[North America] ‘We don’t need a curfew, we need change’: Chant protestors demanding justice for George Floyd

Demonstrations against racism and police brutality spread to even more cities across the United States as people in many parts of the country defied curfews on Saturday night against the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man.

Hundreds of protesters were still out in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where Floyd died in police custody on Monday, amid heavy police and US National Guard presence as an 8pm curfew began on Saturday.

“We don’t need a curfew, we need change,” said Mia, a 20-year resident of Minneapolis.

Going home would “[send] the wrong message that they can shut us up when they want to, and that’s not the case here”, she said.

Protestors held signs saying “Black Lives Matter” and chanted “I can’t breathe” – some of Floyd’s last words before he died on Monday shortly after a white police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, pinned him down with a knee to the neck for several minutes.

Participants have promised to remain in the streets at least until all four officers involved in Floyd’s death have been charged.

So far, only one officer – Derek Chauvin – has been arrested in connection to Floyd’s death.

On Friday, Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. The three other officers involved – identified as Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J Alexander Kueng – have not been charged, angering protesters who say they all must be held accountable.

Saturday night’s protest started peacefully with protesters chanting “I can’t breathe”, and “no justice, no peace” as they marched down the city’s streets.

Meme Green was handing out water, chips, apples and other snacks to protesters with her young son.

“He is a Black boy who is going to be a Black man,” Green said. “He needs to see the protest in a positive way.”

Demonstrators are angry not just over Floyd’s death, but years of police killings and violence against unarmed African Americans.

In 2015, protesters rallied for more than two weeks following the police killing of 24-year-old Jamar Clark in Minneapolis. No charges were filed against the officers involved.

The next year, 32-year-old Philando Castile was killed by police during a traffic stop in a suburb of Saint Paul, which neighbours Minneapolis. Castile’s girlfriend streamed the aftermath of the shooting live on Facebook. The officer involved was acquitted of manslaughter.