Razor Wire Security at Hennepin Courthouse, Minneapolis

Razor wire fencing, a security measure, surrounds the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis. This installation was part of Operation Safety Net, a multi-agency effort to provide security during the Derek Chauvin murder trial. The trial, which began with jury selection on March 8, 2021, followed the death of George Floyd and subsequent protests. 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.