Dallas curfew continues following two days of demonstrations against the killing of Black people by police.
The unrest was sparked by the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota, an African-American man who was slain after a white police officer knelt on his kneck for several minutes during an arrest.
The slaying sparked peaceful protests and some vandalism in cities across the U.S., including Dallas, where the majority of clashes between protesters and police in Texas took place. More than 1,000 protesters gathered outside Dallas police headquarters on Friday night. Clashes between authorities and some demonstrators eventually ensued and continued into Saturday morning, with police reporting vandalism and looting.
Dallas police reportedly fired tear gas onto peaceful crowds without warning on Saturday, leading to more unrest and arrests by police.
Demonstrations were also seen in other major Texas cities, including Austin, Houston, and El Paso.
In response, Gov. Greg Abbott activated the Texas National Guard on Saturday, warning that violence and looting would not be tolerated. The governor declared a State of Disaster around the same time.
Floyd’s body to return to Houston
On Saturday, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced Floyd’s body would be returned to Houston, Floyd’s hometown.
“This is the same city that George Floyd grew up in, and his body will be returning to this city,” Turner said.
Floyd, 46, grew up in Houston’s Third Ward and attended Yates High School. Former classmates of Floyd’s 1993 class held a vigil and walk on Saturday to honor his memory.
Floyd’s brother, Philonise Floyd, has set up a GoFundMe to pay for the family’s funeral, burial, and other expenses.
Photo: MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images
Fernando covers Texas politics and government at the Texas Signal. Before joining the Signal, Fernando spent two years at the Houston Chronicle and previously interned at Houston’s NPR station News 88.7. He is a graduate of the University of Houston, Jack J. Valenti School of Communication, and enjoys reading, highlighting things, and arguing on social media. You can follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93 or email at fernando@texassignalarchive.com
