Minneapolis installed a mini park at the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago, the location of George Floyd Square where George Floyd was killed by former police officer Derek Chauvin. According to the city, the seasonal spaces, or parklets, are designed to slow nearby traffic and to provide an area for seating, flowers and greenery, bicycle parking, and art for the public to enjoy.
The parklet located in George Floyd Square is one of four that were just opened by the city. Some alleged that it was a means by which the city was trying to reopen George Floyd Square again for traffic after several failed attempts. Activist Jaylani Hussein, the executive director of CAIR-Minnesota, alleged that the reopening of the intersection was an effort by law enforcement and city officials to “delete history.”
Earlier this year, the city attempted to reopen George Floyd Square for traffic and remove the barriers. They even hired an outside community group to assist in the effort called the Agape Movement. However the barriers have been replaced every time that law enforcement or city workers took them down.
As reported by The Minnesota Sun, the Minneapolis City Council criticized Mayor Jacob Frey’s decision to allocate $359,000 of the city’s COVID-19 procurement order to the Agape Movement to assist in clearing George Floyd Square in Minneapolis.
George Floyd Square has been occupied by protesters and closed for traffic for around 400 days, since May of 2020 when George Floyd was killed. The Minneapolis police officer who was involved, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with Floyd’s murder and is awaiting sentencing.
Since the riots in May 2020, Minneapolis has been fighting against rising gun crime and violence. Several shootings have taken place in George Floyd Square, including one on the one year anniversary of Floyd’s death, leaving residents fearing for their safety.
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Hayley Tschetter is a reporter with The Minnesota Sun | Star News Network and The College Fix. She graduated with a degree in Communications from the University of Northwestern-St. Paul. Send news tips to [email protected].
Photo “George Floyd Square” by Paul Sableman. CC BY 2.0.
