George Floyd protests in Richmond, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids George Floyd protests in Richmond, Virginia |
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People protesting for Black Lives Matter near the Robert E. Lee Monument on May 31, 2020.
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| Date | May 29, 2020 – August 16, 2020 | ||
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Richmond, Virginia, United States
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| Injuries | At least 25 | ||
| Arrested | 400–500 | ||
In 2020, Richmond, Virginia, saw many protests. These events happened after the murder of George Floyd. Richmond was one of the first cities in the Southeast to have large demonstrations.
Richmond used to be the capital of the Confederate States of America. Because of this, many statues linked to the Confederacy were damaged. This happened especially along Monument Avenue.
The protests started in late May 2020 and mostly ended by mid-August 2020. Many of the protests focused on the statues along Monument Avenue. This area is near The Fan neighborhood. During the first wave of protests, most major monuments were spray-painted. Five statues were pulled down by protesters. These included the Jefferson Davis Memorial and statues of Christopher Columbus.
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Why People Protested
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd died in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was a 46-year-old Black man. His death happened during an arrest.
Videos of the event became public the next day. All four police officers involved were fired. Floyd's death led to protests in many U.S. cities and worldwide. People protested against police brutality and institutional racism. They also protested for more police accountability. Protests reached Richmond about three days after Floyd's death.
Protests and Events
May 2020 Events
The first organized protest in Richmond began on the evening of May 29. It continued into the early morning of May 30. Protesters gathered at Monroe Park. They marched through the Monroe Ward neighborhood.
There, they met the Richmond Police Department (RPD) and other police groups. Protesters set two police cars on fire. They also damaged and burned a public transit bus.
On May 30, hundreds of protesters marched down Monument Avenue. This street is famous for its statues of Confederate generals. These statues had been damaged before the Floyd protests. The J.E.B. Stuart Monument was the first statue damaged. Protesters spray-painted it. The Robert E. Lee Monument was also tagged with slogans like "Black Lives Matter". The Jefferson Davis Memorial and the Stonewall Jackson Monument were also damaged.
The inside of the Memorial to the Women of the Confederacy building was set on fire. This fire destroyed items inside. Protesters also damaged the sign for the Virginia Museum of History and Culture.
June 2020 Events
Protests continued into June 1, despite a city-wide curfew. About 100 to 200 protesters were arrested. There was less damage than on previous nights. However, some dumpsters, cars, and buildings were set on fire.
On June 1, hundreds of protesters gathered near the city's downtown area. About 40 minutes before curfew, Richmond police used tear gas on a group of about 500 peaceful protesters. The protesters were kneeling and chanting "Why are we here? LOVE!". Drone footage showed that police seemed to plan this action. The police later said protesters tried to pull down statues. This use of tear gas was criticized, and the police apologized.
On June 2, Mayor Stoney apologized for the police actions. Citizens asked him to fire the officers involved. Stoney joined protesters in their march to show he was listening.
On June 3, an open area was set up at the Lee Monument. It became a community cultural center.
On June 6, protesters pulled down a statue of Williams Carter Wickham. He was a Confederate general. The statue was in Monroe Park. Wickham's family had asked for the statue to be removed years earlier.
On June 9, protesters went to the Christopher Columbus statue in Byrd Park. They set it on fire, pulled it down, and threw it into a lake. The next evening, June 10, protesters pulled down the Jefferson Davis statue on Monument Avenue.
On June 13, a large march called the "5,000 Man March" was held on Monument Avenue. The mayor and police started investigations into the march.
On June 15, a protest happened outside the Richmond Police Headquarters. Protesters were against police actions from the past two weeks. Police used non-lethal bullets and tear gas. The next day, June 16, Police Chief William Smith resigned.
On June 17, a fourth statue was pulled down. This was the Confederate Howitzer Statue. It was on the Virginia Commonwealth University campus. On June 19, Juneteenth celebrations took place. Around this time, a sign was placed at the Lee Monument. It renamed the area "Marcus-David Peters Circle." This honored Marcus-David Peters, who died in police care.
On June 22, protesters gathered at Richmond City Hall. They asked for changes to the RPD. They wanted a Citizens Review Board and a "Marcus Alert System." This system would send social workers to mental health crises instead of police. That evening, protesters were attacked by police with rubber bullets, tear gas, and pepper spray.
On June 26, the interim Police Chief Jody Blackwell stepped down. Deputy Chief Gerald Smith was announced as the new Chief of the RPD. He started on July 1.
July 2020 Events
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On July 1, city workers removed the Stonewall Jackson Statue. This was the first statue the city government officially removed. On July 7, city workers removed the J.E.B. Stuart Statue. This was the second statue removed by the city.
On July 25, a truck was set on fire during a protest in south Richmond. Mayor Stoney and Police Chief Gerald Smith said that some people were trying to cause trouble. They said these people were trying to make the peaceful Black Lives Matter movement look bad.
August 2020 Events
In August, the police and mayor tried to calm the protests. On August 7, police removed camping areas around the Lee Monument. They said nearby residents had complained. On August 11, unofficial historical markers were removed. The RPD tried to stop people from camping overnight.
On August 13, protesters joined with student groups at Virginia Commonwealth University. They demanded changes to the VCU Police Department. They wanted the university to share police budgets and stop working with the Richmond Police. They also wanted money to go to mental health services.
On August 16, the "Marcus-David Peters Circle" sign was removed. The police department said they were not responsible.
Images for kids
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People protesting for Black Lives Matter near the Robert E. Lee Monument on May 31, 2020.
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A protester stands near the J.E.B. Stuart Monument after it was damaged during protests.
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The Stonewall Jackson Monument was taken down by the city on July 1, 2020.
