June 8 George Floyd protest news | CNN (2024)

Protesters march past LAPD officers during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd, in downtown Los Angeles, California, on June 6.

Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore and Los Angeles Police Commission President Eileen Decker agreed to an immediate moratorium on the training and use of carotid restraints on Monday.

A carotid restraint compresses the neck arteries and restricts blood flow to the brain, rendering a person unconscious.

The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement that the moratorium would be in place “until such time that the Board of Police Commissioners can conduct a detailed review.”

It follows a similar moratorium from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD).

According to the statement, which lists eight use of force policies the department currently uses, “all LASD personnel are prohibited from using chokeholds, strangleholds, and carotid restraints performed with legs, knees, or feet.”

A St. Louis man has been charged with murder in the death of retired St. Louis police officer David Dorn, who was shot during a pawn shop burglary in last week’s protests in the city.

Stephan Cannon, 24, of St. Louis was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, three counts of armed criminal action and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner said in astatement released on TwitterSunday.

No bond is allowed for Cannon, Gardner said.

Dorn, 77, was killed when he responded to an alarm at the pawn shop during the early morning hours of June 2, the St. Louis Police Department said last week. The retired officer was providing security for the store.

About 55 businesses in the city were burglarized and had property damage that night, city Police Chief John Hayden told reporters last week.

Read the full story:

Related article St. Louis man arrested in fatal shooting of retired police officer David Dorn

Former Minneapolis police officer Thomas Lane.

A lawyer representing one of the former police officers charged in George Floyd’s death, claims that Floyd was resisting arrest and that his client suggestedrolling Floyd over while officerDerek Chauvinwas kneeling on his neck.

Earl Gray, attorney for former officerThomas Lane, described the body camera footage from the scene, which has not been made public.

Gray said that if the public saw the full body camera footage from Lane, “I believethey would have a differentopinion.”

“It wasn’t a violent resistance,but it was not a kind ofnonresistance that an individualshould do when a police officeris arresting him,” Gray said of Floyd.

Lane, 37, had only beenon the force for four dayswhen he helped to restrain Floyd, according to his lawyer.

Gray said that Lane “did not want to see the man die” and started to perform CPR on Floyd.

Officers Chauvin, Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao were responding to a call about a $20 counterfeit bill on May 25 when they detainedFloyd.

Chauvin – who pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes – waschargedlast Wednesday with a new, more serious count of second-degree murder.

Kueng, Thao and Lane werechargedwith aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

Gyms across the country aredropping their affiliationwith CrossFit over the company’s response tolast week’s protests.

Gym owners saythey were dismayedby CrossFit’s failure to quickly put out a statement expressing solidarity with protesters or support for black athletes, asdozens of corporations did in the days following George Floyd’s death. Then on Saturday, CrossFit CEO Greg Glassman posted severalcontroversial tweetsreferencing Floyd’s death and the coronavirus pandemic, sparking outrage online.

That led Reebok and other brand partners to distance themselves from CrossFit. Glassman apologized and walked back the tweets on Sunday.

Read the full story.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey speaks with demonstrators calling for the Minneapolis Police Department to be defunded on June 6, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said he supports “majorstructural reform” of police departments.

His comments, in an interview with CNN’s Chris Cuomo, comes after Frey was met with a chorus of boos on Saturday after telling a group of demonstrators he did not supportabolishing the city police department.

Frey said that protesters “called me up and asked meif I was willing right there tocommit to getting rid of thepolice.And I was honest.”

Frey said that people are right to be angry, frustrated and upset right now.

“Let’s be very real here.George Floyd was murdered by oneof our police officers, we needto recognize that andacknowledge it.The next step is to harness allof that energy and anger andsadness that we have, and committo realtime, real reforms,” Frey said.

Frey also said that it’s the system that “inhibits the culture shiftfrom happening” and police unions are standing in the way.

“If the chief or Iare prevented from discipliningand terminating officers becauseof the system that’s in place,that inhibits the culture shiftfrom happening,” Frey said. “We’ve seen itagain and again and again,where officers are disciplinedor terminated they work their way through theprocess.”

Lisa Bender speaks with Chris Cuomo on Cuomo Prime Time.

Nine members of the Minneapolis City Council on Sunday announced they intend to defund and dismantle the city’s police department following thepolice killing of George Floyd.

Council President LisaBender spoke to CNN’s Chris Cuomo about what that would really mean.

“What we pledged wasto start a year-longconversation with Minneapolisresidents to help us reimaginewhat public safety looks like aswe make those short-term fixesthat are so clearly needed inour department,” Bender said.

Bender said the pledge was a “long-term commitment” in which the city would need to “build upthose systems of public safetyas the highest priority, alongwith getting more accountabilityin our police department.”

Would someone still respond to 911 calls? “If something ishappening there needs to besomeone to call.We need to make sure everysingle person in our communityfeels safe.But we have a crisis of confidence in our police department,” Bender said.

How would that work? “We’ve looked at every reasonthat folks call 911.Why are people in Minneapoliscalling for help?And we’re starting to pairwhat’s the right response tothose calls.In the short term that helps ourpolice officers focus on thework that they’re trained to do,while we have a better responseto people who have a mentalhealth crisis or a physicalhealth crisis,” Bender added.

Policing “isn’t working” for many: “The system of policingisn’t working for a lot ofvictims of crime.We have thousands of rape kitsthat have gone untested.We need to improve our responseto all kinds of differentviolations of public safety,because again that trust in thesystem is so eroded that ourcommunity is across the board,” Bender said.

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A crowd of police officers in Philadelphia gathered outside their local union headquarters on Monday to show their support for one of their own – a staff inspector facing assault charges after allegedlybeating a college studentat an anti-racism protest last week.

Like all criminal defendants, Philadelphia Police Staff Inspector Joseph Bologna is innocent until proven guilty. But it seemed like the crowd ofmore than 100 applauding officersalready made up their minds, despite viral footage of Bologna hitting the student in the back of the head with a metal baton, sending him to the hospital.

Following the rally, the union that represents Bologna issued a statement, saying it “will not stand-by and watch Inspector Bologna get railroaded.”

As public opinion shifts on issues of police violence and racial discrimination, and cities begin to rethink their approach to law enforcement, powerful police unions across the country are digging in, and preparing for a once-in-a-generation showdown over policing.

Read the full story:

Protesters take a knee on Flatbush Avenue in front of New York City police officers during a solidarity rally for George Floyd, Thursday, June 4, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Related article Police unions dig in as calls for reform grow

Venus Williams practices ahead of the 2020 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 16, in Melbourne, Australia.

Tennis great Venus Williams posted on Instagram on Monday, saying that, “just as sexism is not only a ‘women’s issue,’ racism is not only a ‘black issue.’”

Williams said that she was “deeply saddened that it has taken multiple acts of police brutality to make people painfully aware of the racism that still pervades America.” But she also said she was “amazed at the solidarity that has erupted across the USA.”

A black man dancing in the street of a Northern California city was pinned to the ground and placed under arrest by police after officers were called to the scene, newly-released officer bodycam video shows.

The incident in Alameda has prompted the city’s police chief to request an independent investigation into the officers’ actions.

What happened: The May 23 arrest occurred after police received a call from a woman who said “an African-American man is dancing in the street and clearly something is wrong with him.”

A series of bodycam videos released on Saturday shows police officers approach the man, identified as Mali Watkins, as he stood next to a sidewalk in a street.

Man is pushed to the ground: Officers question the man, who says he had been dancing as a form of exercise, and as he tries to walk away, police grab his wrists, push him to the ground and handcuff him. He implores a witness, a woman across the street, to record the incident. He repeatedly asks police why​they are touching him and refusing to let him go. Police tell him he is resisting arrest.

“Resisting arrest”: City of Alameda spokesperson Sarah Henry said Watkins, who is a city resident, was arrested and cited for resisting arrest. She would not say if the officers have been placed on leave or faced any disciplinary action, citing department policy not to release such information.

Watkins could not be reached for comment. The Alameda District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to a CNN request for comment.

The arrest was condemned by the city’s vice mayor, who called for an independent investigation into the incident.

Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee said he wants police across the state to restrict the use of chokeholds in restraining suspects, following large protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd.

Inslee said the Washington State Patrol already tightly regulates the use of chokeholds that restrict a person’s airflow, with limited exceptions when an officer’s life is in danger. He added that he wants all law enforcement agencies to adopt similar rules.

“Possibly there are things where life itself is in danger … but police are going to have to convince us that that’s the situation,” Inslee said.

The governor is calling for independent state investigations of all police misconduct allegations that involve a person being seriously hurt or killed.He also proposes reform allowing police who fail to report misconduct by other officers to be held personally responsible.

At the same time, Inslee said he is not in favor of proposals to dramatically cut law enforcement budgets.

“If some woman’s being domestically abused, they want to get that call answered pronto so that, that can be a police response,” he said. “We don’t want to lose that response.”

Attorney General William Barr speaks during a roundtable with law enforcement officials at the White House on June 8.

Attorney General William Barr said that he understands why some view George Floyd’s death as “manifestations of institutional racism in police departments,” but argued that there’s been great reform already over the past half-century, and that the actions of a few bad officers doesn’t mean there is a systemic problem.

Barr wouldn’t comment on the police reform proposal introduced by congressional Democrats on Monday, saying that he hasn’t reviewed it yet, but said that the Trump administration’s own policing commission would be releasing its own reform proposals “very shortly.” He said he thought there will need to be “strong federal participation” in the broader reform effort to “help set standards.”

The attorney general said that chokeholds should be banned as a police tactic except in cases when police officers are confronted with lethal force. That stance has been backed previously by national policing groups, and stops short of reform put in place in cities across the country in the wake of Floyd’s death, including Minneapolis, to ban the maneuver altogether.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) issued an immediate moratorium on the use of carotid restraints on Monday.

“There will be an immediate moratorium on the use of the LASD carotid restraint in all situations which do not rise to the level of deadly force,” the department said in a statement.

According to the statement, which lists eight use of force policies the department currently uses, “all LASD personnel are prohibited from using chokeholds, strangleholds, and carotid restraints performed with legs, knees, or feet.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday directed police departments in California to stop training officers to use carotid holds, calling the technique“a strangle hold that puts people’s lives at risk.”

The San Diego Police Department and the Sacramento Police Department announced last week they will stop using the restraint effective immediately.

George Floyd's brother Philonise Floyd is overcome with emotion while speaking to the media in front of the Fountain of Praise Church in Houston on June 8.

The brothers of George Floyd spoke today in Houston on the eve of his funeral.

They remembered him as a “gentle giant,” a “huge role model,” and “wonderful man, father, human being.”

Philonise Floyd vowed to get justice for his brother.

“We will get justice. We will get it. We will not let this door close,” Philonise Floyd said.

Houston police chief Art Acevedo.

The police chief of Houston, Texas, said calls to “defund the police” as a way of reforming law enforcement are misguided.

“Disbanding the police doesn’t make any sense,” Chief Art Acevedo told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer Monday. “It’s an invitation to chaos.”

Acevedo said he believes activists who are advocating defunding or dismantlingpoliceare out of touch with underserved communities who are upset by racism, but still want a safe place to live.

Acevedo said the outrage over Floyd’s death is a real turning point, and he told that to the family.

“There’s a great awakening that this death has caused like I’ve never seen before, and George Floyd’s death will end up leading to systemic change in our country,” Acevedo said. “God used him as a vessel, and they need to really believe that.”

Watch:

Today marks the 14th day of protests across the US following the death of George Floyd.

Ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes as the man begged for his life, had his bail set at $1.25 million during a Monday hearing.

Floyd’s death sparked two weeks of global protests that saw some of the largest crowds yet over the weekend. While the earlier days of unrest included buildings on fire and looting, protests have since remained mostly peaceful.

Here’s what the protests look like around the country:

New York

Protesters gather in front of Borough Hall in New York.

Atlanta

Los Angeles

Caskets are laid out in the shape of a cross on June 8, in Los Angeles during a protest over the death of George Floyd.

Police line up near the Crescent City Connection Bridge in New Orleans on Wednesday, June 3.

New Orleans Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson said his office is investigating why rubber balls were used on protesters in New Orleans on June 3.

Previously, Ferguson said police only used tear gas on protesters, but on Monday said an investigation has shown rubber balls were also used. Ferguson said neither he nor the commanding officer on scene authorized the use of rubber balls.

Ferguson said that in the 22 years that he has been with the department, rubber balls, though a part of their arsenal, have not been used as dispersal method.

Ferguson said they are investigating the incident and communication breakdown.

He added: “This is a dark hour that particular night. But this does not define the citizens of New Orleans, this does not define our police department.”

The police department plans to release more information on the incident and investigation on Tuesday afternoon, according to a department spokesperson.

In the wake of cries for police reform following the killing of George Floyd, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms says defunding and dismantling the police force is not “the solution in Atlanta.”

“What people really are crying out for for more dollars to be allocated to social support services and what they see as over-policing,” Bottoms told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on “The Situation Room.” “I think it’s going to be incumbent upon people to really dig into municipal budgets which can be a complicated process, but really look at what the cities are doing and the solutions may not always be defunding police as much as making sure that we are allocating funding in our budget for these programs that are so important to our community.”

Nine members of the Minneapolis City Council on Sunday announced they intend to defund and dismantle the city’s police department.

President Trump has rejected calls for disbanding police departments and has used the defunding the police campaign to attack Joe Biden, thepresumptive Democratic nominee.

Biden’s campaign spokesperson said in a statement that the presidential candidate does not support defunding the police.

“That’s been my concern that this would be weaponized against people across this country who are well intentioned,” Bottoms said. “They want better support services for communities. They want less policing and more partnership within our communities, and I think that when you simplify a message it feeds right into Donald Trump’s strong suit. He is able to simplify messages and amplify them as propaganda, but again, I think that’s where it’s incumbent upon us as leaders of good conscience tohelp articulate and convey to communities when this real work is already happening.”

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People wait in line to attend the public viewing for George Floyd outside the Fountain of Praise Church in Houston, Texas, on June 8.

Thousands of mourners gathered today at the Fountain of Praise Church in Houston, Texas, to view the body of George Floyd.

Following social distancing guidelines, visitors filed into the church six feet apart and wearing masks. Each person is allowed only a few seconds to pay their respects to Floyd, who lays in a golden casket, shrouded by several bouquets of white flowers.

Many of the visitors wore shirts supporting Black Lives Matter and with Floyd’s last words “I can’t breathe.”

With gospel songs playing in the background from artist including CeCe Winans and Kurt Carr, several mourners wiped away tears as they stopped in front of the casket.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, speaking outside the viewing of Floyd, called his death “the most horrific tragedy” he has ever observed and vowed that his life and death would “change the arc of the future of the United States.”

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rev. Jesse Jackson, actor Kevin Hart and rappers Master P and Ludacris were also in attendance. Lawmakers from Ghana paid tribute to Floyd in a taped presentation where Barbara Oteng Gyasi, the Minister of Tourism, unveiled a plaque and mural.

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The United States Conference of Mayors launched a new working group to address “police violence and patterns of racial discrimination,” the group – known as USCM – said in a statement Monday.

The working group – led by the mayors of Chicago, Tampa and Cincinnati – aims to outline specific recommendations on policing practices.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said:“This is about generational discrimination in our communities, and police accountability is a crucial part of the work that needs to be done to address this issue in a holistic manner.”

Tents used to house troops returning from Middle East deployments are set up at a remote training area at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on March 17. The fort was named after Confederate General Braxton Bragg.

Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy is now open to a “bipartisan conversation” about renaming nearly a dozen major installations that bear the names of Confederate military commanders, according to an Army official.

This is a significant change for the Army which has long said these bases were named after the Civil War as part of an effort towards reconciliation between northern and southern states.

The official said McCarthy is acutely aware that while he could likely unilaterally rename them, there needs to be consultation with the White House, Congress and state and local governments.

The Army installations involved currently include thousands of troops and families that are an integral part of the communities where they are locate such as Fort Bragg, North Carolina, named after Confederate General Braxton Bragg.

The official Army website cited his service in the Mexican American war as the reason the original installation Camp Bragg was named after him. Other bases named after Confederate officers include Fort Hood in Texas and Fort AP Hill in Virginia.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti stands with protesters in downtown Los Angeles outside of City Hall on Tuesday, June 2.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said he “fully supports” the city attorney’s decision not to prosecute peaceful protesters who were arrested for breaking curfew of failing to disperse.

The decision does not apply to those accused of violence, looting or vandalism.

“This moment has the potential to bend the arc of our future toward a more fair and just city and country for everyone, if we’re willing to seize it,” Garcetti said in a statement.

He continued: “I hope Angelenos will stay engaged in the cause to bring transformational progress. That is how we will continue the hard, necessary work of rooting out racism from our institutions, policies, laws and communities.”

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson made two announcements today in regards to steps they have taken in the wake of the death of George Floyd.

Hutchinson announced the National Guard is going back on normal status.

“In essence they have been deactivated. They were called up as a support and caution,” he said.

The governor said he plans to make an announcement tomorrow at 11 a.m. about atask force that deals with police training, certifications and standards. He explained hehad been having some very good meetings with protest leaders who he called “wonderful leaders in our community,” and some young leaders across the state. Hutchinson said though he told them he would have an executive order ready today, instead it would be ready tomorrow.

The words “Defund The Police” are seen painted on Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington.

President Trump said that there will be no defunding or disbanding of police departments and claimed that 99% of police officers are “great, great people,” during a roundtable with members of law enforcement at the White House on Monday.

Trump praised the law enforcement leaders in the room and touted the low crime rates in the United States this year. The President said it has been a “very strong year for less crime.”

The President said he wants to make sure that there are no “bad actors,” but he feels 99% of police are “great great people.”

“Sometimes you’ll see some horrible things like we witnessed recently but 99, I say 99.9, but let’s go with 99% of them are great great people and they’ve done jobs that are record setting,” Trump said.

He refused again to take questions from reporters about his administration’s response to the protest movement Monday.

Hear more:

People wait to attend the public memorial for George Floyd outside of the Fountain of Praise church on Monday in Houston, Texas.

If you are just joining us, here are the latest headlines related to George Floyd’s case, police reform and Black Lives Matter protests.

Mourners honor Floyd during public visitation: A continuous flow of mourners arrived at The Fountain of Praise church in Houston today to pay their respects to Floyd. People were lined up in two separate lines at a social distance inside the church and permitted to view the body of Floyd for about five seconds before being directed to move on.

Floyd, 46, grew up in the city’s Third Ward and will be buried in Houston next to his mother, according to the Fort Bend Memorial Planning Center. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Mayor Sylvester Turner were among those who visited Floyd’s casket at the church. A private funeral will be held at the same church tomorrow in Houston.

Ex-Minneapolis police officer’s bail set at $1.25 million: Derek Chauvin, who pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes as the man begged for his life, had his bail set at $1.25 million during a hearing today. Like his fellow officers who were arrested, Chauvin was offered a reduced bail of $1 million if he agrees to certain conditions, including that he not work in security or law enforcement, not have contact with Floyd’s family, not leave Minnesota and surrender all firearms and permits.

Democrats announce police and justice reform legislation: Led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democrats put forward sweeping legislation Monday aimed at cracking down on police brutality and recording patterns of misuse of force across the country, the first concrete step toward action from Washington as a national movement emerges.

Trump doesn’t support mayors reallocating police funding: White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said the President does not agree with mayors attempting to reallocate funding for policing to other programs which could lead to less of a need for police. Her comments follow New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio’s announcement Sunday that the city will move some of its funding from the New York Police Department to youth and social services.

A vigil for George Floyd will be held tonight at 8:30 p.m. ET at Jack Yates High School in Houston. Floyd was part of the high school’s class of 1993, according to the statement posted on the alumni association’s Facebook.

The vigil will be held at the football field for national and local alumni of the high school. Attendees are being asked to wear crimson and gold and bring a candle for the ceremony.

Read the statement:

Former Vice President and 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden met with the family of George Floyd for more than an hour in Houston today, Floyd family attorney Benjamin Crump said on Twitter today.

“He listened, heard their pain, and shared in their woe,” Crump added.

US Customs and Border Protection is sending personnel back to their normal duties anddemobilizing its law enforcement officers as it pivots away from protest assistance, an agency spokesperson tells CNN.

More than 350 US Customs and Border Protection agents and officerswerepreviouslydeployed in Washington, DC, to, among other things, protect national monuments.

Overall, theDepartment of Homeland Security, which oversees CBP, deployed more than 600 personnel last weekto help federal and local law enforcement respond to protests in DC, Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf said in a tweet at the time.

The American Civil Liberties Union and others pushed back on the move.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany speaks during a news conference, on Monday, June 8, at the White House.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Monday that President Trump does not agree with mayors attempting to reallocate funding for policing to other programs which could lead to less of a need for police.

Some background: New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio said on Sunday that the city will move some of its funding from the New York Police Department to youth and social services.

His announcement comes as discussions grow around the country aboutdefunding police forces, with some activists calling on city officials to invest more of the city’s budget in communities, especially marginalized ones where much of the policing occurs.

“These will be the first of many steps my Administration will take over the next 18 months to rebuild a fairer City that profoundly addresses injustice and disparity,” de Blasio said in a statement.

French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner delivers a press conference focused on racism and police accountability at the Interior Ministry in Paris on Monday, June 8.

French police will no longer be able to use chokeholds when arresting people, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner announced at a news conference on Monday.

He said the use of chokeholds, which he described as applying pressure on an individual’s neck or throat while holding them on the ground — the same method used on George Floyd — was a “dangerous method” and will no longer be taught in police training.

He added that “racism has no place in our society, not in our Republic.”

Castaner denied French police are racist or that there is “targeted violence,” adding “the French police are not the American police.”

He called on police to enforce the use of body cameras, especially during arrests, and stressed the obligation for officers to display their ID (RIO) numbers. He announced further measures including obligatory annual training.

“Every substantiated suspicion of racism” in the police force will result in suspension, he added. “I want zero tolerance for racism in our republic.”

The announcement comes after more than 23,000 protesters took to the streets across France on Saturday in the wake of George Floyd’s death and to call for an end to police violence, according to Interior Ministry figures released Sunday.

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin appeared virtually in a Minneapolis court Monday, where the Judge Jeannice Reding granted prosecutor’s motion to set unconditional bail at $1.25 million, or $1 million with conditions.

Those conditions include being law-abiding, making future appearances, not working in a security or law enforcement capacity, surrendering fire arms or ammunition and any fire arm permit, not to leave the Minnesota, and no contact with George Floyd’s family. He would also need to waive extradition upon his release.

The defense did not object to the prosecutor’s bail proposal.

Chauvin — who pressed his knee on George Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes — was arrested last month and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Last week,prosecutors added a second-degree murder charge.

Hear more:

Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who pressed his knee on George Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes as the man begged for his life, will appear in court for the first time today.

Chauvin was arrested last month and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Last week,prosecutors added a second-degree murder charge.

The hearing — in which Chauvin is to appear virtually — was set to begin at 1:45 p.m. ET, a few minutes ago.

The hearing is being held in a courtroom in the Public Safety Facility in downtown Minneapolis, across the street from the City Hall and Police Headquarters.

Judge Jeannice Reding will decide on bail for Chauvin during the hearing.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott spoke to reporters outside the Houston church where George Floyd’s public viewing is underway. The governor noted the significance of Floyd’s death for his state and the country, saying “George Floyd is going to change the arc of the future of the United States.”

The governor said he had the opportunity to visit with the Floyd family and is committed to working with the family to “ensure we never have anything like this ever occur in the state of Texas.”

“We’re already working with legislators, we are working with his family. His family asked me and I promised his family that I would use and incorporate their family in these discussions, the discussions about the pathway forward,” the governor said.

Abbott said the discussions would not be“taken over by politicians” but be led by Floyd’s family members, victims and people who suffer “because of racism for far too long in the state and in this country.”

The governor said some things are already changing in the state, both in police departments and city halls, to prevent police brutality. Abbott said one of the challenges in the state is inadequate training for police training.

“Someactions have already been taken, other actions are being worked on to make sure that we will nothave police brutality like whathappened to George Floyd.And then when we get to theTexas legislature discussionshave begun.Remember this.Texas has a legacy of successwhether it be the Timothy Cole act, theSandra Bland act and now maybe the George Floyd act to makesure that we prevent policebrutality like this fromhappening in the future inTexas,” Abbott said.

In the meantime, the governor said his state is working on “peace and celebrating theremarkable life” of Floyd.

Abbott said he was on his way to meet with the Floyd family privately where he would be presenting them with the flag that flew over the capitol building in Floyd’s honor.

Watch:

Councilmember David Grosso speaks at a D.C. City Council vote on Tuesday, May 2, 2017, in Washington, DC.

Council member David Grosso plans to propose four amendments Tuesday to demilitarize and reduce the size of the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, DC.

Here’s what Grosso said in a statement today:

Mourners arrive in the church for a public visitation for George Floyd at the Fountain of Praise church on Monday, June 8, in Houston.

Temperature checks are being conducted on people attending the public viewing of George Floyd on Monday, according to video from outside the Fountain of Praise Church in Houston, Texas.

A man can be seen in a mask, face shield, and gloves conducting the checks outside the venue.

In keeping with the Floyd family and Ben Crump’s request that those in attendance follow social distancing guidelines, people both inside and outside the venue are wearing masks.

Once inside, individuals are being directed into one of two socially-distanced lines.

Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at Delaware State University's student center in Dover, Delaware, on Friday, June 5.

As the Defund the Police movement picks up steam across the nation, former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign says that the presumptive Democratic nominee does not believe that police should be defunded.

The statement continues: “Biden supports the urgent need for reform — including funding for public schools, summer programs, and mental health and substance abuse treatment separate from funding for policing — so that officers can focus on the job of policing,”

The public viewing of George Floyd has begun at the Fountain of Praise Church in Houston, Texas.

People are lined up in two separate lines at a social distance inside the church and permittedto view the body of Floyd for about five seconds before being directed to move on.

Protesters arrived Monday on the plaza outside of One Police Plaza in Manhattan, the headquarters of the New York Police Department chanting “black lives matter” and “no justice, no peace.”

When they arrived, the protesters knelt for a short time, fists in the air, in silent protest. They then stood up and departed.

The CNN team on the ground estimates the group was on site for about five minutes.

Led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democrats announced police and justice reform legislation today.

Pelosi said this “moment ofnational anguish is beingtransformed into a movement ofnational action as Americansfrom across the countrypeacefully protest to demand anend to injustice.”

“We cannot settle for anythingless than transformativestructural change, which is whythe Justice in Policing Act willremove barriers of prosecutingpolice misconduct and coveringdamages by addressing thequality immunity doctrine,” she added.

Some key points of the legislation include…

It will also make lynching a federal hate crime.

Pelosi also called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to swiftly take up the legislation once the bill is passed in the House.

WATCH:

Many of the top Democrats in Congress took a knee and observed a moment of silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds — the amount of time a former police officer held his knee on George Floyd’s neck — to honor Floyd and other black Americans who have been killed or suffered from police brutality.

The moment happened at Emancipation Hall at the US Capitol. House Judiciary Chair Jerry Nadler did not kneel for health reasons.

The House Democrats are now expected to hold a news conference tounveil legislation on policingreform.

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The family of George Floyd has released updated details on the memorial and public viewing set to take place today in Houston.

Today’s public viewing will take place from 1 p.m. ET to 7 p.m. ET at the Fountain of Praise Church in Houston, Texas.

A private funeral is scheduled for Tuesday.

Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks during memorial service for George Floyd in New York on Thursday, June 4.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio refused to answer questions about his recent announcement regarding reallocating funding for the New York City Police Department to youth and social services for communities of color - declining to give a dollar amount, what exactly will be reduced and what exactly the money will be put toward.

He said this will be a part of discussions over the next three weeks as the budget for the city is ironed out.

The mayor praised the work of the New York Police Department Commissioner and Chief of Department following rumors of an NYPD shakeup.

“I don’t know who is planting these rumors, they’re wrong,” he said.

He said NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea and Chief of Department Terence Monahan are “doing their job, and doing it well in very tough circ*mstances.”

More context: de Blasio said on Sunday that the city will move some of its funding from the NYPD. He said the city would find “find significant savings in the NYPD budget” that will go toward “youth development and social services for communities of color.”

George Floyd’s death was a wake up call as people got to see what many already knew, “which is that ourpolice department is not keepingevery member of our communitysafe,” said Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender.

That wake up call drove the city council’s decision to defund and dismantle the city’s police department, she says, adding that it will take a long time to get there.

She outlined various issues like stable housing and access to health carethat come under the scope of safety. The community, she said, wants more investment in these areas instead of putting moremoney toward militarizing the police force.

Bender also addressed the concerns some people have with the dismantling of the police, saying they’re not starting from scratch.

Some background: Nine members of the Minneapolis City Council on Sunday announced they intend to defund and dismantle the city’s police department following Floyd’s killing. With nine votes the city council would have a veto-proof supermajority of the council’s 13 members, Bender said.

The hearse carrying the body of George Floyd has arrived at the Fountain of Praise Church in Houston, Texas.The hearse arrived in a police-escorted motorcade.

The public viewing is expected to begin at 1 p.m. ET.

City officials are expecting thousands of mourners during today’s visitation forFloyd, whose death in Minneapolis police custody has sparked protests around the United Statesand across the world.

People protest in front of the Colorado State Capitol on Saturday, June 6, in Denver.

The Denver Police Department announced Sunday it was banning chokeholds and carotid compressions “with no exceptions,” according to apressrelease.

DPD announced two other changes in the department, including that officers will have to report to a supervisor if they intentionally point a weapon at someone.A report will then be generated “to improve data collection and evaluation of these incidents.”

Additionally,Denver Police Department Metro/SWAT unit members will now wear body cameras they will be required to activate during operations.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey speaks during a news conference on Thursday, May 28, in Minneapolis.

In the wake of the Minneapolis City Council’s announcement that it plans to disband the police department,Mayor Jacob Frey told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos that he is not for abolishing the Minneapolis Police Department.

Frey said he is looking forward to working with members of the city council to better understand what theymean by “ending” and “abolishing.”

The mayor also expressed his support for Minneapolis Police ChiefMedariaArradondowho he said was “chock-full of integrity.”

Frey said he will be “going after the police union.”

“There are so many areas where both mayors and chiefs, elected officials, and otherwise, have been hamstrung for generations because we can’t get the necessary cultural shift because we have difficulty both terminating and disciplining officers and then getting that termination or discipline to stick,” Frey said.

Lines of police officers block off Whitehall in central London after a demonstration, on Sunday, June 7.

London’s Metropolitan Police arrested 36 people during the protests in the capital yesterday. Offenses included violent disorder, criminal damage and assaulting police.

A statement released by the police force said despite largely peaceful demonstration “a number remained in the area around Whitehall and behaved anti-socially before coming violent towards officers.”

Police managed to disperse the final protestors at 2:00 a.m. local time on Monday. Officers used “a variety of tactics including containment to tackle several violent and antisocial groups.”

The statement also made reference to 35 police officers having suffered injuries, two of which required hospitalization.

She added that “those attending mass gatherings risk exposing themselves and others to this deadly virus and I would ask them to find other ways to express their anger and frustration.”

The moon is seen behind the Fountain of Praise church where services will be held for George Floyd on June 8, 2020 in Houston Texas. - Democrats vowed June 7, 2020 to press legislation to fight systemic racism in US law enforcement as the battle for change triggered by the police killing of George Floyd began shifting from the streets to the political sphere.Demonstrations continued across the nation Sunday -- including in Washington, New York and Winter Park, Florida -- as protesters began focusing their initial outrage over the death of the unarmed Floyd into demands for police reform and social justice. (Photo by Johannes EISELE / AFP) (Photo by JOHANNES EISELE/AFP via Getty Images)

Houston officials are expecting thousands of mourners during today’s visitation forGeorge Floyd, whose death in Minneapolis police custody has sparked protests around the United Statesand across the world.

Floyd will be buried in Houston next to his mother, according to theFort Bend Memorial Planning Center.

The public is invited to attend the visitation from noon to 6 p.m. local time, La’Torria Lemon, spokesperson for the funeral home, said.

“We’re anticipating close to 10,000 and that’s what we’re preparing for,” she said.

To comply with social distancing rules, 15 guests at a time will be allowed inside of The Fountain of Praise. Guests will be allowed to stay inside no more than 10 minutes after viewing the body. Guests must wear a mask and gloves, and casual attire is permitted.

Floyd’s connection to Houston: Floyd, 46, grew up in the city’s Third Ward. He graduated from Jack Yates High School in 1992, where he helped the football team win the state title. He also played basketball there, Lemon said.

Before moving to Minneapolis, Floyd was well known in the Houston music scene, rapping with a group called Screwed Up Clik (SUC).

Floyd’s body is already in Houston, according to Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo.

“#GeorgeFloyd and his family are safely in Houston,” he tweeted Sunday.

It was “a big deal for our city to bring him back home,” Acevedo said. “He’s well known, he’s known by a lot of our officers. We want to make sure that the family is safe, that the movement is safe. We want to make sure that the family knows that we’re here for them and we support them at this time.”

Earl Gray, defense attorney for former Minneapolis police officer Thomas Lane, talks to reporters on Thursday, June 4, outside court in downtown Minneapolis.

The attorney for one of the police officers charged over George Floyd’s death said his client “did not stand by and watch” while the man died with Derek Chauvin’s knee on his neck.

Earl Gray, attorney for police officer Thomas Lane, told NBC’s Today Show his client “was doing what he thought was right.”

Lane, 37, had only been on the force for four days when he helped to restrain Floyd, according to his lawyer. Asked how his client could stand by and watch for nearly nine minutes, Gray said:

Chauvin, Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao were responding to a call about a $20 counterfeit bill on May 25 when they detainedFloyd, who died while in custody.

The four officers were fired and are now facing charges in Floyd’s death.

Chauvin, 44, was charged last Wednesday with a new, more serious count of second-degree murder.

Kueng, Thao and Lane were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

Protestors gather near the makeshift memorial in honour of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 30.

George Floyd’s family has appealed to the United Nations to intervene in his case and to send recommendations for systemic police reform in the US, according to a press release.

In a June 3 letter to the UN Working Group on the Rights of People of African Descent, the family and civil rights attorney Ben Crump urged the UN to investigate Floyd’s death and encourage the US government to press federal criminal charges against the officers involved.

They requested reforms including de-escalating techniques, independent prosecutions and autopsies for every police killing.

Crump said in a statement that the US “has a long pattern and practice of depriving Black citizens of the fundamental human right to life.”

He said he had sought the protection of the federal government on innumerable cases of police brutality against black people – including Martin Lee Anderson in Florida, Michael Brown in Missouri and Breonna Taylor in Kentucky – but that the government had failed to hold officers accountable, even in cases with irrefutable video evidence.

International legal strategists and advocates Jotaka Eaddy and Jasmine Rand added:

They said the failure to address police violence had “weaponized racism against African Americans.”

Smoke fills the air as demonstrators clash with police near the Seattle Police Departments East Precinct shortly after midnight on Monday, June 8, in Seattle.

What appeared to be a peaceful protest took a turn overnight as law enforcement forces used flash bombs and what appeared to be a chemical agent to disperse a crowd of protesters gathered in Seattle.

On a live video stream on Facebook, police could be heard warning protesters to disperse and leave the area. Shortly after, the crowd began to scatter andpolice officers and other law enforcement agents could be seen advancing into an intersection.

Loud bangs could be heard in the background as white smoke begins to waft through the air.At one point, thevideo stream pans to show a burning trash can.

The moderator of the live feed describes two armored vehicles moving in as members of the police force continue to span out into the intersection that was full of protesters just minutes before.

Before police began to move protesters back, the Seattle Police Department said: “Incident Commander has made multiple PA announcements requesting that demonstrators stop moving the bicycle fencing and for the crowd to move back,” in a post on Twitter that was followed approximately two hours later by another post warning protesters.

In a third post, the Seattle Police Department announced their intentions to clear the area saying: “Incident Commander has issued two dispersal orders, demonstrators should leave the area now.”

Hours earlier, the Seattle Police Department arrested a man who drove a vehicle in the crowd of protesters, while the Seattle Fire Department transported a man in his late 20s from the same area to hospital with a gunshot wound.

Members of the K-Pop band BTS visit the "Today" Show at Rockefeller Plaza on February 21, in New York City.

K-pop behemoths BTS and their fans have donated $2 million to the Black Lives Matter movement, according to the band’s label and their fan fundraising group.

Last Thursday, the South Korean boy band posted a tweet saying:

In response, BTS fan-based charity fundraising group “One In An ARMY” launched a campaign to raise funds in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, which raised $50,000 in four and a half days.

The campaign then turned into a drive to #MatchAMillion, after reports the band had donated $1 million emerged on Saturday.

The band’s label, Big Hit Entertainment, confirmed to CNN that BTS had donated $1 million to a campaign group.

In the first 24 hours of the #MatchAMillion campaign, the fan group raised more than $817,000, according to a press release that One In An ARMY posted on its Twitter account.

Shortly after, on Sunday evening ET, the fundraiser updated via Twitter that they had reached their $1 million goal.

The additional $1 million was donated to bailouts for those arrested for protesting police brutality, black-led advocacy organizations fighting systemic injustice and support for the physical and mental health of the black community, the statement said.

A crowd of protesters walk from the Capitol building to the White House during a protest against police brutality and racism, on June 6, in Washington, DC.

Health officials have raised concern about the spread of coronavirus, as thousands of peoplebraving the pandemic to participate in national protests sparked by the deathof George Floyd.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Sunday it was closely monitoring the demonstrations taking place across the US and warned that such gatherings could spur coronavirus transmission. Some states are already seeing upward trends of new cases.

For three months, the country passed one grim milestone after the other, hitting 100,000 coronavirus deaths in late May. Public health officials have said that without the lockdowns most states put in place, the death toll could have been significantly higher.

As those lockdowns were lifted and other measures were loosened, the CDC and other top health officials urged Americans to use face coverings when they go out and always maintain a distance from other people.

Butlarge protests make it hard to keep to the recommended social distancing guidelines and “may put others at risk,” CDC spokesperson Kristen Nordlund said in a statement.

Earlier this month, CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield said protesters should be evaluated and tested for the virus.

“I do think there is a potential, unfortunately, for this to be a seeding event,” he said – especially in metropolitan areas where there has been significant transmission.

Read the full story here:

DENVER, CO - MAY 30: A man holds a mask over his face as thousands of people rally next to the Colorado State Capitol to protest the death of George Floyd on May 30, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. The city of Denver has enacted a curfew starting Saturday night and Governor Jared Polis has called in the Colorado National Guard after two nights of protests wreaked havoc across the city. (Photo by Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)

Related article Top health officials are monitoring nationwide protests in fear of coronavirus spread

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks to the press at the State Department in Washington, DC, on May 20.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called recent comments by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo “lies,” after he accused China of using George Floyd’s death as “laughable propaganda.”

She added that “US society still suffers from systematic discrimination, this is not outside propaganda, but is a normal state in the US which has been called out by many people.”

Hua said “equal rights for minorities remain elusive [in the US]” and “US politicians trying to shift the blame is immoral and unhelpful.”

Hua’s comments come after Pompeo released a statement on Saturday accusing China of exploiting the “tragic death of George Floyd to justify its authoritarian denial of basic human dignity.” Pompeo said China’s propaganda efforts “should be seen for the fraud they are.”

People raise their fists as they kneel in front of riot policemen during a 'Black Lives Matter' protest in Paris, on June 6.

French President Emmanuel Macron has asked the country’s interior minister to look into police violence with a view to improving “the ethics of the police,” according to a government statement.

After last week’s protests, Macron met the prime minister, the interior minister and other officials over the weekend, the Elysée Palace said in a statement early Monday morning.

There was a 41% increase in internal investigations into police violence between 2018 and 2019, according to a report released on Sunday by the police force’s internal watchdog.

On Tuesday last week, more than 20,000 protesters gathered in front of the main Paris court demanding an end to police violence, and in support of the Black Lives Matter movement in the US following the death in custody of George Floyd.

The organizers of the protests also demanded justice for Adama Traoré, a 24-year-old black French man who died in police custody in Paris four years ago.

Several protests against racism and police violence have taken place all over France in recent days, including three in Paris on Saturday.

All of the demonstrations went ahead in defiance of French authorities, since measures banning gatherings of more than 10 people are in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

A Palestinian man walks past graffiti of George Floyd in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank on June 7.

A picture of George Floyd has appeared in the Palestinian city of Bethlehem on the concrete wall built by Israel that separates it from the West Bank.

Since it went up almost 20 years ago, a response to the violence of the second intifada, or armed uprising, the wall has become one of the world’s most famous canvases for political graffiti.

The wall’s latest addition shows George Floyd wearing a hooded top, colored blue, staring out to meet the viewer’s gaze – a version of one of the most widely circulated images of him, a photo taken against a brick wall.

What else is on the wall? Other depictions to appear in recent years in Bethlehem include Donald Trump with his hand against the Western Wall in Jerusalem, with the speech bubble, “I’m going to build you a brother,” a reference to his campaign promise to erect a wall on the US’s southern border with Mexico.

There is also a large mural of Ahed Tamimi, the Palestinian teenager who has become a face of resistance to occupation. Tamimi was given an eight-month prison sentence after she was filmed kicking and slapping an Israeli soldier at the entrance to her family’s house.

The wall is also a popular site for sloganeering. “Make hummus not walls,” reads one message.

The third and final memorial service for George Floydwill be held Monday in Houston, the city he grew up in before moving to Minneapolis, where he died at the hands of a police officer.

Ex-Minneapolis officer DerekChauvin, the officer who is seen on video kneeling on Floyd’s neck, ischarged with second-degreemurder, which comes with a maximum sentence of 40 years.

Chauvinis alsocharged with third-degreemurderand second-degree manslaughter, which come with maximum sentences of 25 years and 10 years respectively. It is unclear whether, if convicted of those additionalcharges,Chauvin’s sentences would be served concurrently or consecutively. That would be at the discretion of the judge.

The other three officers involved in Floyd’s death – Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao – were charged withaiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

In Houston, thousands are expected to attend Monday’s visitation for Floyd. The six-hour viewing Monday will be followed by a funeral service and burial Tuesday in Pearland, a Houston suburb, CNN affiliateKTVTreported. Floyd will be laid to rest next to his mother, the news station reported.

Protesters in the US and across the world took to the streets for the 13th consecutive day after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Sunday marked a string of symbolic and significant victories for the protesters, as the peaceful demonstrations prompted authorities to lift curfews and withdraw National Guard troops.Here are the biggest headlines if you’re just joining us:

In the UK city of Bristol, protesters on Sunday pulled down a statue of a 17th-century slave trader while demonstrating in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.

The demonstrators tied the 5.5-meter (18ft) bronze statue of Edward Colston, with rope before toppling it, to cheers from the surrounding crowd.

Activists were later seen rolling the statue to the nearby harbor and throwing it into the River Avon.

Colston, who was born in Bristol in 1636, was an active member of the governing body of the Royal African Company (RAC) for 11 years, assuming the top role of deputy-governor from 1689–90.

The company, which had a monopoly on the west African slave trade in the late 17th century, was involved in the selling of tens of thousands of west African people in the Caribbean and the Americas.

Colston, who is described by theMuseums of Bristol websiteas a “revered philanthropist / reviled slave trader,” later donated some of his wealth to charitable causes, such as schools and hospitals, a process through which his name became synonymous with certain Bristol landmarks.

The statue of Colston had stood in Bristol’s city center since 1895 but had become increasingly controversial, with petitions created to demand its removal.

Elsewhere in the UK:Massive protests, with people numbering in the thousands, also took place in other major UK cities like London and Edinburgh.

At least 12 people were arrested at the protests inLondon, police said late Sunday.