About 150 demonstrate in El Paso’s Aztec Park downtown seeking justice for George Floyd
EL PASO, Texas -- About 150 demonstrators filled Aztec Calendar Park in downtown El Paso on Tuesday evening to protest for justice in the case of George Floyd, the handcuffed black man who died in Minneapolis police custody in what's been ruled a homicide.
The protest remained mostly peaceful throughout the night as participants carried signs chanted and carried signs saying "I can't breathe" and "No justice, no peace," which have become popular refrains at rallies in cities across the nation.
The protest largely dissipated after several hours as police shut off access to many downtown streets as of 10:30 p.m.
Happening now at the corner of Campbell and Mills pic.twitter.com/RH3Ps1SwFb
— Shelby Montgomery (@ShelbyKVIA7) June 3, 2020
Here’s a look at the current situation in downtown El Paso pic.twitter.com/qwqaMqzvGL
— Shelby Montgomery (@ShelbyKVIA7) June 3, 2020
It was the second Floyd protest within a few days in El Paso. A protest at El Paso police headquarters on Sunday that moved to Memorial Park resulted in clashes between demonstrators and police.
Authorities used tear gas to disperse protesters in the park. Officials indicated two officers were injured when rocks and bottles were thrown at them; police also said they made three arrests over the course of that protest.
Some of those who participated in Sunday's protest questioned the need to use gas on the park crowd and accused the police of being overly aggressive.
