A peaceful protest was interrupted by a semitruck driving toward protesters marching on an interstate in Minneapolis.
Thousands of people were walking on the Interstate 35W Mississippi River bridge on Sunday when a semitruck came plowing toward the crowd. In footage captured by WCCO, the vehicle can be seen speeding toward the crowd, which had already split by the time the vehicle was in the chopper camera’s view.
After the semitruck came to a halt, people then began storming toward the vehicle in an attempt to remove the driver, who was injured and arrested. The marchers had until that point remained peaceful.
According to the Department of Public Safety, no injuries have been reported among the protesters and medics have not been called. The incident occurred around 6 p.m. local time. Gov. Tim Walz closed down highways and interstates an hour prior.
“Very disturbing actions by a truck driver on I-35W, inciting a crowd of peaceful demonstrators,” the department tweeted. “The truck driver was injured & taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He is under arrest. It doesn’t appear any protesters were hit by the truck.”
Very disturbing actions by a truck driver on I-35W, inciting a crowd of peaceful demonstrators. The truck driver was injured & taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He is under arrest. It doesn’t appear any protesters were hit by the truck. #MACCMN
— MnDPS_DPS (@MnDPS_DPS) May 31, 2020
Demonstrations have taken place across the country over the past week in response to a viral video that showed a white Minnesota police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, for several minutes until he lost consciousness and was pronounced dead. The officer, Derek Chauvin, and three others involved in the incident have been fired. Chauvin faces charges of third-degree murder and manslaughter.
Some of the protests have turned violent with demonstrators looting, committing arson, and clashing with police.
