A nationwide crackdown on policing and systemic racial injustice that sparked Floyd’s death last summer sparked new, sometimes violent, protests this week.
Minneapolis Public Schools begins Wednesday after remote learning in anticipation of a trial verdict, according to a letter to students and parents of Superintendent Ed Graff.
Closing remarks will be made on Monday in the trial of the former officer who tied Floyd’s neck and back for nine minutes and 29 seconds last May. Chauvin, 45, pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree manslaughter, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Graff said all students will do distance learning from Wednesday until the end of the week. Athletics events and before and after school childcare will not take place.
“The racism and violence highlighted during these tragic incidents can be widely discussed among some students in our schools,” Graff said in the letter posted on the school system’s website.
“As appropriate and comfortable, teachers will give students the opportunity to process their feelings, how they feel personally, and how they are affected by seeing the eyes of the world at Minneapolis.”
In downtown Minneapolis, where the joint jury will be consulted, teams of razor wire were installed this week around a police building. According to John Elder, spokesman for the Minneapolis Police Department, similar measures are being taken at other police stations.
National Guard troops have been deployed in parts of downtown Minneapolis.
The Hennepin County Government Center has been surrounded by fences and barriers since the selection of juries began last month.
Other US cities prepare for verdict and protests
According to Capt. Stacy Spell, police have stepped up community outreach efforts and plan to make additional officers available.
“We are also strongly encouraging that when people who want to express themselves see something, that they say something,” he said. “We do not want small groups of individuals with a malicious intent to strike a peaceful protest.”
In San Francisco, police said discretionary holidays for officers have been canceled and that additional officers will be deployed.
The Atlanta Police Department said in a statement that it coordinates the efforts with local, state and federal law enforcement and that officers are prepared to respond quickly.
In New York City, police are preparing for protests.
“We are in constant, literally daily conversations,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said. “It is clear that so much will happen based on what the verdict is and how it is pronounced.”
NYPD commissioner Dermot Shea said the city has held an average of 10 to 20 protests a day since last year. “It never really ended,” he told 1010 WINS radio on Wednesday.
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The Philadelphia Police Department said it was prepared to “secure and patrol strategic locations with additional personnel.”
According to Hugh Carew spokesman, the Metropolitan Police Service will be fully activated from Monday for 12 hours on 12-hour shifts.
CNN’s Josh Campbell, Dan Przygoda, Hollie Silverman, Christina Carrega, Rob Frehse, Virginia Langmaid, Cheri Mossburg, Stephanie Elam and Jennifer Henderson contributed to this report.