George Floyd died in Minneapolis on May 25 after being pinned down by three police officers — one of whom kept his knee on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds.
Footage of the brutal arrest sparked outrage across the county, setting off a wave of protests against police brutality and racism. Major cities such as New York and Los Angeles saw some of the most heated demonstrations.
The protests in some cases were accompanied by looting and violence, which prompted retailers in some cities to board up their storefronts just as cities began reopening from coronavirus shutdowns. It presented another challenge for gateway cities seeking to reestablish themselves as safe and desirable places to be in the era of Covid-19.
The social upheaval, which continues, carries huge implications for political leaders, police and the real estate industry, which has confronted its own record on diversity and its historically close relationship with law enforcement.