Cement blocks surround George Floyd's memorial, Minneapolis.Christian Monterrosa / AP
The intersection where George Floyd was murdered by a white cop has been blocked by a group of activists for more than a year. The four roads that corner south of Minneapolis in the area turned pilgrimage center are closed under the slogan
No Justice, No Streets
. Most neighbors and business owners vote to reopen the "autonomous zone," which has seen a spike in violence since Floyd's death. So far in June, municipal workers have removed the cement blocks that keep the passage closed on two occasions, but activists have put them back. Minneapolis is at a loss as to what to do with what many see as a sacred center for the African-American community.
The image of Derek Chauvin's knee stuck in Floyd's neck for nine minutes outside the Cup Foods establishment has traveled the globe several times since May 25, 2020. Tens of thousands of passersby have flocked to that street corner 38 with Chicago to leave flowers, write on its walls or pay your respects to the drawings of Floyd's face that are seen everywhere.
Amid the protests that triggered the murder of the African American, a group of activists organized to close access to traffic and monitor the entrance to the "Free State of George Floyd", which consists of four blocks.
This has meant that since then not even garbage trucks can enter.
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Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey reported earlier this month that the City Council would proceed to reopen the area considering three points: community safety, racial justice, and economic stability and the development of the neighborhood's ethnic minority communities.
"We are collectively committed to establishing a permanent monument at the intersection, preserving the artwork [a raised fist sculpture], and making the area an enduring space for racial justice," the statement read.
According to a survey conducted by the municipality itself in February this year, 81% of residents and business owners in the sector supported the City Council's interim options to reopen the intersection, while they seek a permanent solution with Floyd's family and the community. .
On June 3, around 4.30 in the morning, municipal employees arrived with bulldozers to clear the blocked area around the self-styled George Floyd Square. Shortly after leaving, the activists closed the entrance again with cars, garbage cans and signage. Last week the choreography was repeated. The social organization has said it will allow the reopening when its 24 demands are met, including the firing of the Hennepin County prosecutor, an accountability for several deaths of African Americans at the hands of the police, and investing $ 700,000 in the area through neighborhood associations to create new jobs and train on racism.
The surroundings of George Floyd Square appear to be a quiet place, but it is not always like that. During the first anniversary of the death of the racial symbol, in the middle of a live television broadcast, some thirty shots were heard in broad daylight. Between May and November of last year, the number of violent crimes - including car theft - soared 122%. The neighbors, disappointed in the police action, created their own protection system for the community. The Floyd Family Foundation pledged to donate half a million dollars to the community at the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue. The amount is part of the 27 million dollars that the relatives of the man turned martyr of the Black Lives Matter movement will receive from the city.
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