George Floyd Square Barricades, South Minneapolis

Street barricades constructed from salvaged materials at the perimeter of George Floyd Square in South Minneapolis. The square, established in the wake of George Floyd's murder in May 2020, became a site of protest and community organizing. These barricades were erected after city officials removed earlier barriers, an attempt to reclaim the space for vehicular traffic that was met with renewed community resistance. On May 25, 2020, Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin murdered 46-year-old George Floyd during an arrest outside Cup Foods at the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in south Minneapolis. Video recorded by bystanders showed Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes while Floyd repeatedly said he could not breathe. Three other Minneapolis police officers - J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane, and Tou Thao — were also present during the arrest and later faced criminal charges for their roles in Floyd’s death. Floyd’s murder sparked protests and civil unrest across Minneapolis and around the world, leading to widespread demonstrations against police violence, major policy debates on policing, and the conviction of Chauvin on murder and manslaughter charges in 2021.