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Protests over George Floyd death continue through the night in Boise

Hundreds of people gathered on the Statehouse steps, chanting "no justice, no peace" and "George Floyd."

BOISE, Idaho — Protests over the death of a black man at the hands of police in Minneapolis drew a crowd of hundreds to the Idaho State Capitol in Boise Monday night, with chanting and demonstration lasting into the early hours of Tuesday morning. 

Just after midnight, a crowd could be seen gathered on the Statehouse steps. People chanted "no justice, no peace," and "George Floyd," the name of the man killed in Minnesota. 

Floyd died May 25 after an officer kneeled on his head and neck for nearly nine minutes, despite Floyd repeatedly saying "please" and "I can't breathe" before losing consciousness. The officer, identified as Derek Chauvin, has been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

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Floyd's death has touched off anger and protests across the country, some of which have turned violent and destructive.

Demonstrations in Boise, however, have for the most part remained peaceful. One person was arrested for firing a gun during the downtown protest Monday night, but Boise Police say no one was hit and the shot appears to have been accidental. 

Otherwise, there were not any instances of violence during the demonstration, according to a police spokeswoman. 

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More than a dozen Boise Police officers wearing helmets and face shields were on scene monitoring the protest. A smaller group of counter-protesters gathered across the street from the Statehouse, at times chanting "Trump, Trump, Trump." Although there was some back-and-forth yelling between the two groups, the demonstrations remained peaceful.

At one point, members of the George Floyd protest called for a moment of silence, and many in the crowd got down on one knee. Protestors called for the nearby officers to kneel as well, chanting "take a knee! take a knee!" but the officers did not.

At about 12:45 p.m., the group on the Statehouse steps moved away from the Capitol building and marched through downtown. The protest ended and people slowly drifted away during the early hours of Tuesday morning. 

Monday night's demonstration follows other protests over George Floyd's death in downtown Boise, including a large gathering on Sunday morning.

Another gathering, a candlelight vigil, is planned on the Statehouse steps at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday evening, although organizers have stressed that the event is not a protest or rally.

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