George Floyd Square barricades at 37th and Chicago Ave

Barricades at the intersection of 37th Street and Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis, a site that became known as George Floyd Square. These barriers were erected by protesters following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, transforming the area into a space for community gathering and protest. The city's attempts to remove the barricades to reopen the street to traffic were met with resistance, leading to the reinstallation of these temporary structures. 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.

Photo taken in June 2021.