Crews removed concrete barriers as well as artwork, flowers and other memorial items on Thursday from the Minneapolis intersection that has become a sprawling memorial to George Floyd, whose died last year while in local police custody.
City crews began the work about 4:30 a.m. at the intersection, which is informally known as George Floyd Square and was where the 46-year-old Black man was pinned to the ground by police.
The intersection at 38th Street and Chicago Avenue had been closed to traffic and became a primary gathering place for those mourning Floyd’s death.
The community group Agape, which contracted with the city to keep watch over the area, worked to coordinate the effort, according to city spokeswoman Sarah McKenzie. A fist sculpture, which stands several feet tall, will remain in the middle of the intersection, McKenzie said.
The square, which sits at 38th and Chicago, had been transformed into an outdoor festival May 25 to commemorate the one-year anniversary of Floyd’s death while in Minneapolis police custody.
But before the events got underway, between one to dozen rounds of gunfire erupted near the square, leaving one person shot and at least one business window blown out. Police had to give a shelter-in-place order while searching for an unknown number of gunmen.
Floyd, 46, who was Black, died on Memorial Day 2020 after then-Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck, pinning him to the ground for about 9 ½ minutes.
Chauvin was convicted in April of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Chauvin has also been indicted on federal charges alleging he violated Floyd’s civil rights, as well as the civil rights of a 14-year-old he restrained in a 2017 arrest.
The three other former Minneapolis police officers involved in Floyd’s death were also charged with federal civil rights violations. They await trial in state court on aiding and abetting counts.
The site of Floyd’s death was taken over by activists soon after and was barricaded to traffic.
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