It’s no overstatement to say that the events of May 25 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, have changed the course of American history.
The circumstances of George Floyd’s death at the hands of white police officer Derek Chauvin have already reverberated throughout the nation and sparked numerous, mostly peaceful protests. But within a matter of days, curfews, vandalized businesses and crowded rallies have become commonplace. As many news outlets begin to turn their focuses elsewhere, demonstrators continue to gather in metropolitan areas to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement and to decry the widespread dismissal of police brutality that has resulted in the deaths of Floyd, Breonna Taylor and untold numbers of others. Protests have even spread overseas, with human rights activists taking a stand in countries like India, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore.
In these photos you can see signs of hope, in addition to glimpses of the conflicts that drive the need for change. Above all, however, these images show powerful displays of solidarity between communities. Even with the threat of potential violence or a pandemic, people are still joining together to speak up for a better world.
Outside Los Angeles’ TCL Chinese Theater, National Guardsmen keep watch over Hollywood Boulevard. (Photo by AP Photo/Chris Pizzello.)
In West Hollywood, California, protestors from the LGBT community lie down in an intersection with their hands behind their backs for eight minutes and 46 seconds—the same amount of time that Floyd lay on the ground with Chauvin’s knee at his neck. (Photo by AP Photo/Richard Vogel.)
Chinedu Anigbogu, left, rides a horse through San Francisco’s Mission District as demonstrators rally around him. (Photo by AP Photo/Noah Berger.)
A protester and a National Guard soldier stare one another down near the White House in Washington, D.C. (Photo by AP Photo/Alex Brandon.)
In New York, a masked protester walks past police officers and a crowd of other demonstrators with his hands up. (Photo by AP Photo/Seth Wenig.)
New York police officers arrest marchers for breaking Manhattan’s curfew to attend a solidarity rally. (Photo by AP Photo/Wong Maye-E.)
In La Mesa, California, a man walks past a burned building, part of widespread damage caused by looters and vandals during the protests. (Photo by AP Photo/Gregory Bull.)
In downtown Los Angeles, thousands of people pack the streets to protest against police brutality. Health care professionals like Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases have recently expressed concerns over these close-quarter gatherings, which could cause a possible spike of cases in the COVID-19 outbreak. (Photo by AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu.)
During Los Angeles’ protests, one demonstrator takes a moment to offer flowers to a National Guardsman. (Photo by AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes.)
America isn’t the only nation seeing protests. Demonstrations like this one in Tokyo, Japan, have taken place worldwide since Floyd’s death. (Photo by AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko.)
Masked protestors gather outside of Los Angeles’ City Hall at an Asian American and Pacific Islander solidarity protest. (Photo by Francis Ray Rettinger.)
During the same rally, diverse audiences assemble to hear speeches and participate in crowd sing-alongs at a peaceful demonstration. (Photo by Francis Ray Rettinger.)
Actress Sherry Cola speaks out against police brutality. (Photo by Francis Ray Rettinger.)
Protesters keep time during an intersectional march. (Photo by Francis Ray Rettinger.)
Translating signs into different languages helps spread the message to more people. (Photo by Francis Ray Rettinger.)
During a march around downtown Los Angeles’ Pershing Square, one demonstrator presents a message that everyone can get behind. (Photo by Francis Ray Rettinger.)
Demonstrators raise their hands and signs during a gathering in Los Angeles. (Photo by Francis Ray Rettinger.)
Hundreds of flowers and works of art can be seen at the Breonna Taylor memorial site a few blocks away. (Photo by Francis Ray Rettinger.)
This article appeared in “Character Media”’s June 2020 issue. Check out our current e-magazine here.
