Protests are planned Saturday and Monday against institutionalized racism and the murder of Geroge Floyd at Colorado’s Capitol, in the wake of a protest Thursday evening that turned increasingly chaotic.
Floyd, a Black man in Minneapolis, was killed after an encounter with a white cop who pressed his knee into the back of Floyd’s neck for eight minutes as he begged for mercy and said he couldn’t breathe, a video shows. The murder has sparked protests nationwide.
Another protest at the Capitol is set to take place on Saturday at noon, with thousands on Facebook saying they’ll attend or are interested in attending.
“Please bring your signs, posters, COVID MASKS, and friends/family members … let’s set up a peaceful, civil protest in front of the Capitol building,” the Facebook event page reads. “Our anger is a natural human response to a man being lynched in broad daylight in the middle of the street as he begged for relief of ANY kind, telling them he couldn’t breathe. I fully understand. I have this same rage in my heart. I think millions of us do. It’s too much. Arresting and even convicting is fine. That needs to happen, but we need this police violence and white supremacist violence to stop. #blacklivesmatter Period. This isn’t what I prefer. I prefer peace. But we won’t be peaceful while you literally have your knee on our neck.”
A March starting at the Capitol in Floyd’s honor is scheduled for Monday evening.
Thursday’s protest saw gunshots fired, a protester nearly run over, vandalism at the Capitol, and eventually the use of tear gas and pepper bullets by police.
