Minneapolis: Burning dumpsters at Lake St & Hennepin Ave during protests

Burning dumpsters are visible at the intersection of Hennepin Avenue and Lake Street in Minneapolis on June 5, 2021. This occurred during protests following the law enforcement shooting death of Winston Smith on June 3. The protests, which took place in the Uptown neighborhood, saw unrest and property damage, including fires set in public trash receptacles. On June 3, 2021, members of a U.S. Marshals Service fugitive task force fatally shot 32-year-old Winston “Boogie” Smith Jr. on the top level of a parking ramp in Minneapolis’ Uptown neighborhood while attempting to arrest him on a felony warrant. Authorities said Smith fired a handgun from inside his vehicle during the encounter, while family members and activists questioned the official account and demanded the release of additional evidence. The killing led to weeks of protests, street occupations, and confrontations with police in Uptown, becoming another major flashpoint in Minneapolis during the period following the murder of George Floyd. Earlier in the day Minneapolis city officials along with The Agape Movement coordinated to open the streets that had been closed at George Floyd Square since his murder.

Photo taken in June 2021.