takes to the streets.
Today hundreds of Duke City citizens showed up for justice. Black lives matter, full stop#blacklivesmatter #albuquerque #newmexico pic.twitter.com/lF9N0P8LVK
— Fashopposite 505 (@fashopposite) May 29, 2020
Central
Denver, CO: Street marches turn into riots; police shoot out gas to clear people from blocking freeway. Vigilante driver runs into crowd; reports of a shooter firing off several shots, no one hit.
Flashbangs, tear gas, and pepper spray are descending onto the solidarity with #GeorgeFloyd protesters in #Denver outside the #Colorado State Capitol pic.twitter.com/NgFGi7kuc4
— UNICORN RIOT 🦄 mastodon.social/@unicornriot 👈❗✨ (@UR_Ninja) May 29, 2020
Both lanes of I25 are now blocked by protestors in Denver. pic.twitter.com/6XjnQGNR0d
— James Dougherty (@DoughertyKMGH) May 29, 2020
Downtown denver. Some girl turned around to run this guy over #GeorgeFloyd #icantbreathe #downtowndenver #denver pic.twitter.com/eirohGGPr5
— Anabel (@bellers03) May 29, 2020
Hundreds marched in solidarity Thursday evening in #Denver with #GeorgeFloyd who was murdered by MN police on Monday. Protesters were met with flashbangs, rubber bullets, tear gas, and pepperball pellets. At least two people were injured by police, and at least two arrests. pic.twitter.com/hKDdvuLIVB
— UNICORN RIOT 🦄 mastodon.social/@unicornriot 👈❗✨ (@UR_Ninja) May 29, 2020
Midwest
Chicago, IL: Rally in solidarity with Georgy Floyd.
Oakdale, MN: Protests continue outside of the home of Derek Chauvin, the former police officer who killed Georgy Floyd. Several arrested over past few days.
Minneapolis, MN: Mass street protests flood downtown; clashes with police and looting continues; fires are re-start, rioters are able to push police out of the 3rd precinct and police evacuate; precinct is set on fire. Thousands party in liberated zone. National guard arrives to mostly clear out streets after Trump issues vague threats of the military opening fire on looters.
3rd Precinct in #minneapolis started on fire by a crowd of black, brown, white and native youth. Liquor stores, Target, Dollar Tree, Apple, Urban Outfitters all pillaged by the poor.
What's next?#GeorgeFloyd #icantbreathe #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/pWdBCmj75n— Acid Communist League (@MarvinBaron6) May 29, 2020
WATCH: Footage shows Minneapolis PD officers fleeing their respective precients amid escalating demonstrations. #minneapolisriots pic.twitter.com/2LDQbpivpS
— Cicada News (@cicada_news) May 29, 2020
people be like “why they looting” as if there isnt useful shit in stores lol https://t.co/3quaTuAw2p
— bⒶby grl (@crimethot) May 29, 2020
From the streets of Minneapolis. 20,000 protesters came out to demand justice for George Floyd. Undeterred by police repression, community members will continue to protest. The governor has moved to call in the National Guard. #GeorgeFloyd #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd pic.twitter.com/8XBNbtdmdA
— BreakThrough News (@BTnewsroom) May 28, 2020
Columbus, OH: Street protests lead to riots which take over the Statehouse; windows broken; people storm building.
So Columbus going crazy right now pic.twitter.com/01K7BJ2NaD
— gavin mounts (@gtmounts) May 29, 2020
UPDATE: Police line has moved up. Things have escalated. Police have used spray to push crowd back. @nbc4i pic.twitter.com/VpAsv0kJig
— Eric Halperin (@EricHalperinTV) May 29, 2020
NOW: Demonstratirs have moved to the Statehouse grounds and have broken windows. Some have gone inside. @nbc4i pic.twitter.com/VBtVbprA9G
— Eric Halperin (@EricHalperinTV) May 29, 2020
Columbus protest in solidarity with Minneapolis marching now. #GeorgeFloyd #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/DAppYZjCu8
— SURJ Columbus (@SURJColumbusOH) May 29, 2020
St. Louis, MO: Rowdy protests block streets in solidarity with George Floyd.
Ferguson, MO: Protest outside of police department in solidarity with George Floyd
Southeast
Penascola, FL: Protest and rally in solidarity with George Floyd.
Dozens of people gather in Pensacola to protest against police brutality pic.twitter.com/JwKTAPcQ4c
— Cody Long (@WKRGCodyLong) May 28, 2020
Memphis, TN: Two nights of rowdy marches which take the streets in solidarity with the Minneapolis Uprising; blocks streets. Attempted disruption by neo-Confederate.
Union Avenue shut down after two men, one holding a sign that says “police lives matter comply confederate 901” confront protesters who gathered to protest the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery pic.twitter.com/QqJsYt9t7l
— Corinne Kennedy 〽️ (@corinneskennedy) May 28, 2020
Day 2 of Memphis #protests pic.twitter.com/itKYw3varO
— Crowned Prince of Ashland (@TerranceM_Smith) May 29, 2020
Louisville, KY: Riots break out in the streets; street fighting with police; barricades and shields utilized by rioters. At some point there was as shooting which injured 7 people, one person critically. Rioters marched in solidarity with George Floyd as well as Breonna Taylor, who was killed by police in March.
Large protest moving through the streets of Louisville for #BreonnaTaylor, a Black woman shot and killed by police who barged into her homepic.twitter.com/hhZNTDdJ1s
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) May 29, 2020
Picnic table shields in Louisville, KY pic.twitter.com/mL3xVaTZjR
— ? (@leftkist) May 29, 2020
The LMPD are racist murderers just like every other US police department, and the people of Louisville are done! Justice for Breonna Taylor! pic.twitter.com/YCgvTi5U0B
— R🌾 (@mishkalex_) May 29, 2020
Northeast
New York, NY: Clashes with police in Union Square; over 40 arrests.
Violence flares at New York city protests #GeorgeFloyd pic.twitter.com/gRBubkecCm
— Jack Dawkins (@DawkinsReturns) May 28, 2020
Protests exploding in Manhattan #nyc #BlackLivesMatter #Minneapolis #GeorgeFloyd @lookner https://t.co/Wls2WSAjx4
— NewYorkCityPeople (@yyeeaahhhboiii2) May 29, 2020
