The protests began peacefully, with demonstrators gathering near Daley Plaza, Millennium Park, and Michigan Avenue before moving toward Wacker Drive and the Chicago River bridges. Crowds carried signs reading “Justice for George Floyd,” “Black Lives Matter,” “No Justice, No Peace,” and “Stop Killing Us.”
As the afternoon turned to evening, tensions escalated. Police erected barricades along the bridges to block protesters from advancing toward City Hall. Clashes broke out when officers deployed tear gas and batons, while protesters chanted and knelt in defiance. Amid the chaos, others continued to march peacefully, distributing water, linking arms, and calling for calm.
Helicopters circled overhead as chants echoed through the Loop: “Say his name — George Floyd!”
Despite arrests and curfews, the demonstrations persisted, and community leaders urged the city to listen — not suppress — the voices calling for justice.
