Belleville police break up second George Floyd protest

There were two protests in downtown Belleville on Saturday over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The police described the first one as peaceful, but the second protest had to be broken up by officers.

No arrests were made in the second protest after officers in about seven cars swarmed into the Public Square about 3 p.m. to clear a group of about 12 protesters.

Messages on the protester’s signs included “Black Lives Matter” and “I Can’t Breathe” in reference to what Floyd, a black man, said while a white Minneapolis police officer held his knee on Floyd’s neck before Floyd died.

Belleville Police Chief Bill Clay said officers responded after complaints were made that the protesters had interfered with traffic on the Public Square and with people who were dining outdoors at restaurants on East Main Street.

Clay said organizers of the first protest had contacted the city about being on the square from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Clay said there were “no issues whatsoever” with the first protest.

“There didn’t have to be a police presence, that’s how peaceful they were.”

Clay said about 100 people participated in the first protest.

In the second protest, participants were seen standing in the middle of East Main where it meets with Illinois Street, and they were on the concrete base of the Veterans Memorial Fountain.

Clay also said the department received complaints that protesters had shouted at restaurant customers.

“We got reports of them up on the fountain, now you’re interfering with the traffic,” Clay said.

“We got reports of them moving up and down East Main Street, going as far as Church Street, disrupting and shouting at people while they were trying to” eat at restaurants, Clay said.

The chief said the officers asked this group of protesters to leave and they did.

Clay said people were on the fountain’s base in the first protest but that was for a short time.

Clay described the video of Floyd’s arrest as “really horrific” and he understands the need for peaceful protests.

Protests nationwide

On Memorial Day, Floyd was face down on the street and handcuffed when police officer, Derek Chauvin, put his left knee on Floyd’s neck. Chauvin was fired and later charged with with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

Nationwide, peaceful protests over Floyd’s death have given way to riots where buildings and police cars have been torched.

In St. Louis, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that a man died Saturday during protests when he was caught between two trailers being pulled by a tractor-trailer.

In Minneapolis, the Star Tribune reports that over 250 buildings have been burned, looted or vandalized since Monday.

This story was originally published May 30, 2020 at 6:27 PM.