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Rally continues in Missoula following death of George Floyd

Missoula George Floyd Protest.jpg
Posted at 7:31 AM, Jun 01, 2020
and last updated 2020-06-01 10:28:14-04

MISSOULA — People gathered again on Sunday in front of the Missoula County Courthouse in a sign of solidarity with protests happening in Minnesota and across the country.

The protests in Minneapolis were sparked after the lethal arrest of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police.

One arresting officer -- Derek Chauvin -- has been charged with third degree murder and manslaughter.

People in Missoula have been gathering outside of the courthouse since Friday and continue to show support for protesters across the country.

A similar rally is planned again for Monday.

Rallies and marches were held over the weekend in Billings, Bozeman, Great Falls and Helena.



Missoula Police Chief Jaeson White, University of Montana Police Department Chief Chief Marty Ludemann, Missoula County Sheriff TJ McDermott, Missoula Mayor John Engen and University of Montana President Seth Bodnar released a joint statement Saturday afternoon about recent events in Minneapolis, and protests across the country.

The statement reads as follows:

We recognize that as leaders in law enforcement, government and higher education, we have a particular responsibility to foster a welcoming and inclusive community.

And so, as we have witnessed troubling events and racial injustice in Minneapolis and across the country, we reaffirm our shared commitment to an inclusive, welcoming and supportive Missoula community that values and promotes diversity in all its forms. We each have an important role to play as advocates for justice and equity, and we as leaders commit to acting in solidarity against racism and acts of discrimination, injustice and violence. During this challenging time for our society, let this be an opportunity for our community to come together to speak and act in ways that make Missoula a place worthy of all people.