George Floyd Square Barricades with BLM Banner, Minneapolis

Barricades, including a Black Lives Matter banner, at George Floyd Square in Minneapolis. The square, located at the intersection of 38th Street and Elliott Avenue, was established as an autonomous zone following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020. City workers removed the barricades the day before this photograph was taken, marking a significant moment in the ongoing occupation and its eventual dismantling. 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.