Chants of "black lives matter" and "I can't breathe" echoed through the streets of Boston on Sunday evening as a sea of protesters marched from Nubian Square to the State House, adding their voices to the dozens of protests across the nation that erupted after George Floyd's death.
Several thousand people gathered despite social distancing guidelines to call for justice in the wake of the death of Floyd, a black man who died after a white police officer in Minnesota knelt on his neck for more than seven minutes. That officer, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with manslaughter and third degree murder.
Protesters gathered outside of the Boston Police District B-2 station in Roxbury to protest before police. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)A Black Lives Matter protester hold up a banner on Boston Common. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)Protesters coming from the State House walk through Boston Common toward Nubian Square to meet other protesters for an anti-police violence march. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)Thousands of protesters arrive in Boston Common on their way to the Massachusetts State House. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)A protester holds up a banner outside the State House. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)Protesters hold up their fists outside the State House. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)Hundreds of protesters gather outside the Massachusetts State House. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)Protesters march toward the State House on Sunday. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)
Protests have erupted across the country since Floyd's death on Monday, drawing thousands of people and, sometimes, escalating into violence. Sunday's Boston protest, organized by a group called "Black Boston," at first was peaceful, following another well-attended demonstration Friday.
Protesters walk past an empty bus as they demonstrate Sunday. (Steven Senne/AP)A woman holds a banner during the protest Sunday in Boston. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)Protesters demonstrate outside a police station Sunday. (Steven Senne/AP)A line of protesters marches up the hill to the Massachusetts State House. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)Protesters take a knee outside the State House. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)A woman wears a "don't shoot" shirt during a protest against police brutality on Sunday (Jesse Costa/WBUR)A Boston Police officer and a protester shake hands as protesters gathered outside of the District B-2 station in Roxbury before the Black Lives Matter rally began its march to the Massachusetts State House. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)As protesters gathered outside the District B-2 station in Roxbury, a protester twirls a stick in his hand looking at Boston Police armed with batons. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)Thousands of protesters gathered to rally at the Massachusetts State House. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)Black Lives Matter protesters outside the State House. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
But as night fell Sunday and the bulk of the crowd began to disperse, the situation deteriorated. Police used tear gas on the remaining people around the State House; some in the crowd threw water bottles at officers, and shattered storefront windows; at some point, a police vehicle caught fire. Police tweeted that some people threw bricks at officers.
Boston Police move to clear out a crowd on Washington Street at Downtown Crossing. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)A boot is thrown at a Boston Police vehicle as people confront officers on Washington Street in Downtown Crossing. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)A man gets milk poured on his face after being pepper sprayed by Boston Police in Downtown Crossing. (Jesse Costa./WBUR)A line of Boston Police officers force people out of Downtown Crossing after the rally at the Massachusetts State House. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)Boston Police emerge from the cloud of tear gas in Boston Common to clear out the crowd. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)A man smashing a window of a store front on School Street after a rally. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)A man walks on a Boston Police SUV set fire on Tremont Street. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)A Boston Police officer looks around as a Police SUV is on fire behind him on Tremont Street. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)Police motorcycles block people's way on Tremont Street. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)A line of police stop people from moving onto Boston Common from the State House. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)People throw items at a police car passing the State House in Boston on Sunday. (Steven Senne/AP)
Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.
This article was originally published on June 01, 2020.
