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Nearly six years after the murder of George Floyd reignited the global Black Lives Matter movement, a new chapter of controversy is brewing at the Minneapolis intersection where he died.
George Floyd Square has served as both a memorial and a gathering place since former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin murdered Floyd in May 2020. Murals, sculptures, and community art honoring Floyd and other victims of police violence have transformed the intersection into an internationally recognized symbol of the movement for racial justice.
Construction at the site began on June 8, launching a two-year reconstruction project that city officials say is designed to preserve the memorial while improving infrastructure, public gathering spaces, and accessibility. The first phase is expected to continue through the end of 2027, reports the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. However, as barricades have gone up around the historic site, local Black business owners say the project has already made it difficult for customers to reach their stores.
Ini Augustine, who owns Mystic Healing Stones, said her business became inaccessible on the first day of construction.
“It just feels like the latest violation of my human rights because the city of Minneapolis has closed down my business,” Augustine told the publication. “The first day of construction, they closed traffic in every single direction. No one could approach my business unless they were on foot, and it took me 40 minutes to get into my own office. They kind of just made that executive decision that my business was inaccessible for that day.”
In addition to barely getting business, she added that city plans have slated a Metro D Line rapid bus shelter to replace her shop’s location.
“If I make it to the end of the month, I would be really surprised,” Augustine said. “It’s almost poetic because they expected George to hold his breath for nine minutes, which is humanly impossible, and they’re expecting my business to hold its breath for four months, which is financially impossible. They’re asking the impossible of Black businesses, of Black bodies, and of Black mental health at this point.”
The reconstruction project, city officials say, is the result of years of community engagement.
“In 2022, we began a process to engage with the community,” Minneapolis Media Relations Coordinator Allen Henry told the Spokesman-Recorder. “Through this process, we re-envisioned and redesigned the area in a way that reflects community needs.”
City officials maintain that community gathering spaces will remain available throughout construction, although some memorials and artwork will be temporarily relocated before being restored as work progresses. The overall project includes new streets, sidewalks, utilities, bicycle facilities, and public spaces, intended to preserve George Floyd Square’s significance while improving long-term infrastructure, according to a press release from the city of Minneapolis.
Still, some residents are raising concerns over the future of community-led resources that have operated from the square for years. Residents also expressed fears that increased construction activity and law enforcement presence could retraumatize a neighborhood still grappling with the legacy of police violence.
“There has been a lot of increase in sheriff activity, specifically in this neighborhood. The surveillance is increasing,” said Jerimiah Rupert, a longtime neighborhood resident. “It’s deeply troubling because everyone’s got police trauma here. It’s like the government’s saying ‘we’re gonna respect you as you need to mourn,’ but then they’ll tell people, ‘hey, wrap it up, you’re done crying now,’ as if people didn’t know someone for 30 years.”
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