Photos: Downtown Chicago experiences protests, damage

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Protestors took to the streets in Minneapolis May 26 following the death of George Floyd the previous day. Peaceful demonstrations were followed by violent and destructive actions. Protests soon spread across the country to at least 75 cities including Chicago according to the New York Times. On Saturday, May 30, in response to the increasingly violent downtown protests, Mayor Lori Lightfoot implemented a city-wide curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. indefinitely. Lake Shore Drive and CTA buses and trains were shut down Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m respectively according to NBC Chicago. Additionally, the National Guard has been activated in 15 states, including Illinois, to manage the protests according to the CNN.

Ahmaud Arbery was a 25-year-old black man jogging in Brunswick, Georgia, when he was killed Feb. 23 by Gregory McMichael and Travis McMichael, who have been charged with murder and aggravated assault, and William Bryan who has been charged with felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment. Breonna Taylor was a 20-year-old black woman who was killed when police officers entered her home March 13 by crashing into her home with a battering ram and were met with gun fire from Ms. Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker. According to Mr. Walker he was acting in self-defense, believing that they were being robbed. The police were investigating two men who were selling drugs and they believed the men were using Ms. Taylor’s apartment to receive packages.  In Minneapolis, George Floyd was taken into police custody after police were called by a clerk claiming Mr. Floyd tried to pay for cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill Monday, May 25. He was physically restrained with a knee on his neck by police officer Derek Chauvin for nearly nine minutes and became unresponsive. He was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. On May 29, Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Tony McDade was a 38-year-old black man who was fatally shot May 27 by police in Tallahassee, Florida. McDade was a suspect in a reported stabbing that occurred May 27.

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Protesters sit on top of cars May 30 in the Chicago Loop to protest police brutality and the death of George Floyd.

Protesters hold up signs to protest the deaths of Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd.

Police watch people on foot and in cars protest police brutality and George Floyd’s death during a demonstration in Chicago’s Loop May 30.

Protesters lean out of cars, hold up signs and chant May 30 in Chicago’s Loop as they demonstrate to protest police brutality.

Protesters hold up signs May 30 in the Chicago Loop as they march to protest police brutality.

A bus stop with glass walls smashed and covered with graffiti is shown, among countless other vandalized things on the morning of May 31 after protests the day and night before.

A burned police vehicle sits abandoned in the street in downtown Chicago following violent protests against police brutality the day before.

Painted household objects are left outside bearing a message referencing the first slaves brought to the United States in 1619, approximately 400 years ago.

Scattered items cover the floor of a downtown Chicago shoe store which had its windows broken on May 30.

A vandalized police van drives away as people protest police brutality early in the morning of May 31 along East Wacker Drive.

The bridges crossing the Chicago River were raised Saturday night and have remained raised into Sunday to limit access to and from the Chicago Loop.

A burned car sits empty on the side of the street in Chicago’s Loop following violent protests against police brutality the day before.

All photos taken by Maria Shaughnessy.