George Floyd protests in Connecticut
[5] On June 3, a protest march consumed downtown city streets in the early afternoon, and later spilled over onto Interstate 84.Several members of the East Haven Police Department denounced the actions of the officers present at George Floyd's murder.The demonstrators, wearing black, filled Sherman Green at about 11:30 a.m., lying across Post Road in Downtown to block traffic.[4] On June 1, protesters demonstrated in front of the Hartford Police Department headquarters before marching to Interstate 84, where they blocked traffic on both sides.[22] On June 6, over 1,000 people gathered at the Meriden Green to support Black Lives Matter and George Floyd.Protesters called for the New London Police Department to be defunded and for a statue of Christopher Columbus to be removed.They marched up and down Main Street and also gathered at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, where they listened to a group of speakers, including State Senator Norm Needleman.[38] Around two dozen people attended a protest at the Arrigoni Bridge despite the event's cancellation due to construction.[45] On May 31, peaceful demonstrations took place in two locations: at the intersection of Wolcott Street and Long Hill Road, and outside the Waterbury Police Department.They also protested the death of Mubarak Soulemane, who was killed in West Haven by a state trooper in January.[49] On June 7, students from Weston High School organized a peaceful protest against police brutality at the town library.[52] On June 7, the Human Relations Commission organized a vigil on town green on Broad Street to honor George Floyd and others killed by police.