Police in Washington, D.C., are preparing for protesters to hit the streets of the nation’s capital once a decision is reached soon in the trial of Derek Chauvin over the death of George Floyd.
“In anticipation of potential First Amendment activities related to the outcomes of the Derek Chauvin trial, the Metropolitan Police Department will be fully activated with members on 12-hour shifts starting Monday, April 19, 2021 until further notice,” an MPD spokesperson said in a statement they shared with The Washington Times over the weekend.
A traffic advisory issued by MPD said it does not anticipate any street closures but that “there is the potential for intermittent closures in the entire downtown area of the District of Columbia.”
Mr. Chauvin, 45, a former Minneapolis police officer, faces charges of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter stemming from the death of Floyd, 46, nearly a year ago.
Closing arguments in the trial are scheduled to start Monday, setting the stage for jurors to begin deliberating soon after, although it remains to be seen precisely when a verdict will be reached.
Floyd was placed under arrest on May 25, 2020, after he allegedly used a counterfeit $20 bill at a Minneapolis shop. He died shortly after while restrained by police officers including Mr. Chauvin.
Parts of the arrest were caught on camera, including video footage showing Mr. Chauvin, who is White, kneeling for several minutes on Floyd, a Black man, while he laid face-down in handcuffs.
Rallies and demonstrations were held across the U.S. in the aftermath of Floyd’s death, including in some cities where otherwise largely peaceful protests were marred by violence, rioting and looting.
More recently, the death of Daunte Wright, 20, a Black man shot and killed by a White police officer Sunday in Brooklyn Center, Minn., northwest of Minneapolis, has sparked new protests nationwide.
Police arrested roughly 100 people in Brooklyn Center late Friday after a protest outside the local police station turned violent, the head of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety said afterward.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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