Minneapolis Police Department says it will not change George Floyd memorial

The Minneapolis Police Department on Saturday announced it will not alter or decommission the memorial to George Floyd.

The memorial, which stands at 38th Street and Chicago Avenue near where Floyd was killed while in police custody, has become a place of mourning and healing over the past few weeks.

Since Floyd’s death on May 25, mourners and activists have painted murals on the outer walls of Cup Foods, strewn bouquets of flowers everywhere and erected a wooden sculpture of an upraised fist — a symbol of the Black Lives Matter movement — in the middle of the intersection.

"We respect the memory of him and will not disrupt the meaningful artifacts that honor the importance of his life," the Minneapolis Police Department tweeted.

Community members have been discussing ways to create a permanent memorial in that location.

The MPD will not be altering or decommissioning the memorial of George Floyd. We respect the memory of him and will not disrupt the meaningful artifacts that honor the importance of his life.

— Minneapolis Police (@MinneapolisPD) June 14, 2020