TEXAS, USA — Protests and rallies continued across Texas Friday night following the death of George Floyd, who died while in police custody.
The large protests in Texas follow widespread demonstrations in Minneapolis that flared after Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer. Cell phone video shows the officer digging his knee into Floyd's neck as he was detained.
Onlookers pleaded with the officer to stop, as Floyd said he couldn't breathe.
Floyd died after the officer continued to keep his knee on his neck for a number of minutes.
HOUSTON
Tempers flared in Houston as protesters moved from downtown and tried to flood freeways in the city.
Dozens attempted to walk onto I-45, but police prevented them. Elsewhere, dozens more walked on I-59, but were later moved off the highway on to the access road near Emancipation Park.
Marchers carried signs and chanted "No justice, no peace," and other rallying cries along the way.
Floyd previously lived in Houston.
By Friday night, protests spread throughout downtown Houston. KHOU 11 reported damage to Zutro restaurant and bar.
DALLAS
Hundreds gathered outside of the Dallas Police Department Friday afternoon to protest Floyd's death as well as the death of Breonna Taylor.
Many held signs, others painted cross-hairs on their foreheads. Protesters chanted, "I can't breathe!" and "I'm human! I'm an American, too!" outside the police station.
The peaceful rally outside of the police department turned into a march through downtown Dallas around 8:45 p.m.
Protesters were seen spraypainting a Dallas police squad car and some jumped on the car and yelled at officers nearby.
Around 9:30 p.m. tensions between police and the protesters escalated.
Follow WFAA's Teresa Woodard, Chance Horner and David Schechter for more information out of Dallas, and follow WFAA's Jobin Panicker, Tanya Eiserer and Joseph Huerta for more information out of Fort Worth.
FORT WORTH
United My Justice and Next Generation Action Network (NGAN), along with other civil rights organizations, protested Friday evening in downtown Fort Worth.
Like in other Texas cities, they chanted, "I Can't Breathe!" and "No justice, no peace!".
NGAN says it's demanding full transparency, equality in the judicial system and reform for the communities of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
SAN MARCOS
Protesters in San Marcos chanted "Not Trump, no KKK, no fascists USA" Friday afternoon in response to Floyd's death.
Protesters peacefully held signs and chanted as they walked around the city's historical courthouse. According to KVUE Reporter Bryce Newberry, the protest was organized by student leaders from Texas State University, and they began chanting "Black Lives Matter".
AROUND THE COUNTRY
Violent protests broke out in Atlanta Friday night. Protesters set police cars on fire and busted windows to the entrance of the CNN Center in downtown Atlanta.
The White House was placed on lockdown Friday night for about an hour after a crowd of at least 200 people protested outside the gates.
