5 years after George Floyd's death, Chicago protesters fill Federal Plaza demanding justice and reform
The Brief
On the five-year anniversary of George Floyd's death, activists gathered at Federal Plaza demanding justice, police reform and human rights.
Many were calling for full passage and implementation of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which aims to hold law enforcement accountable for misconduct, enhance transparency, and improve police training.
Chicago has achieved full compliance with just 16% of mandated reforms—covering areas such as use of force, officer training and wellness, community policing, accountability, and transparency.
CHICAGO - On the five-year anniversary of George Floyd's death, about 200 activists gathered at Federal Plaza over Memorial Day weekend, raising their voices and signs to demand justice and call attention to a wide range of issues—from immigrant rights to support for Palestinians and continued police reform.
What we know
Demonstrators said their presence was a powerful reminder of their ongoing fight for civil liberties.
"I think it's important to show up every opportunity we can to protest against the chipping away of our rights, of our freedoms," a demonstrator said.
Many were calling for full passage and implementation of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. The legislation, first introduced in 2020, aims to hold law enforcement accountable for misconduct, enhance transparency, and improve police training.
"The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act was designed for people like myself and you to get justice when you would have those who abuse their power," said Marquinn McDonald, 2nd District council member for Chicago's Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, who was also present at the rally.
Trump's executive order
The demonstration came weeks after President Donald Trump issued an executive order titled "Strengthening and Unleashing America's Law Enforcement to Pursue Criminals and Protect Innocent Citizens."
The directive proposes rolling back federal consent decrees, increasing the availability of military-grade equipment for police departments, and holding local leaders accountable for restricting police power.
McDonald said Chicagoans want to see healing among police and the public.
"I've talked to the superintendent, and I've talked to many commanders and officers in the (police) department. My family are police. They truly want to see an evolved department, a healed and better department," McDonald said.
Chicago's consent decree
As for Chicago's own consent decree, a federal oversight agreement intended to reform the city's police department, progress has been slow.
According to the city's independent monitor, as of last month, Chicago had achieved full compliance with just 16% of mandated reforms—covering areas such as use of force, officer training and wellness, community policing, accountability, and transparency.
As marchers moved through the Loop, their message was clear: the work is far from over.
"It's our families that come to the U.S. for the so-called American Dream," one activist said.
Chicago Police said the demonstration was peaceful and without issue.
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Get more opinions in your email inbox by signing up for our free opinions newsletter, which publishes Monday through Friday. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How to celebrate Juneteenth? Here are the dos and don'ts | Opinion
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Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Activists involved in the Global March to Gaza, which is protesting against Israel's bombardment of the territory and offering help to the Palestinians there, have described violent scuffles at the hands of Egyptian security forces. An Irish politician who was among the activists said his phone and passport were confiscated, and a march organizer said protesters were attacked as they headed to the border at Egypt's Rafah crossing. Newsweek has contacted the march organizers and the Egyptian Foreign Ministry for comment. This illustrative image from June 12 shows activists rallying outside Egypt's Journalists Syndicate in Cairo. This illustrative image from June 12 shows activists rallying outside Egypt's Journalists Syndicate in It Matters The Global March to Gaza has been touted as one of the largest demonstrations of its kind in years. The initiative seeks to highlight the plight of Palestinians in Gaza, who have faced a bombardment due to Israel's war on Hamas. The arrests in Egypt follow Israel's interception of a boat carrying activists on their way to Gaza, including environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg. Egypt has cracked down on pro-Palestinian activists even as it publicly condemns Israeli aid restrictions and has called for an end to the war. What To Know The Global March to Gaza is a civilian-led initiative to march from Arish, Egypt, to the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip beginning on Sunday. Once in Rafah, the goal was to set up a camp and work to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza, provide humanitarian aid to the strip and protest against Israel's actions in the territory. Protest organizers said Egyptian authorities confiscated the passports of 40 activists at what they called a "toll booth turned checkpoint," with security forces detaining and using force, the Associated Press reported. Previously, hundreds arriving in Cairo were detained and deported to their home countries in Europe and North Africa. 'We are in danger. This is an emergency. We need help.' Melanie Schweizer, one of the organizers of the Global March to Gaza reports on the situation after Egyptian authorities and police attacked activists headed to the Rafah border and confiscated their passports. The… — Quds News Network (@QudsNen) June 13, 2025 The activists planned to gather on the road to the Sinai to prepare for Sunday's march, although authorities had not yet granted them authorization to travel through the sensitive area. The Tunisian and Libyan delegation of the march left Tunis, Tunisia, on June 9 but was stopped in the city of Sirte, about 585 miles from the Libya-Egypt border. Antonietta Chiodo, who traveled to Cairo from Italy, said activists had been detained, interrogated, treated harshly by Egyptian authorities or deported, the AP reported. In a video message, Melanie Schweizer, one of the march organizers, said police had attacked activists on their way to the Rafah border, confiscated their passports and forced them onto a bus escorted by Egyptian security forces. She said she saw a woman being beaten. Schweizer added: "We are in danger. This is an emergency. We need help." Paul Murphy, an Irish politician with the People Before Profit–Solidarity party, posted a video on social media in which he said passports had been confiscated and that he and his fellow activists were refusing to board the "deportation bus." Meanwhile, footage widely shared on social media purported to show activists receiving a hostile reaction from citizens in Egypt. What People Are Saying Melanie Schweizer, an organizer of the Global March on Gaza, said in a video: "This is an emergency. We have just been violently dragged into the buses. ... They started to push people and drag them violently outside. They have beaten people." She added: "This is a very shocking incident." The Global March on Gaza said in a statement: "We continue to urge the Egyptian government to permit this peaceful march." Irish politician Paul Murphy said in a video on X: "It's looking worrying that the Egyptian authorities are going to act to try to prevent our peaceful march to Gaza." What Happens Next Hicham El-Ghaoui, one of the group's spokespeople, said they would refrain from demonstrating until authorized by Egypt. Activists anticipated more arrests ahead of Sunday's protest.
