I Can’t Breathe

On Tuesday night, the all-too-familiar chant of “I can’t breathe” rang out in the streets of Minneapolis, Minnesota, as protestors gathered in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd. The 47-year-old black man died Monday after a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, handcuffed him, pushed him to the ground and knelt on his neck for several minutes. In a video of the incident, filmed by a bystander, Floyd can be heard saying repeatedly, “I can’t breathe” — a chilling echo of the death of Eric Garner — while other onlookers plead with the officer to let up. Floyd was reportedly detained for allegedly trying to use a counterfeit $20 bill at a convenience store. He was unarmed.

Officials did act swiftly after Floyd’s death and the spread of the video online: Chauvin and three other police officers were fired, the FBI launched a civil rights investigation and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension also launched an investigation of its own. Still, thousands of peaceful protestors gathered Tuesday, marching peacefully from the site of Floyd’s death to the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct, demanding the officers involved face criminal charges. Outside the Third Precinct, however, tensions quickly escalated. Per the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, some protestors broke the glass door of the station and vandalized the building and patrol vehicles; the police began firing rubber bullets, flash-bang devices and chemical irritants believed to be tear gas into the crowd.

“Let’s be clear: This is murder,” community activist John Thompson told the Star-Tribune. “I don’t want to be labeled the angry black man — I should be able to have that emotion. I’m angry. Wouldn’t you be?”

Protestors Confront Police

Protestors peacefully confront police, with some holding up their arms per another common chant at rallies against police brutality: “Hands up, don’t shoot.” 

A Familiar Refrain

Signs and shirts bearing the phrase “I can’t breathe” — which became a rallying cry after the death of Eric Garner in 2014 — were a common sight Tuesday, especially considering the chilling similarities between Garner’s case and Floyd’s.

Tear Gas

Protestors held up their hands and stood their ground even after police began firing off tear gas to get the crowd to disperse.

A Show of Solidarity

Bystanders show their solidarity with protestors and activists as they marched from the site of Floyd’s death outside a convenience store to the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct.

Black Lives Matter

Protestors held up “Black Lives Matter” signs, while many who gathered also wore masks due to ongoing health concerns over COVID-19.

Outside the Precinct

One person flashes the finger as protestors gather just outside the doors of the MPD’s Third Precinct. 

Homemade Remedies

A protestor uses milk to help alleviate the burning sensation after police began firing tear gas into the crowd.

Staying Strong In a Downpour

Protestors withstood tear gas, flash-bangs, rubber bullets and even rain as they demanded justice for Floyd. 

Tactical Gear

Police in tactical gear emerge to disperse protestors. Activist and civil rights lawyer Nekima Levy-Armstrong said of the police reaction: “To see so many police cars, to hear large, loud booms and what I think was tear gas being sprayed on people, rubber bullets being shot at people, is an excessive response.”

“Hands Up, Don’t Shoot”

“Hands up, don’t shoot,” protesters chanted outside the MPD’s Thid Precinct.

“I Can’t Breathe”

Protestors gathered near the convenience store where Floyd was detained with an unauthorized chokehold. “This abusive, excessive and inhumane use of force cost the life of a man who was being detained by the police for questioning about a nonviolent charge,” said Benjamin Crump, the attorney retained by Floyd’s family.

A Simple Plea

One protestor holds up a sign with a simple request: “Stop killing black people.”

Demanding Justice

Protestors gathered near the site of Floyd’s detainment. The officer at the center of the incident, Derek Chauvin, has hired the attorney Thomas Kelly, who succesfully defended Jeronimo Yanez in the 2016 fatal shooting of Philando Castile outside Minneapolis.

Community Support

A woman holds up a sign demanding justice after Floyd’s death. Investigations into his death have been launched by the FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. 

“Again?”

Protestors marching in solidarity on Hiawatha Avenue in Minneapolis.