What started as a small, peaceful protest in Denver, escalated into chaos last night after someone fired gunshots near the Capitol.
Demonstrators demanding justice for George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died after he was handcuffed and pinned down by a white police officer in Minneapolis on May 25th, were sent scattering across the city as police shot tear gas canisters and pepper spray.
The crowds grew larger as the night progressed, and at around 9:15, Denver police fired tear gas to disperse hundreds who remained on the Capital lawn. Video shared on social media showed a driver striking a demonstrator in the street near the Capitol.
By 11 pm, all downtown streets had reopened, except for 13th and Lincoln Streets, where officers were monitoring smaller groups of protesters.
But protesters threw fireworks at police, prompting another round of tear gas around 12:30 am.
The crowd dwindled and the streets were quiet by 1:30 am.
The demonstrators had gathered at the state Capitol to call for justice on behalf of Floyd, a Minneapolis man who died Monday as officers pinned him to the ground—including one who kept his knee on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes.
The state legislature announced just before midnight that neither the Senate nor the House would meet today or tomorrow, the state Capitol shut down by protests just three days after legislators returned form a 2 and a half month coronavirus imposed break.
