Protests over racism and police violence continue nationwide, fueled by outrage over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who was killed last month while in the custody of Minneapolis police.
Authorities have arrested four Minneapolis police officers — Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, J.A. Kueng and Tou Thao — in connection with his death. The officers have since been fired.
Floyd, 46, died on Memorial Day after police were called to investigate a report of a man trying to use what looked like a counterfeit $20. Video of his death caught by bystanders and shared on social media showed Chauvin holding his knee to Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes as Floyd pleaded for air.
Live updates for Monday, June 8, continue below:
Bail set at $1.25 million for former officer charged with killing George Floyd
Update 2:10 p.m. EDT June 8: Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin appeared via video-conference for his first hearing in connection to the death last month of George Floyd.
Court records show a judge set Chauvin’s bail at $1.25 million without conditions or $1 million with conditions. He was also ordered to stay within the state and have no contact with Floyd’s family.
Texas governor vows to work with family of George Floyd on police reform
Update 1:45 p.m. EDT June 8: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott told reporters gathered Monday in Houston that he will work with the family of slain Texas native George Floyd on police reform efforts.
“It will not be led by politicians but it will be led by the family,” Abbott said. “George Floyd is going to change the arc of the future of the United States. George Floyd has not died in vain.”
He said Monday that he’s “committed to working with the family of George Floyd to make sure that we never have anything like this occur in the state of Texas.”
Floyd died May 25 after police were called to a report of a possible forgery in progress. Video of the situation showed then-Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin pressing his knee against Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes as he begged for air and bystanders begged for authorities to let him get up.
Chauvin and three other police officers have been charged in Floyd’s death, which sparked protests against racism across the globe.
Democrats roll out details of police reform bill in Congress
Update 1:35 p.m. EDT June 8: With fresh momentum for change in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd — which touched off days of violence and protests around the nation — House and Senate Democrats on Monday unveiled a sweeping new police reform proposal designed to promote more accountability for officers using unnecessary violence.
“We now have over 200 co-sponsors,” said Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., the driving force behind the legislation.
“Never again should the world be subjected to witnessing what what we saw on the streets in Minneapolis,” Bass told a Capitol Hill news conference. “The slow murder of an individual by a uniformed police officer.”
The 134 page bill states that the goal of the legislation is to “hold law enforcement accountable for misconduct in court, improve transparency through data collection, and reform police training and policies.”
READ THE BILL: With momentum for change after the police killing of George Floyd, Democrats on Monday unveiled a 135 page plan on Monday to make sweeping reforms dealing with police accountability. https://t.co/MflGS39SD3
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) June 8, 2020
Prosecutor: Self-proclaimed leader of Virginia KKK accused of driving truck into protesters
Update 1:25 p.m. EDT June 8: A prosecutor said Monday that a man arrested on suspicion of driving a truck into protesters gathered over the weekend in Henrico County, Virginia, told arresting officers that he is the president of the Ku Klux Klan in Virginia, according to multiple reports.
Harry Rogers, 36, was arrested Sunday after authorities said he drove through a crowd of protesters gathered on a street in Henrico County, according to police and the Richmond Times-Dispatch. He faces charges of attempted malicious wounding, felony vandalism and assault and battery, according to investigators.
“The accused, by his own admission and by a cursory glance at social media, is an admitted leader of the Ku Klux Klan and a propagandist for Confederate ideology,” Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor said in a statement obtained by WTVR. “We are investigating whether hate crimes charges are appropriate.”
In a news release, police said witnesses reported that Rogers revved his engine before driving through protesters gathered on Lakeside Avenue, near Vale Street. One person was evaluated for injuries at the scene but refused any other treatment, according to authorities.
A judge on Monday ordered that Rogers be held without bond, according to WTVR. He is scheduled to appear in court again in August.
Joe Biden says he doesn’t support defunding police departments
Update 12:35 p.m. EDT June 8: A spokesman for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said Monday that the former vice president does not support calls for defunding police departments amid nationwide protests against racism and police brutality.
In a statement obtained by Bloomberg News, Biden spokesman Andrew Bates said the presidential hopeful “supports the urgent need for reform — including funding for public schools, summer programs, and mental health and substance abuse treatment separate from funding for policing — so that officers can focus on the job of policing.”
“Biden does not believe that police should be defunded. He hears and shares the deep grief and frustration of those calling out for change, and is driven to ensure that justice is done and that we put a stop to this terrible pain. Biden supports the urgent need for reform…” pic.twitter.com/k0IConBSj3
— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) June 8, 2020
Memorials for Floyd reach Houston hometown
Update 12 p.m. EDT June 8: The casket carrying the body of George Floyd has arrived at a church in his native Houston as the series of memorials in his honor reach their final stop.
A six-hour public viewing will be held Monday at a Houston church. Visitors must wear a mask and gloves to comply with coronavirus-related guidelines. Floyd’s funeral and burial will be Tuesday.
Floyd, who was black and handcuffed, died May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped responding. His death has inspired international protests and drawn new attention to the treatment of African Americans by police.
Previous memorials were held for Floyd in Minneapolis and Raeford, North Carolina, near where he was born.
Floyd was raised in Houston’s Third Ward and was a well-known former high school football player who rapped with local legend DJ Screw. He moved to Minneapolis several years ago to seek work and a fresh start.
Police to begin wearing body cameras in Nashville, Tennessee
Update 11 a.m. EDT June 6: Mayor John Cooper of Nashville, Tennessee, announced Monday that the city will begin implementing a plan to outfit its police officers with body cameras amid ongoing protests against racism and police brutality.
“Body-worn cameras will promote trust between law enforcement officers and community they are sworn to serve,” Cooper said Monday in a statement. “They will be an important tool in addressing racial injustice throughout Davidson County.”
Beginning today, Metro will start a full body-worn camera implementation process throughout the MNPD. Deployment will be completed when approximately 1,325 MNPD officers and 30 Metro Park Police officers are equipped with body-worn cameras. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/hPaqF9PJA6
— Mayor John Cooper (@JohnCooper4Nash) June 8, 2020
In a news release, officials said the implementation was made possible after the city’s vendor, Motorola, agreed to delay payments for the cameras. Cooper said all 734 of the Police Department’s patrol vehicles will also be equipped with cameras.
“An encounter with law enforcement is not something that any Nashvillian should worry about having to survive,” Nashville Metropolitan council member at-large Sharon Hurt said Monday.
“It’s no secret that Metro’s financial constraints are great, but Mayor Cooper has demonstrated through this effort, with IT infrastructure upgrades starting immediately and deployment rolling out in July, as a first step, that his commitment to create tangible change for our Black community is genuine.”
House Democrats announce police reform legislation
Update 10:45 a.m. EDT June 8: House Democrats gathered in Washington on Monday to announce new legislation aimed at reforming police departments as protests against racism and police brutality continued nationwide.
LIVE: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi holds moment of silence in memory of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and others https://t.co/clImWn6NYZ
— Bloomberg QuickTake (@QuickTake) June 8, 2020
36 arrested during protests in London
Update 10 a.m. EDT June 8: Police in London said they arrested 36 people on charges including violent disorder, criminal damage and assaulting police during mostly peaceful demonstrations Sunday in the British capital.
Officials with the London Metropolitan Police Department said issues started after a majority of the protesters left the central London area late Sunday and early Monday. Police said “a number remained in the area around Whitehall and behaved antisocially before becoming violent towards officers.”
Around 2 a.m. Monday, police began to clear the final protesters using “a variety of tactics including containment to tackle several violent and antisocial groups.”
Police said 35 officers were injured, including two whose injuries were serious enough to require treatment at a hospital. Officials said one of the injured officers had a head wound while the other had a shoulder injury after a bottle was thrown.
“The violent criminality we saw is disgraceful and will have been very frightening for others,” police Commissioner Cressida Dick said in a statement. “We will be carrying out a thorough investigation so that those responsible for criminal acts are brought speedily to justice.”
A total of 36 people were arrested during yesterday’s demonstration in central London; 35 officers reported suffering injuries – two were taken to hospital. Enquiries remain ongoing. https://t.co/KWUQ4q1F8l
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) June 8, 2020
Attorney says officer ‘was doing what he thought was right’
Update 9:15 a.m. EDT June 8: An attorney representing former Minneapolis police Officer Thomas Lane told NBC’s “Today” show that his client “was going what he thought was right” when he held down George Floyd’s legs last month as then-Officer Derek Chauvin held his knee to Floyd’s neck.
Lane had been with the Minneapolis Police Department for only four days before he responded to the call that ended with Floyd’s death. He previously told CNN that he did “everything he thought he was supposed to do as a four-day police officer.”
“He did not stand by and watch,” attorney Earl Gray said on the “Today” show. “He was holding (Floyd’s) legs because the guy was resisting at first. Now, when he’s holding his legs he says to (Derek) Chauvin, ‘Well, should we roll him over because he says he can’t breathe?’ Chauvin says, ‘No.’”
The former police officer charged with George Floyd’s murder is facing a judge for the first time. This, as the future of the Minneapolis Police Department remains uncertain as the city council pledges to “dismantle” the department. @gabegutierrez is in Minneapolis with more. pic.twitter.com/4F5Liy58MV
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 8, 2020
Floyd died after Chauvin, Lane, J.A. Kueng and Tou Thao responded May 25 to a call about a man suspected of trying to use a counterfeit $20 bill. The four were later fired from the Police Department and charged in Floyd’s death.
Chauvin faces charges of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Lane, Kueng and Thao have been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
Chauvin is expected to make his first court appearance later Monday.
Floyd’s family, attorney ask UN to intervene in case
Update 7:38 a.m. EDT June 8: Attorney Ben Crump and the family of George Floyd are asking the United Nations “to intervene in the case of Floyd’s death and make recommendations for systemic police reform in the United States,” they said in a news release early Monday.
Crump and Floyd’s family issued the appeal last week in a letter to the UN Working Group on the Rights of People of African Descent, the release said.
“The United States government has consistently failed to hold police accountable and did not bring federal criminal charges even in cases with irrefutable video evidence,” Crump said in a statement. “When a group of people of any nation have been systemically deprived of their universal human right to life by its government for decades, it must appeal to the international community for its support and to the United Nations for its intervention.”
Massive ‘End Racism Now’ mural painted on North Carolina street
Update 7 a.m. EDT June 8: Just days after workers and artists in Washington, D.C., painted the words “Black Lives Matter” on a street near the White House, a similar display emerged in Raleigh, North Carolina.
According to the News & Observer, the new, massive street art reads, “End Racism Now” and appears on a downtown street by the Raleigh’s Contemporary Art Museum.
The artists painted the message in protest of Confederate monuments in the city, the newspaper reported.
Museum board member Charman Driver, who led the project, said she and the others involved “feel really good” about the street mural; however, more needs to be done.
“Our voices are being heard, but it’s not enough,” Driver told the newspaper. “We want to paint that block, but what we want ultimately is for those statues to be removed.”
Read more here.
After more than a week of protests in Raleigh, artist painted a mural on West Martin St. hoping to send a message about Confederate monuments and support those who are fighting to end racism. #BLM #RaleighProtests #GeorgeFLoyd #EndRacismNow #Drone @camraleigh @RaleighDenim pic.twitter.com/fz1TwUXdCL
— Travis Long (@vizjourno) June 7, 2020
Ex-Minneapolis police officer Chauvin set to make 1st court appearance
Update 5:21 a.m. EDT June 8: The former Minneapolis police officer accused of killing George Floyd is scheduled to make his first court appearance Monday.
According to KSTP, Derek Chauvin, who faces second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges, will appear via video before a judge at 12:45 p.m. CDT Monday.
UPDATE: Mugshot of Derek Chauvin released, charging document details night of George Floyd’s fatal arrest
https://t.co/VcVw6mAu7I— Chris Egert (@cegertKSTP) May 30, 2020
Viewing of Floyd’s casket to be held today in Houston
Update 3:39 a.m. EDT June 8: Members of the public will be able to view George Floyd’s casket Monday at a church in Houston, his hometown, The Associated Press is reporting.
The viewing, which will last from noon to 6 p.m., will be at the Fountain of Praise church, KHOU reported. Mourners must comply with coronavirus-related restrictions, such as wearing masks and practicing social distancing. No more than 500 people can be inside the building at once, according to the news outlet.
Floyd’s funeral and burial are scheduled for Tuesday, the AP reported. The service will feature a video message from former Vice President Joe Biden, who doesn’t plan to attend the ceremony in person but will meet with members of Floyd’s family, according to the news agency.
Remembering George Floyd: What to expect in Houston and how to pay respects https://t.co/hMbGpioPgG
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) June 8, 2020
Man accused of driving into Seattle crowd, shooting protester
Update 1:39 a.m. EDT June 8: A man was arrested Sunday night in connection with a shooting at a protest outside the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct in Capitol Hill, KIRO-TV is reporting.
According to police, the man drove into a group of protesters at 11th Avenue and Pine Street and shot someone about 8:30 p.m.
Seattle fire officials said the victim, a man in his mid- to late 20s, was transported to Harborview Medical Center. Officials said he is in satisfactory condition.
Police said they recovered the gun and don’t believe there were any other victims.
Protesters have continued to gather outside of the East Precinct to call for systemic change following the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody May 25.
In a news conference that ended about 30 minutes before the shooting, police Chief Carmen Best and Mayor Jenny Durkan spoke about the challenges the ongoing demonstrations outside of the East Precinct have brought.
Read more here.
Police say shooter is in custody and gun has been recovered. People moved his car from crowd at 11/Pine. @KIRO7Seattle #seattleprotests pic.twitter.com/QuFRBWmtFy
— Michael Spears (@MichaelKIRO7) June 8, 2020
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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