Protests over George Floyd’s death slated to be held in Trenton this weekend

Two protests are slated to be held in Trenton this weekend to demand justice in the killing of George Floyd, the 46-year-old black man who died Monday after Derek Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer, knelt on his neck for several minutes while Floyd was handcuffed.

Floyd was not armed and was not resisting arrest. He told the police he couldn’t breathe as the officer continued to kneel on his neck. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

All four police officers who were at the scene have been fired and Chauvin has been charged with murder in the third degree. People across the country are calling on the authorities to arrest all four officers and charge Chauvin with murder in the first degree.

Floyd’s death has sparked protests across the country about racism and police brutality, and some of those protests have turned violent. In Brooklyn on Friday night, police could be seen in videos throwing protesters to the ground and beating them with clubs.

Protesters in Trenton will hold a solidarity march on State Street in front of the capitol building at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The event is being organized by a coalition of groups.

A second protest “Justice for George Floyd” is planned in Trenton from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

At his daily COVID-19 press briefing on Friday, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy made a statement about Floyd’s death and the protests.

“George Floyd should be alive today, not just as a matter of principle or justice, but as a matter of human dignity, as a matter of our nation living up to one of our most basic founding ideals that all are created equal,” Murphy said.

“His life mattered as much as mine’s or my wife’s, or our kids’ or any of yours. We’ve seen these images before in New York, in Ferguson, in Baltimore, in countless other cities large and small. Too many times have we gotten a national wake-up call and then gone about doing nothing about it,” Murphy said. “We cannot just expect someone to be fired and that be the end of it. That’s a feel-good action that doesn’t solve a systemic problem, we need to dig a deeper well of accountability and responsibility. And we need to draw from it. Not just in Minneapolis, but from everywhere, including right here.”

Avatar of Krystal Knapp

Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.

17 Comments

  1. I hope the Princeton police have a plan if the protest spreads here. I pay 2.25% of my home value in property taxes every year, if I’m not safe, if there are fires in my town, I will move. Who will pay their pensions?

    1. @liz imagine everyday of your life paying taxes and not being able to walk the streets in not fear of a fire , but being shot or choked to death !!! But you and your fancy house in Princeton don’t have to worry to much about that huh !

    2. Are you donating any money to any organization combating the injustices faced? We’re you concerned when people were protesting the stay at home order at the same spot that this protest is going to happen? George Floyd paid his life but you are concerned about your 2.25% property tax. Take a second to reflect on your privilege.

    3. P R I V I L E G E. It’s not only the root of this issue, but also that which continues to nourish it. I cannot tell you how gratifying it is to see it flourishing here.

    4. Protesting injustice and police brutality towards a certain group of people is a must. People are tired, angry and fed up! i am! You should be too!

    5. And the award for “the whitest response ever goes to……”

      THIS POST

      it’s not even in your city- it’s in Trenton. But please- by all means. Move.

    6. wow thats all you care about, your property tax. no wonder we are in the mess we’re in. what makes you think a protest in princeton would be anything but peaceful? i came to this article looking to see if there were any planned here, because im fairly certain it would be safe.

    7. so sad you only think of your property tax. i came to this article to see if there were protests planned for princeton, as it would most likely be peaceful. What do you know about princeton that would lead you to think otherwise ? Yes, go ahead, move, please where the thought of black men being killed by police can not offend you.

    8. Really? That comment shows just how truly ignorant you are. If you had a single brain cell you would know that not all protests are violent. This protest was very peaceful in fact and that we Trentonians have more class than those from Princeton apparently with comments such as yours. There haven’t been fires in Trenton due to protests since MLK. But, you’re likely too young and “entitled” to remember those. Since you’re so worried about your home’s value and your money, how about you go out and buy yourself a clue and maybe some class?

  2. This appears to be the only source of information regarding Sunday’s protest in Trenton. Where in Trenton is it? Is there parking?

    1. All I can see is State Street to the Capital building- knowing what I know if the area it’s a free for all for parking. 🙁

    2. I am wondering the same thing. I don’t like how here are no hosting groups listed. I’m assuming there is no parking. All I know is West State Street from someone who was at the protest on Saturday.

  3. I am curious about the additional protest on Sunday– I can’t seem to find any other info about it online. Does anyone know a more specific location?

  4. If your property is not safe, then danger to your physical safety & well-being is not far away. There was violence in Trenton.

    Anyone who doesn’t condemn violence & looting is displaying ‘White Privilege’: in a month, you’ll be back in your middle-class life, but what about the people in Minneapolis who now have to take a bus to grocery shop or get their meds at Target?? Minneapolis is the new Dee-troit; it will not recover.

    While I completely support the peaceful protestors, I was happy to see police presence on Nassau St today.

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