Black Lives Matter activists fumed on Tuesday afternoon after a Minneapolis jury returned a verdict convicting former Minneapolis police Derek Chauvin on all counts, manslaughter and murder, in the death of George Floyd last May.
The jury took less than a day to deliver the verdict, a move that surprised many who were expecting deliberations to take at least a few days. Chauvin now faces up to 75 years in prison when he is sentenced in several weeks.
Following the verdict, journalist Drew Hernandez hit the streets of Minneapolis and recorded the reaction of far-left Black Lives Matter activists for the news.
“Yes, we can defund the police,” one BLM supporter shouted. “And maybe one day we will abolish the police, but we ain’t gonna do s**t unless we have control over them. That is the number one thing right now. … We’re not gonna let these pigs in these buildings have any more control over our lives today. That s**t ends today.”
BLM SUPPORTER: “WE WILL ABOLISH THE POLICE” #DerekChauvinTrial pic.twitter.com/Zl7MCPkZXW
— Drew Hernandez (@DrewHLive) April 21, 2021
Another BLM supporter called for people to attack “the system” from “every single f***ing angle” and to “go way beyond voting at this point.”
“We need to go way beyond voting at this point,” the BLM supporter said. “We need to be coming out here every single day if that’s what it takes, until we get justice for the people that they murdered a week ago that they’ve already forgotten about. … The only reason once again, that we got this conviction, is because we showed up. And if we don’t keep showing up, and if we don’t change laws, and we don’t attack this system, from every single f***ing angle we can, we will be here again.”
BLM MINNEAPOLIS: “..ATTACK system from every single F*CKING angle WE can…” #DerekChauvinTrial pic.twitter.com/j2QNV66oz5
— Drew Hernandez (@DrewHLive) April 21, 2021
Another BLM supporter said that they are “never gonna be satisfied” and suggested without evidence that what was happening, presumably in the U.S. justice system, constituted a “black genocide.”
“We’re not, we’re never gonna be satisfied,” the BLM supporter said. “Black Lives Matter isn’t a trend. It’s a movement. Black Lives Matter forever, okay? So, we’re not gonna stop just because we’ve got one conviction. We’re happy with the conviction, but we’re gonna keep going. … This is a black genocide. This is more than one case. We’re not satisfied.”
BLM MINNEAPOLIS: “WE ARE NEVER GOING TO BE SATISFIED” #DerekChauvinTrial pic.twitter.com/F1j96NHYCi
— Drew Hernandez (@DrewHLive) April 21, 2021
Another BLM supporter said that it was “epic” that the Minneapolis Police Department precinct that Chauvin was based out of “burned to the ground.”
“Derrick Chauvin’s Police Department burned to the ground. So we have to remember, those people are still facing challenges for arson. We have to remember that we just set us up a map once again because that was epic!”
MINNEAPOLIS: BLM Leader publicly claims the burning of the MPD police station was “EPIC” #DerekChauvinTrial pic.twitter.com/U0xb2eJtEV
— Drew Hernandez (@DrewHLive) April 21, 2021
At a gathering of the protesters, they chanted, “Burn it down!”
“I cannot be anymore peaceful.. this movement has made it’s way to your front door and we are no longer knocking..”
BLM CHANTS: “BURN IT DOWN”
I think BLM’s intentions are clear from this video out of Minneapolis.
— Drew Hernandez (@DrewHLive) April 20, 2021
Another BLM supporter, who self-identified as a “revolutionary,” repeatedly screamed and appeared to urge extreme action in altering the U.S. justice system.
Minneapolis: Man on a microphone at the #BLM protest says he’s not a Democrat or Republican—he’s a revolutionary Communist. pic.twitter.com/30SuCdTq8j
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) April 20, 2021
BLM MINNEAPOLIS: “THEY GUNNA LET US BURN THIS WHOLE MOTHERF*CKER TO THE GROUND…”#DerekChauvinTrial pic.twitter.com/tLuRZtpGH7
— Drew Hernandez (@DrewHLive) April 21, 2021