A group of businesses at George Floyd Square is suing the City of Minneapolis and Mayor Jacob Frey for $30 million over losses they attribute to concrete barriers and a lack of policing in the area.

All five businesses on the lawsuit are owned by the same family and operate out of the same building that houses what used to be known as Cup Foods. The petition replaces an earlier lawsuit that was dismissed in September.

George Floyd allegedly passed a counterfeit bill at Cup Foods before his murder by ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on May 25, 2020. Shortly afterward, the intersection of 38th Street East and Chicago Avenue South became a sprawling memorial space and a hub for racial justice activism.

The city put up concrete barricades to keep traffic out, and George Floyd Square became known by locals as a “no go zone” due to law enforcement’s hesitancy to enter the area.

“One of my clients described it, has described it as a war zone,” Mike Healey, of law firm Wagner, Falconer & Judd, LTD., who’s representing the businesses, told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS. 

“We’re hopeful that the city will negotiate and make these business owners whole,” Healey said. 

He added that in the coming days, another similar suit, with other businesses in the area, will be filed that will also seek tens of millions of dollars in damage.

And, even as the future of George Floyd Square becomes more clear, with city leaders recently hearing about improvements planned, Healey says the damage has been done. 

“My hope is that the intersection becomes something special, something great for Minneapolis,” Healey said. “The fact of the matter is, though we’re four and a half years from the Floyd murder, and my clients have been devastated.”

RELATED: Police say ‘autonomous zone’ blocked emergency response to brutal assault; citizens’ group disagrees

The plaintiffs allege these factors created unreasonable barriers to access their businesses and made their clientele feel unsafe due to rising crime in the area. They further claim the barricades and lack of policing amounted to an “unlawful taking” of the property.

Allen Henry, a spokesman for the city, declined to comment on the ongoing litigation but pointed to the city’s steps toward improving George Floyd Square.

“The City of Minneapolis understands the challenges that residents and businesses have confronted in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. The City is currently working alongside the community to shape the future of George Floyd Square, and is committed to making it a place of memorial, positive transformation, and healing,” Henry said in a statement.