Minneapolis Uprising: The Murder of George Floyd

Minneapolis Uprising – February 2024

Protest flyers along the Midtown Greenway, the Luminary Loppet on Lake of the Isles, and works at the former Sheraton, February 2024

February 1–29, 2024 Minneapolis

Protest flyers opposing the reconstruction of the Minneapolis Police 3rd Precinct cover surfaces along the Midtown Greenway and near the proposed building site at 2633 Minnehaha Avenue South in South Minneapolis. The original precinct was destroyed by protesters on May 28, 2020, following the murder of George Floyd, and the city signed a purchase agreement for a replacement site in February 2024.

That decision renewed visible opposition across the neighborhood. Flyers appeared on the Martin Olav Sabo Bridge, which carries the Midtown Greenway over Hiawatha Avenue, and on structures near the former precinct building itself, ranging from hand-lettered demands to a sardonic piece designed to resemble a Target advertisement. The set also takes in other conditions along the Greenway corridor during the same period: graffiti calling on the city to repair the trail rather than remove unauthorized work, a vacant lot on 14th Avenue South where the city placed discarded utility poles to deter a new encampment after clearing Camp Nenookaasi, interior renovation work at the former Sheraton Hotel near Midtown Exchange, and the Luminary Loppet winter festival at Lake of the Isles, where unseasonably warm weather pushed the traditional route off the ice and onto the surrounding parkways.

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A couple walk in front of luminaries with city skyline — *February 3, 2024* — Participants gather for the Luminary Loppet around Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis during February 2024. Due to unseasonably warm weather, the annual winter event was held off the ice, a departure from its traditional setup. The Luminary Loppet transforms the lake's perimeter with thousands of illuminated lanterns, creating a festive atmosphere for community engagement.

Candle lit inside a bag at night — *February 3, 2024* — A luminary from the annual Luminary Loppet illuminates the night around Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis. This popular winter event transforms the perimeter of Lake of the Isles, part of the city's Chain of Lakes, into a festive trail for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and walking. Thousands of luminaries line the path, creating a unique community experience. In February 2024, unseasonably warm weather necessitated moving the event's course from the lake's surface to its surrounding pathways.

Aerial photo of Lake of the Isles — *February 3, 2024* — The Luminary Loppet, an annual winter festival, took place around Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis in February 2024. Due to unseasonably warm weather, the event's traditional route across the frozen lake was relocated to the surrounding parkways, where participants walked among thousands of luminaries.

Repair Pot Holes Quit Buffing Graffiti — *February 4, 2024* — Graffiti on a wall along the Midtown Greenway in South Minneapolis reads "Repair Pot Holes, Quit Buffing Graff...". The Midtown Greenway is a 5.5-mile-long rail-to-trail path for bicycles and pedestrians, converted from a former railway corridor in the early 2000s.

Proposed precinct construction flyer — *February 4, 2024* — A protest flyer is affixed to an informational sign on the Martin Olav Sabo Bridge in South Minneapolis, a structure that carries the Midtown Greenway over Hiawatha Avenue. The flyer expresses community opposition to the proposed construction of a new Minneapolis Police 3rd Precinct at 2633 Minnehaha Avenue South. This facility is intended to replace the original 3rd Precinct building, which was destroyed during the 2020 Minneapolis Uprising. In February 2024, the city signed a purchase agreement for the new site, with an anticipated opening in early 2025, five years after the original precinct was burned.

Sign protesting new 3rd precinct — *February 4, 2024* — A protest flyer is affixed to the Martin Olav Sabo Bridge in South Minneapolis, part of the Midtown Greenway. This radical art expresses opposition to the planned replacement of the Minneapolis Police 3rd Precinct. The new "community safety center" at 2633 Minnehaha Avenue is located approximately a quarter mile from the bridge. This facility replaces the original precinct building, which was burned during the Minneapolis Uprising in May 2020. The city anticipates the new building will open in the first quarter of 2025, nearly five years after the original structure's destruction.

No New 3rd Precicnt Flyer — *February 4, 2024* — A flyer is affixed to a surface along the Midtown Greenway in Minneapolis, advocating against the reconstruction of the Minneapolis Police Department's 3rd Precinct. The flyer reads "MPD 3rd Precinct 1984 - 2020 Still Burning In Hell No New 3rd Precinct." This message refers to the original 3rd Precinct building, which was burned by protesters on May 28, 2020, during the Minneapolis Uprising following the murder of George Floyd.

Minneapolis Skyscraper seen from South — *February 4, 2024* — The downtown Minneapolis skyline, featuring prominent structures such as the IDS Center and Capella Tower, is illuminated at night, as viewed from the Martin Olav Sabo Bridge in February 2024. Completed in 1972, the IDS Center was the tallest building in Minneapolis for decades, serving as a key commercial hub. The Capella Tower, finished in 1992, further defines the city's financial district. The Martin Olav Sabo Bridge, opened in 2007, is a pedestrian and bicycle bridge that forms a crucial link in the Midtown Greenway, an important urban trail system.

Former Sheraton gets interior paint — *February 10, 2024* — Interior painting is underway at the former Sheraton Hotel near the Midtown Exchange building in Midtown Minneapolis.

Snoopy flyer reads No New Precinct — *February 10, 2024* — A protest flyer featuring the character Snoopy, accompanied by the phrase "No New Precinct" and "We'll do it again," is affixed to a surface along the Midtown Greenway in Minneapolis. This flyer expresses opposition to the proposed rebuilding of the Minneapolis Police 3rd Precinct. The original 3rd Precinct building was destroyed by protesters on May 28, 2020, following the murder of George Floyd.

Light poles laying in an empty lot — *February 10, 2024* — Discarded utility poles and other materials fill a vacant lot on 14th Avenue South in Minneapolis. This site was previously occupied by Camp Nenookaasi, a significant homeless encampment, during the summer of 2022. In recent months, the City of Minneapolis Public Works has strategically placed these materials in vacant lots across the city. This measure is intended to prevent the formation of new encampments.

Soithside Strong No New Precinct — *February 10, 2024* — A protest flyer advocating "Southside Strong No New Precinct!" is affixed to a pole along the Midtown Greenway in Minneapolis, photographed in February 2024. This flyer, featuring a vibrant artistic design and a QR code for more information, expresses community opposition to the rebuilding or relocation of the Minneapolis Police 3rd Precinct. The original 3rd Precinct building was destroyed during the 2020 Minneapolis Uprising following the murder of George Floyd.

The people say no new third precinct — *February 10, 2024* — A protest flyer is affixed to a concrete structure near the former Minneapolis Police Third Precinct in South Minneapolis. The flyer, reading "Someday, wildflowers will grow from the ruins of all police precincts," expresses a radical sentiment regarding policing. Another smaller flyer with a QR code explicitly states "NO NEW THIRD PRECINCT!" and directs to information, reflecting ongoing community opposition to rebuilding the facility at 2633 Minnehaha Avenue. The original Third Precinct building was destroyed during the Minneapolis Uprising in May 2020, making the site a focal point for discussions about police presence and community safety.

Time for a target run protest flyer — *February 10, 2024* — Flyers protesting the construction of a new Minneapolis Police Third Precinct are displayed near the former precinct site on Minnehaha Avenue in South Minneapolis. One flyer, designed to resemble a Target advertisement, sarcastically invites the public to "Celebrate the opening of the NEW Police Precinct at 2633 Minnehaha Ave." and depicts a shopping basket containing items like charcoal and bolt cutters. A smaller accompanying flyer explicitly states "NO NEW THIRD PRECINCT!" and includes a QR code for more information.

Minneapolis Uprising – February 2024

Minneapolis Photographer