George Floyd death in Minneapolis: summary 31 May
George Floyd death sparks protests in US: latest updates, 31 May/1 June
Some key related stories
Scroll through our news items for a deeper understanding of the situation and related factors.
New feed
Thank you for being with us as the news has been growing on the aftermath of the George Floyd killing. We will continue our coverage over at our new rolling feed.
'Staying silent is complicit'
Live on CNN, Floyd's family spoke to Minneapolis police directly for the first time and his brother asked whether the other officers involved would be arrested. Police Chief Medaria Arradondo was clear:
"Being silent or not intervening to me, you're being complicit ... Mr. Floyd died in our hands."
Former NBA star J.R. Smith beats man for allegedly vandalising car
Ex-Cavs star rages at alleged vandal
TMZ Sports have posted a video showing the former Cleveland Cavaliers guard beating up a man he alleges damaged his car while parked in a residential area in Los Angeles during the protests over the death of George Floyd.
Violent scenes everywhere
With mobile tech is in the hands of everyone across the US, images have been captured of police brutality in multiple cities.
The Verge has compiled several of them.
Cuomo praises Kneeling NYPD officers
This video, shot by Aleeia Abraham in Jamaica, Queens, shows police officers kneeling with demonstrators during a march calling for justice for George Floyd and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea have praised the police officers involved.
It was a pastor that invited officers to come into the circle and kneel with them, CNN explained, and that was greeted with cheers from the crowd.
Abraham said she'd never seen police do that in all her years of activism, or even on television at other protests, but warned that "what we’re really looking for is action."
"I’ll be even more impressed when we’re not stepped on and gunned down. That’s the moment I’m looking for."
A protester sits while riot police fire tear gas in his direction in Raleigh.
George Floyd: how a suspected counterfeit $20 bill led to protests across the US
From that suspected counterfeit bill
Staff working at Cup Foods grocery store called police after suspecting George Floyd was attempting to use a fake 20 dollar bill. The actual state of the bill has not been confirmed.
New Zealand join the protest
Thousands of New Zealanders marched peacefully on Monday chanting 'Black Lives Matter' in solidarity with George Floyd.
The event was part of a number of protests around the globe, from London and Berlin to Australia and the Netherlands. Protesters in New Zealand's Auckland city sat on the road after their peaceful march as they raised clenched fists in a sign of unity, solidarity and Black Power.
Social media posts showed demonstrators outside the American Consulate in Auckland wielding posters that read 'Justice For George Floyd' and 'Are We Next?'.
In peaceful protest
The riots, flames and violence takes most of the headlines but we must remind ourselves that the vast majority of the protests have been conducted appropriately.
A reconstruction
The NYT has pieced together the elements that came together to bring George Floyd's life to an early end, and start the aftermath that we are now seeing.
Who is Jaylen Brown and what's his role in the George Floyd movement?
Celtics' Brown makes his stand
Jaylen Brown is a guard from the Celtics who drove 15 hours from Boston to Atlanta to lead a peaceful protest over the death of George Floyd.
Enforcing the curfew
An example of police in Minneapolis, Minnesota getting residents back indoors. Necessary?
Lewis Hamilton criticises F1 for staying silent on Floyd death
Six times Formula One motor racing champion Lewis Hamilton has criticised his sport for its silence on the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a white U.S. police officer knelt on his neck.
The death in Minneapolis triggered a wave of outrage and violent protests in the United States.
Hamilton, Formula One's first black world champion, spends much of his time in America and spoke out on the issue in an Instagram story on Sunday.
"I see those of you who are staying silent, some of you the biggest of stars yet you stay silent in the midst of injustice," wrote the Mercedes driver.
"Not a sign from anybody in my industry which of course is a white dominated sport. I’m one of the only people of colour there yet I stand alone," he added.
"I would have thought by now you would see why this happens and say something about it but you can’t stand alongside us. Just know I know who you...are and I see you."
Biden visits site of police brutality protest in Delaware
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on Sunday toured the site of one of the protests that ripped through U.S. cities overnight and called for protesters against police brutality not to turn to violence.
Biden, wearing a face mask, made his second appearance outside his Delaware home since the coronavirus crisis hit in March, visiting an area in Wilmington where demonstrators vented outrage at the death of a black man shown on video gasping for breath as a white Minneapolis policeman knelt on his neck.
A campaign post on Instagram showed Biden speaking with African American residents and inspecting buildings boarded up to prevent damage hours after he issued a statement that "we are a nation in pain, but we must not allow this pain to destroy us."
Music industry plans Tuesday protest
Music industry members have pledged to join a grassroots campaign to make June 2nd “Black Out Tuesday.”
Billed as “a day to disconnect from work and reconnect with our community,” the campaign — boasting the hashtag #TheShowMustBePaused and will be supported by the likes Columbia Records, Universal Music Group, Warner Music, Sony Music and many more.
Bundesliga players demand justice for the death of George Floyd
Bundesliga players demand justice for the death of George Floyd
Several players from different Bundesliga teams expressed how they felt about the death of George Floyd this weekend during week 29 of the current season.
"This is very dangerous"
We don't know yet if the vehicle was actually attempting to ram demonstrators, but this was a very dangerous moment and has been called "disturbing" by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. The driver appears to have been dragged from the cab by the crowd and suffered non-life threatening injuries. He's been arrested. It doesn't appear any protesters were hit.
Police and protesters clash in Santa Monica
Protesters threw objects at police in Santa Monica, as law enforcement officials trued to disperse demonstrators by firing rubber bullets at them.
The protesters are also attempting to build barriers out of construction equipment and plywood.
Several stores were reported looted. A citywide curfew started at 4pm.
Goals against racism
Our front page for Monday, with the message from Borussia Dortmund player Achraf. Several other players dedicated their goals to the fight for justice for George Floyd, the fight against racism and against police brutality against black people.
Curfews
Here's a list of curfews in place tonight (compiled by CNN)
Arizona: Weeklong statewide curfew
California: Los Angeles County, San Francisco, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, West Hollywood
Colorado: Denver
District of Columbia
Florida: Miami, Orange County, Jacksonville, Orlando
Georgia: Atlanta
Illinois: Chicago
Indiana: Indianapolis
Kentucky: Louisville
Michigan: Detroit
Minnesota: Minneapolis, St. Paul
Missouri: Kansas City
New York: Rochester
Ohio: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo
Oregon: Portland, Eugene
Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh
South Carolina: Charleston, Columbia, Myrtle Beach
Tennessee: Nashville
Texas: Dallas, San Antonio
Utah: Salt Lake City
Virginia: Richmond
Washington: Seattle
Wisconsin: Milwaukee, Madison
Trump attacks media again
Several journalists were attacked, or arrested, by police over the weekend, despite being clearly identified as journalists. Trump's message is dangerous. The media are reporting on the protests, there is no evidence they are fomenting "hatred and anarchy".
Criminal complaint against Chauvin
In this article by Elie Honig, a CNN legal analyst and former federal and state prosecutor, reviews the criminal complaint against Chauvin. And he makes some worrying points:
- the charge itself, of third-degree murder, is light, given the facts. Chauvin's behaviour seems sufficient to warrant a second-degree charge.
- Complaint does not note that Floyd said "Don't kill me", "I can't breath" and "I'm about to die".
- Complaint notes Floyd's size, which would seem to be irrelevant, given he was on the ground, handcuffed.
There's more too..
George Floyd: how a suspected counterfeit $20 bill led to protests across the US
A fateful 911 call
And it doesn't appear that the police even ever checked the bill...
White House staff told to stay away today
White staff have been sent an email telling them to stay away today. “Due to ongoing demonstrations, please avoid coming to the White House Complex today if it all possible,” the email reads. “The White House currently maintains an elevated security posture.”
National Guard arrives in Los Angeles to control protestors and stop looters
National Guard in LA
500 to 700 members, to help more than 10,000 police officers on the streets.
More than 60 Secret Service officers injured at the White House this weekend
According to a statement from the Secret Service more than 60 of their officers were injured over the weekend near the White House as protests and demonstrations hit Washington.
"The officers and agents were injured when protesters threw “projectiles such as bricks, rocks, bottles, fireworks and other items,” according to the statement. “Personnel were also directly physically assaulted as they were kicked, punched and exposed to bodily fluids.”
Chicago curfew to remain in effect
The curfew in Chicago will remain in force until further notice, the city's mayor Lori Lightfoot has said. The National Guard will also continue to assist law enforcement officials in policing demonstrations.
Access will also be restricted to the loop, the main section of downtown Chicago, and to the central business district.
"This area will only be accessible to residents and essential employees, whose businesses are located within the boundaries we have set to enable the cleanup and repair and restoration of their places of livelihood," Lightfoot said. "We've also suspended all CTA train and bus service coming in and out of the loop."
Five arrests outside US Embassy in London
The Metropolitan police say they had made five arrests outside the US Embassy, three for violations of the coronavirus lockdown guidelines and two for assaults on police.
Coronavirus infections
People have been asking whether the demonstrations could lead to a spike in coronavirus cases. This article from CNN suggests they could: 'Philadelphia didn't cancel a parade during a 1918 pandemic. The results were devastating'.
Two points: Footage of the protests does show most demonstrators in masks, which presumably was not the case in 1918 and, as many have pointed out on Twitter, for many of the protesters the fight for human rights takes precedence even over a pandemic.
Protests in London
The protests have spread beyond the United States to places such as London, where thousands have shown their support for the demonstrations taking place in the States. Many have gathered outside the US embassy in the UK capital, Sky said.
National security adviser denies existence of systemic racism in US law enforcement
Robert O'Brien, the United States' national security adviser, has told an interview with CNN that racism in the country's law enforcement comes down to "a few bad apples".
"No, I don’t think there’s systemic racism," O’Brien said. "There’s a few bad apples that are giving law enforcement a terrible name."
"There are some bad cops that are racist and there are cops that maybe don’t have the right training," he also said.
George Floyd Memorial Fund: how much has GoFundMe page raised?
George Floyd GoFundMe page raises nearly $5 million
Donations have flooded in on a GoFundMe set up by the family of George Floyd - at the time of writing, around 200,000 contributors had donated just under $5 million.
Full story:
Police drive through barrier
More footage of what we showed you in our earlier feed in New York. (These images could be distressing)
Mark Zuckerberg explains why Facebook didn’t do anything about Trump’s post
Facebook stance
In case you missed it, after struggling all day to come up with a response, Mark Zuckerberg gave the rationale for his decision.
Noah on the dominoes of racial injustice
A man who is always worth a listen is Trevor Noah. Listen to his views of what is going on in America.
Where we are...
Another night of protests have taken place across America and around the world.
If you've missed what has been going on you can catch up here.
George Floyd killing: latest updates
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the reactions and protests in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.
Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died on Monday, 25 May after pleading for help as police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck to pin him down. Floyd was unarmed and already handcuffed. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
Footage shot by a bystander shows Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck, as he pleads that he cannot breath, until he slowly stops talking and moving.
The death has provoked widespread protests, initially in the city where Floyd was killed, Minneapolis, but which have now spread across the US.