Dozens Arrested In Miami During Weekend Protests

MIAMI, FL — Dozens of people were arrested in downtown Miami over the weekend following two days of protests over the death of George Floyd in Minnesota.

Sunday's protests were generally peaceful around downtown Miami though protesters spilled onto Interstate 395 for a time blocking traffic. Miami-Dade police said they made 38 more arrests on Sunday while Miami police reported three arrests, two of which involved out-of-state residents. There were no reports of injuries and only minor damage in downtown Miami.

On Saturday night several Miami police cars were set ablaze and others had their windows smashed as riot-equipped police officers fired tear gas at protesters. But on Sunday, protesters could be seen at one point linking arms in downtown Miami to protect a CVS store from looting.

That was a sharp contrast to Saturday night when some protesters pelted Miami police officers with rocks, water bottles and whatever they could find as tensions escalated outside Miami police headquarters. Potted plants and trash cans were overturned blocks away at Bayside Marketplace and traffic was shut down in both directions of busy Interstate 95 and Biscayne Boulevard for a time as protesters spilled onto the highway around the downtown area.

In nearby Fort Lauderdale, several businesses suffered broken windows Sunday when people threw rocks. Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis complained that outside agitators came to his city prepared to start trouble after a peaceful demonstration.

"They came with concrete blocks. they came with gas masks. They came with cartons of milk which are usually used to deter the effects of tear gas," Trantalis told reporters Sunday. "They knew something was going to happen. They knew it because they were going to provoke it."

Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina said one of his officers suffered a broken hand Saturday night and may require surgery after being struck by a rock.

Colina was among the first police chiefs in the nation to speak out against the events in Minneapolis that led to the death of Floyd. The Miami chief warned his officers in a video to learn from the Floyd case and make sure they "respect life" above everything else.

In all, 17 police vehicles in the city of Miami were damaged Saturday night, including two or three that were burned by protesters. The Miami chief said during a Sunday press conference that most of the people arrested were not from Miami and appeared to be part of a coordinated effort.

"We have seen what appears to coordinated movements, people that won't tell us where they are from," Colina said. "People that have come and have marbles and rocks and things like that in their bags that do not appear to be local."

See also

• Miami Police Chiefs Reflect On Death Of George Floyd
• Miami-Area Police Chiefs 'Outraged' Over Death Of George Floyd

A protest remained peaceful in nearby Coral Gables which is home to the University of Miami. Police chiefs from multiple law enforcement agencies gathered Saturday with protesters on behalf of the Miami-Dade Chiefs of Police Association, which has also denounced the death of Floyd, a former high school football star, who could be seen on video struggling to breathe and pleading for help as a Minnesota police officer pressed his knee deep into Floyd's neck.

"The chiefs of Miami-Dade County and organizers committed to continue discussions this week," according to Juan Diasgranados of the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department speaking on behalf of the Miami-Dade Chiefs of Police Association. "At the end of the protest, the crowd along with police chiefs prayed together. This was a good first step in the right direction. It was a touching moment."

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez "with a heavy heart" issued an emergency countywide curfew order on Saturday night in response to the violence in Miami. The curfew will continue until further notice from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Miami police imposed an earlier curfew starting at 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

All Miami-Dade Transit services, including Metrorail, Metromover, Metrobus, and the GO Nightly program, were suspended over the weekend but planned to resume service on Monday.

"Most of today's protests have been peaceful, but unfortunately some agitators who we believe are from outside our county, have injected violence into what should have been a moral call for justice," Gimenez told his 2.8 million residents on Saturday. "I stand with all who seek justice for George Floyd and for anyone who has been treated by abuse of power."

Diasgranados said police made 57 arrests Saturday night, most commonly for curfew violations.

Of the 57 people arrested Saturday, only 13 were from the city of Miami, according to Chief Colina. "We have Minnesota, New York, Georgia, people from outside the county."

Miami-Dade police issued a dispersal order for protesters outside the Miami-Dade County Government Center at one point Saturday. That's only a short walk from Miami police headquarters.

'If you do not leave, you are hereby trespassing and will be arrested," Miami-Dade police warned on social media. "If you resist arrest, you may be subject to other police action, which may include the use of less lethal munitions which could cause significant risk of injury to those who remain."

Several people with rifles could be seen standing guard outside a jewelry store in downtown Miami Saturday night. News organizations reported an unknown number of looting incidents.