Minneapolis transformation over the past 5 years since George Floyd's murder: an examination.
MINNEAPOLIS - Five years have passed since the killing of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, an event that sparked a wave of racial justice protests across the United States. Sunday marked the anniversary of Floyd's death, which occurred when white officer Derek Chauvin pinned Floyd's neck to the pavement for 9 1/2 minutes.
Much has changed in the city since then, but parts of Minneapolis have yet to fully recover from the rioting, looting, and arson that ensued. One area that remains a symbol of the city's struggle and its commitment to justice is the intersection where Floyd was killed, now known as George Floyd Square.
A large sculpture of a clenched fist and a renamed convenience store are two of the many tributes to Floyd at the square. Originally called the Cup Foods, the store is now named Unity Foods. Visitors from around the world gather at the site, drawn by a sense of history and the desire to pay their respects.
Alfred "A.J." Flowers Jr., a local activist, recently visited the square. He spoke of the frustration and anger that fueled the protests following the killings of young Black men, including Floyd. "It's significant that the Black community tends to come together at 'places where we die, whether it's by our own hands or by police violence,'" Flowers said.
The fate of George Floyd Square remains undecided. A majority of City Council members support building a pedestrian-only mall at the site, but Mayor Jacob Frey and many property and business owners oppose the idea. In the meantime, businesses in the neighborhood are struggling. Flowers urged authorities to support Black-owned businesses, housing, education, and crime prevention to improve the local economy.
The shell of the 3rd Precinct police station, which was allowed to burn during the unrest in 2020, has been the subject of intense debate. A plan to rebuild the site as a "Democracy Center" that would house voter services, a community space, and a memorial to Floyd was recently approved by the City Council.
The slogan "Defund the Police" gained popularity after Floyd's death, but it never came to pass. A more modest attempt to reimagine policing was rejected by voters in 2021. The police force, however, did lose hundreds of officers following the unrest. Staffing has started to recover, and officers are once again engaging with the community at George Floyd Square.
President Donald Trump's administration recently moved to cancel agreements to overhaul the police departments in Minneapolis and Louisville, Kentucky. Mayor Frey and Police Chief Brian O'Hara pledged that Minneapolis would continue to work towards reform, with or without the White House's support. The police department is already operating under a consent decree with the Minnesota Human Rights Department, which aims to address race-based policing and strengthen public safety.
The progress being claimed by the city is not universally felt, according to activists. "We understand that change takes time," said Michelle Gross, president of Communities United Against Police Brutality. "However, the progress being claimed by the city is not being felt in the streets."
Source: Associated PressAssociated Press videographer Mark Vancleave contributed to this story.
- Despite the passage of five years, parts of Minneapolis, particularly George Floyd Square, have yet to fully recover from the rioting and arson that ensued following Floyd's death.
- A.J. Flowers Jr., a local activist, suggests that supporting Black-owned businesses, housing, education, and crime prevention is crucial to improving the local economy.
- The shell of the 3rd Precinct police station, which was allowed to burn during the unrest in 2020, is set to be rebuilt as a "Democracy Center" that will house voter services, a community space, and a memorial to Floyd.
- Professor of Urban Design at the University of Washington, Michael everyone, explains that while the slogan "Defund the Police" did not come to pass in Minneapolis, the police department is already operating under a consent decree with the Minnesota Human Rights Department, aiming to address race-based policing and strengthen public safety.
- Activists like Michelle Gross, president of Communities United Against Police Brutality, argue that the progress claimed by the city is not universally felt and that change takes significant time.
