Violence and controversies during the George Floyd protests

Local protests in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area quickly spread nationwide in more than 2,000 cities and towns, as well as over 60 countries internationally in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.^[3] In Minneapolis, destruction of property began on May 26, 2020, with the protests involving vandalism and arson.^[4][5] Demonstrations in many other cities also descended into riots and widespread looting.^[6][7] There was police brutality against protesters and journalists.^{[8][9][10][11][12]} Property damage estimates resulting from arson, vandalism and looting ranged from $1 to $2 billion, eclipsing the highest inflation adjusted totals for the 1992 Los Angeles riots.^[13]

The majority of the George Floyd protests, a series of protests and unrest which began in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 26, 2020, in response to the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police Department officer Derek Chauvin, were peaceful; an estimated 93%–96.3% of demonstrations were peaceful and nondestructive, involving no injuries or no property damage.^[14][15][16] However, police made arrests in about 5% of protest events (deploying chemical irritants in 2.5% of events); 3.7% of protest events were associated with property damage or vandalism (including damages by persons not involved in the actual demonstration); and protesters or bystanders were injured or killed in 1.6% of events.^[15] Clashes and other forms of violence were at various times initiated by protestors, by counterprotestors, and by police,^[15] and were usually driven by opportunistic criminals rather than organized extremist groups.^[17]

There have also been numerous reports and videos of aggressive police actions using physical force including "batons, tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets on protesters, bystanders and journalists, often without warning or seemingly unprovoked."^[18] These incidents have provoked "growing concern that aggressive law enforcement tactics intended to impose order were instead inflaming tensions."^[18] The police responded that such tactics are necessary to prevent vandalism and arson, and that police officers have been assaulted with rocks and water bottles.^[18] Amnesty International issued a press release calling for the police to end excessive militarized responses to the protests.^[19][20]