More than 100 rally in downtown Minneapolis for police accountability

Activists called for Derek Chauvin's conviction in George Floyd's death.

April 10, 2021 at 3:31AM

More than 100 people rallied and marched in downtown Minneapolis late Friday to call for an end to police mistreatment of people of color.

The "We Can't Sleep If We're Not Safe From Police Violence" rally, which began at 9 p.m., was sponsored by several advocacy groups, including the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Communities United Against Police Brutality and Black Lives Matter Minnesota.

Rally attendants heard from speakers outside the Hennepin County Government Center before beginning a peaceful march. Many carried Black Lives Matter banners or pictures of George Floyd.

Their chants of "Prosecute the police, no justice, no peace" and "We have nothing to lose but our chains" echoed through an otherwise quiet downtown. The protest at times had a festive air, with people sometimes dancing in the streets to a clublike beat between speeches.

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been on trial in a Government Center courtroom in Floyd's May 2020 death while in police custody.

Speakers called for Chauvin's conviction, but said even if it comes, activists shouldn't get too comfortable.

"Night or day, if we can't sleep, they can't sleep," said Michelle Gross of Communities United Against Police Brutality.

Zoë Jackson covers young and new voters at the Star Tribune through the Report For America program, supported by the Minneapolis Foundation.

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(Photo by Mark Vancleave/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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(Photo by Mark Vancleave/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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About a hundred protesters gathered for a late-evening demonstration outside the Hennepin County Government Center on Friday. (Mark Vancleave - Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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Civil rights activist Nekima Levy Armstrong demanded justice for families with members who have died in confrontations with police. (Photo by Mark Vancleave/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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Motorcyclists provided security at Friday night’s demonstration. (Photo by Mark Vancleave/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

about the writer

Zoë Jackson

Reporter

Zoë Jackson is a general assignment reporter for the Star Tribune. She previously covered race and equity, St. Paul neighborhoods and young voters on the politics team.

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