![]() “We got the verdict that we needed, but it’s never going to change until we make a change,” he said. Simmons said he hopes people taking part in the festivities will both honor Floyd’s life and legacy and continue to “uplift and empower this movement.” Xavier Simmons, 24, from Racine, Wisconsin, chanted “Say his name!” as people kneeled. The celebration also included a candlelight vigil, capping several days of marches, rallies and panel discussions about his death and confronting racial discrimination. Nearby, a brass band played for passersby. One group hosted an open mic next to a greenhouse that community members constructed earlier this year to house flowers left by mourners. Artwork and signs from protests after Floyd’s death also were on display. The square was transformed Tuesday into an outdoor festival, with food, children’s activities and music. ![]() It quickly turned into a memorial - and also a challenging spot for the city, with police officers not always welcome. The intersection of 38th and Chicago has been barricaded since soon after Floyd’s death. Other groups are pursuing a more radical remaking of the police department. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey last week unveiled sweeping public safety proposals aimed at fixing the problem. A 6-year-old girl was fatally shot and two other children wounded in recent weeks. Like other major cities, Minneapolis has been struggling with rising gun violence, a problem made worse, in part, by many officers leaving the embattled force since Floyd’s death. “People here who spend a significant amount of time, the organizers, were running around asking, ‘Does anyone need a medic?’” “Very quickly things got back to normal,” Crowther said. Crowther said a storefront window appeared to have been broken by gunshots. ![]() Philip Crowther, a reporter working for AP Global Media Services, which provides live video coverage, reported hearing as many as 30 gunshots about a block from the intersection. Police said he was in critical condition but was expected to survive. Police said a man, who they believe was injured in the shooting, went to a nearby hospital with a gunshot wound. Associated Press video from 38th Street and Chicago Avenue - informally known as George Floyd Square - showed people running for cover as shots rang out. ![]()
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