Protesters in downtown Minneapolis call for removal of BCA, Hennepin Co. Attorney from George Floyd case

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Protesters gathered at the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis Thursday, chanting “All four” and calling for the arrest and charging of all four officers involved in the death of George Floyd. 

Organizers say this a direct call to Mayor Jacob Frey, who on Wednesday asked for only the arresting officer to be charged in the case. 

“If there’s a video for all to see, why aren’t the murders in jail right now?” organizers shouted at the crowd.

Organizers demanded a peaceful demonstration after protests Wednesday night turned violent, devolving into rioting and looting that spread into St. Paul and surrounding cities Thursday afternoon. 

Floyd died at the hospital after he was taken into custody by Minneapolis police on Memorial Day. A video taken by a bystander sparked outrage after it showed one of the officers, Derek Chauvin, kneeling on Floyd’s neck as he repeatedly pleads, “I can’t breathe.” The officer does not take his knee of Floyd’s neck even after Floyd loses consciousness. None of the other responding officers made an attempt to check his condition until after an ambulance arrived. 

The four officers have since been fired. 

The FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension are investigating Floyd’s death, but the organizers of Thursday’s protest at the government center are calling for the BCA to be taken off the case, accusing them of a history of cover-ups in favor of police. 

Protesters are also calling on Gov. Tim Walz to assign a special prosecutor to the case, saying Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman has failed to hold officers accountable in the past.