Over a hundred protesters gather in Volusia County, remains peaceful and unified
PORT ORANGE, Fla. - Over a hundred protesters gathered along the International Speedway Bridge on Sunday in response to the death in Minneapolis of George Floyd, a black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer pressed a knee on his neck.
The protesters chanted peacefully, held up signs demanding justice, and listened to speeches throughout the demonstration.
The Volusia County Sheriff's Office actually thanked the demonstrators for staying peaceful throughout the protest.
At one point, Kale Cafe even began handing out free smoothies to protesters.
RELATED: Truck drives through crowd of protesters in Tallahassee, police say
Other Central Florida protests were not as peaceful.
For example, protesters marched up and down the streets of Downtown Orlando on Saturday, demanding justice for George Floyd. When protesters started to set off fireworks, police responded with pepper spray.
Protests moved onto the 408, as people climbed barriers and blocked the highway while denouncing police brutality. Police said that some protesters threw rocks at bottles at officers, forcing them to use a "chemical agent" to clear them from the highway.
At least six people were arrested. While all this was happening, several businesses near the Mall at Millenia were broken into and damaged by looters.
The former Minneapolis officer seen kneeling on George Floyd's neck as he struggled to breathe, Derek Chauvin, is in custody this morning. He is charged with third-degree-murder and manslaughter. His wife has also filed for divorce, as her attorneys say that she was devastated by Floyd's death.
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