Several demonstrations were held last night across the nation against the May 25 death of Floyd, 46, in Minneapolis, where a police officer had restrained the handcuffed man by putting a knee to his neck.
In Arizona, local protesters marched through downtown Phoenix on Thursday night. What started off with hundreds of peaceful protesters near the Capitol around 9:30 p.m. turned into criminal acts of smashing windows with rocks and bottles at the Arizona State Capitol and throwing objects at DPS troopers. Authorities reported that protestors were trying to get inside.
A smaller group of protesters moved to the Phoenix Police headquarters where they threw rocks and items at the windows and smashed the glass of the front door.
Department of Public Safety troopers arrived in riot gear and deployed tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
Also near the capitol, news cameras caught protesters smashing the rear windshield of a Phoenix police cruiser as it was attempting to drive away.
DPS troopers and police officers arrived to secure the scene in riot gear.
Phoenix Police Department eventually announced the streets between 15th and 17th Avenues and Jefferson and Washington Streets had been closed. And the protestors were advised to leave the area.
In addition, before reaching the capitol building, the 5-way intersection of at Seventh Avenue and Van Buren Street was shut down around 8:10 p.m. due to the demonstrations. Phoenix police officers were on the scene to help block the traffic.
Workers were working to clean up the destruction early Friday morning.