people protesting in Minneapolis, Minnesota

‘We’re hurting, we’re hurting’— grief and outrage converge in Minneapolis

George Floyd’s death sparked nationwide protests. The pain has tapped into long-simmering divisions that have plagued his hometown.

On Friday, May 29, protesters congregated outside a police station in Minneapolis to demand justice for George Floyd, an African-American man who died after a police officer knelt on his neck down during an arrest.

As vehicles were overturned, police fired rubber bullets and tear gas, and a police precinct erupted in flames on Thursday night in Minneapolis, photographer David Guttenfelder heard someone shouting: “We’re hurting. We’re hurting.”

Those words seemed to bore through the chaos.

Protests in the city had been raging since Tuesday night, a day after an African American man named George Floyd died as a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. The protestors—across race, age, and socioeconomic status— gathered outside the precinct where the four officers who arrested Floyd had worked before they were fired for their roles in his death. Some were peaceful. Some were not. They were angry, sad, and most of all, hurting.

“There’s not one

DON'T MISS THE REST OF THIS STORY!
Create a free account to continue and get unlimited access to hundreds of Nat Geo articles, plus newsletters.

Create your free account to continue reading

No credit card required. Unlimited access to free content.
Or get a Premium Subscription to access the best of Nat Geo - just $19
SUBSCRIBE

Read This Next

AI can help you plan your next trip—if you know how to ask.
Did this mysterious human relative bury its dead?
This new birth control for cats doesn't require surgery

Go Further

Subscriber Exclusive Content

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet