Thousands Hit Downtown Houston For George Floyd Protests, 200 Arrested

As protests all over the country sprouted in the name of George Floyd, thousands of people descended upon Downtown Houston Friday with signs, posters and more demanding justice for George and for black humanity to be recognized and seen. Peaceful demonstrations began early Friday afternoon but tensions rose with clashes between protestors and officers, resulting in four officers injured, damage to police vehicles and local businesses and more. According to HPD, over 200 people were arrested, mostly for obstructing roadways. Overnight, protestors smashed police cars and windows downtown and a city remains on edge.   Floyd, a 46-year-old graduate of Yates High School in Third Ward, died in Minneapolis police custody on Monday after video showed officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on his neck, pinning him to the ground. Floyd pleaded for help and announced that he couldn’t breathe. Just before the rally in Houston and several other cities such as Atlanta, Dallas and Washington D.C. began, Chauvin was in police custody, charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Houston police chief Art Acevedo spoke with some of the organizers during the protest outside City Hall on Friday.

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“Our activists, our Black Lives Matter, and our chiefs, we actually have a working relationship,” Acevedo said. “One of the things that’s really important is we never want to let anarchists and people who want to use legitimate pain, and legitimate grievances, to hijack it by being anarchists and burning things down. What we know about our activists here is they try to work constructively, not destructively.” Throughout the night, celebrities and more pleaded for peace as well as upgraded charges for Chauvin. Beyoncé, in a plea from her Instagram account, stated how she felt “broken” and “disgusted” by watching Floyd’s death on television. “We need justice for George Floyd. We all witnessed his murder in broad daylight,” the native Houstonian said. “We cannot normalize this pain. I’m not only speaking to people of color. If you’re white, Black, brown or anything in between, I’m sure you feel hopeless about the racism going on in America right now. No more senseless killings of human beings. No more seeing people of color as less than human. We can no longer look away.” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner implored protesters to remain respectful in regards to letting their frustrations be heard over the death of the Third Ward native. “It was painful to watch,” Turner said of the video footage that showed Floyd’s death. “There is a lot of pain and a lot of hurt … for people all over this country. The frustrations are running very high. We see you and we chose not to ignore you. The answer is not to tear down cities … People want to be heard. They want change.”  

1. George Floyd Protest Houston

A woman stands in a window that was broken by protesters who threw rocks during a “Justice 4 George Floyd” demonstration over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes in Houston, Texas on May 29, 2020. – Demonstrations are being held across the US after George Floyd died in police custody on May 25. (Photo by Mark Felix / AFP) (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images) photography,horizontal,usa,adult,law,window,justice – concept,women,death,texas,houston – texas,politics,standing,throwing,gulf coast states,kneeling,social issues,police force,conflict,protest,racism,protestor,politics and government

2. Police In Downtown Houston

Police officers stand in a row during a “Justice 4 George Floyd” demonstration over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes in Houston, Texas on May 29, 2020. – Demonstrations are being held across the US after George Floyd died in police custody on May 25. (Photo by Mark Felix / AFP) (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images) photography,horizontal,usa,adult,law,justice – concept,men,death,texas,houston – texas,politics,standing,gulf coast states,kneeling,social issues,police force,conflict,protest,racism,politics and government

3. "Stop Killing Us"

A protester holds up a sign with a row of police officers behind during a “Justice 4 George Floyd” demonstration over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes in Houston, Texas on May 29, 2020. – Demonstrations are being held across the US after George Floyd died in police custody on May 25. (Photo by Mark Felix / AFP) (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images) photography,horizontal,usa,adult,law,justice – concept,men,death,texas,houston – texas,politics,gulf coast states,kneeling,social issues,police force,conflict,protest,racism,protestor,politics and government

4. Face To Face

TOPSHOT – A protester smiles at a row of police officers during a “Justice 4 George Floyd” demonstration over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes in Houston, Texas on May 29, 2020. – Demonstrations are being held across the US after George Floyd died in police custody on May 25. (Photo by Mark Felix / AFP) (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images) photography,horizontal,usa,adult,topix,smiling,law,justice – concept,men,death,texas,houston – texas,politics,gulf coast states,kneeling,social issues,police force,conflict,protest,racism,protestor,politics and government

5. Black Man

Protesters march during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes in Houston, Texas on May 29, 2020. – Demonstrations are being held across the US after George Floyd died in police custody on May 25. (Photo by Mark Felix / AFP) (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images) photography,horizontal,usa,adult,law,justice – concept,men,death,texas,houston – texas,politics,gulf coast states,kneeling,social issues,police force,conflict,protest,racism,protestor,politics and government

6. Protesting Outside George R. Brown Convention Center

Protesters march during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes in Houston, Texas on May 29, 2020. – Demonstrations are being held across the US after George Floyd died in police custody on May 25. (Photo by Mark Felix / AFP) (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images) photography,horizontal,usa,adult,law,justice – concept,men,death,texas,houston – texas,politics,gulf coast states,kneeling,social issues,police force,conflict,protest,racism,protestor,politics and government

7. "I Can't Breathe"

Protesters march during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes in Houston, Texas on May 29, 2020. – Demonstrations are being held across the US after George Floyd died in police custody on May 25. (Photo by Mark Felix / AFP) (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images) photography,horizontal,usa,adult,law,justice – concept,men,death,texas,houston – texas,politics,gulf coast states,kneeling,social issues,police force,conflict,protest,racism,protestor,politics and government

8. March Through Downtown

People gather to protest and mourn George Floyd, a black man who died after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes during the “Justice 4 George Floyd” event in Houston, Texas on May 29, 2020. – Demonstrations are being held across the US after George Floyd died in police custody on May 25. (Photo by Mark Felix / AFP) (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images) photography,people,horizontal,usa,adult,law,justice – concept,men,death,texas,houston – texas,event,gulf coast states,kneeling,social issues,police force,conflict,protest,racism,mourning

9. Black Power Fist

Protesters march during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes in Houston, Texas on May 29, 2020. – Demonstrations are being held across the US after George Floyd died in police custody on May 25. (Photo by Mark Felix / AFP) (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images) photography,horizontal,usa,adult,law,justice – concept,men,death,texas,houston – texas,politics,gulf coast states,kneeling,social issues,police force,conflict,protest,racism,protestor,politics and government

10. March

Protesters march during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes in Houston, Texas on May 29, 2020. – Demonstrations are being held across the US after George Floyd died in police custody on May 25. (Photo by Mark Felix / AFP) (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images) vertical,photography,usa,adult,law,justice – concept,men,death,texas,houston – texas,politics,gulf coast states,kneeling,social issues,police force,conflict,protest,racism,protestor,politics and government

11. March Through Downtown Houston

Protesters march during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes in Houston, Texas on May 29, 2020. – Demonstrations are being held across the US after George Floyd died in police custody on May 25. (Photo by Mark Felix / AFP) (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images) photography,horizontal,usa,adult,topix,law,justice – concept,men,death,texas,houston – texas,politics,gulf coast states,kneeling,social issues,police force,conflict,protest,racism,protestor,politics and government

12. US-POLITICS-POLICE-JUSTICE-RACE-DEMONSTRATION-racism

Thousands gather to protest and mourn George Floyd, a black man who died after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes during the “Justice 4 George Floyd” event in Houston, Texas on May 29, 2020. – Demonstrations are being held across the US after George Floyd died in police custody on May 25. (Photo by Mark Felix / AFP) (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images) photography,horizontal,usa,adult,law,justice – concept,men,abundance,death,texas,houston – texas,event,gulf coast states,kneeling,social issues,police force,conflict,protest,racism,mourning

13. US-POLITICS-POLICE-JUSTICE-RACE-DEMONSTRATION-racism

Thousands gather to protest and mourn George Floyd, a black man who died after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes during the “Justice 4 George Floyd” event in Houston, Texas on May 29, 2020. – Demonstrations are being held across the US after George Floyd died in police custody on May 25. (Photo by Mark Felix / AFP) (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images) photography,horizontal,usa,adult,law,justice – concept,men,abundance,death,texas,houston – texas,event,gulf coast states,kneeling,social issues,police force,conflict,protest,racism,mourning