UPDATE: Minneapolis, San Diego erupt in violence

His death is one of a litany of racial tragedies that have thrown the country into chaos amid the coronavirus pandemic that has left millions out of work and killed more than 100,000 people in the U.S., including disproportionate numbers of black people.

“We’re sick of it. The cops are out of control,” protester Olga Hall said in Washington, D.C. “They’re wild. There’s just been too many dead boys.”

»RELATED: Who was George Floyd?

People set fire to police cars, threw bottles at police officers and busted windows of storefronts, carrying away TVs and other items even as some protesters urged them to stop.

Minneapolis

Arrests were made after a truck drove into a crowd on the Interstate 35 bridge in Minneapolis, according to a reporter.

Officials in Minnesota said no protesters appeared to have been hit after a semitrailer drove into a crowd demonstrating on a freeway near downtown Minneapolis, The Associated Press reported.

The Minnesota State Patrol said in a tweet the action appeared deliberate. The patrol said the driver was injured and taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

It wasn’t clear how the driver was hurt. TV footage showed protesters swarming the truck and then law enforcement quickly moved in.

Other TV footage showed the tanker truck moving rapidly onto the bridge and protesters appearing to part ahead of it.

The protesters were demonstrating against the death of Floyd.

The truck reportedly had “Confederate flags and white supremacist insignia,” according to a local source in Minneapolis.

Two protesters were seen atop the semi as it drove into the crowd on Interstate 35, according to a witness.

San Diego

San Diego police said officers fired tear gas to disperse a crowd of demonstrators that was pelting them with rocks and bottles, The Associated Press reported.

Hundreds of people, many with facial masks to protect against the coronavirus, marched through downtown chanting “George Floyd” with signs, including some saying “I Can’t Breathe,” a reference to Floyd’s dying words. Some demonstrators dropped to one knee at times.

The demonstration took an ominous turn several hours after beginning peacefully at 10 a.m. San Diego police said on Twitter that a crowd of 100 to 200 people was throwing rocks but stopped. Authorities said multiple vehicles were vandalized.

After the tear gas stopped, two groups formed on Broadway, a main thoroughfare, separated by police in riot gear.

Philadelphia

Officials in Philadelphia announced plans to close off much of the center of the city Sunday after peaceful protests over Floyd’s death turned into a night of destruction with store windows smashed near City Hall, merchandise taken from stores, and police cars, other vehicles and structures set afire, The Associated Press reported.

Television news helicopter footage Sunday afternoon showed people running into multiple stores in northeast Philadelphia, well outside the city center, and emerging with merchandise as disorder continued for a second day elsewhere in the city.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said much of Center City would be blocked off, affecting roads, bridges and expressway entrances and exits as well as the city’s transit agency. The Ben Franklin bridge between Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey, was closed until further notice.

An 8 p.m. curfew in the city announced earlier was moved up to 6 p.m. Sunday, and retail establishments were ordered to close immediately with people cleaning or securing vandalized properties ordered to finish up and return home by 5 p.m. so the curfew could be enforced.

WCAU-TV showed live aerial shots for more than an hour Sunday afternoon of people running from store to store in strip malls in northeast Philadelphia’s Port Richmond section, emerging with armfuls of merchandise as police units tried to keep up.

Multiple police officers reportedly were injured in clashes with protesters earlier Sunday in the Kensington area of Philadelphia, according to reporter Josh Albert.

Fires reportedly were being set amid looting in Kensington, Albert said.

All streets in Center City have been closed to vehicular traffic until further notice, WHYY News reported.

At least 13 police officers were injured in Philadelphia when peaceful protests turned violent, and at least four police vehicles were set on fire.

Chicago

About 7:15 p.m. Sunday, protesters and police were in a standoff at West 35th Street and South State Street, reporter Shannon Halligan said.

About 5:10 p.m. Sunday, 10 people reportedly were admitted to Mount Sinai Hospital from the Gage Park area with gunshot injuries, according to a local source.

Police reportedly were “shutting down” Madison Street from Cicero Avenue to Austin Avenue, a local source reported.

Shots reportedly were fired near the Museum of Science and Industry on South Lake Shore Drive.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot said more than 20 officers were hospitalized and at least two required surgery after protests, according to reporter Lourdes Duarte.

Lightfoot said one person died among six who were shot, Duarte reported. At least 240 people were arrested.

The mayor confirmed that Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered support of 375  National Guard members, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

A large police presence was seen gathering and “getting ready” with vests, helmets and batons in a parking lot at Guaranteed Rate Field, according to a local source.

Champaign, Illinois

Smoke was seen rising near Champaign’s Market Place Mall on Sunday night, according to a local source.

Indianapolis

In Indianapolis, hundreds of protesters ran after police deployed tear gas on Capitol Avenue, according to reporter Melissa Crash.

Police were investigating multiple shootings, including one that left a person dead amid the protests — adding to deaths in Detroit and Minneapolis in recent days.

Two people reportedly have died in bursts of downtown violence, according to The Associated Press.

Gov. Eric Holcomb ordered the Indiana National Guard to establish a presence in downtown Indianapolis after two nights of violence.

Austin, Texas

About 6:35 p.m. Sunday, protesters reportedly had blocked both sides of Interstate 35, according to a local source.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has declared a state of disaster amid protests over the death of Floyd, according to reporter David Lippman.

Abbott has authorized federal agents “to act as Texas Peace Officers,” Lippman reported.

Police shot protesters in the face with rubber bullets and fired “gas” into the crowd, a local source reported.

Protesters set a pig pinata on fire at City Hall, according to reporter Lauren McGaughy.

New York

In New York, NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said 30 officers were injured and nearly 350 arrests were made amid protests, reporter Clayton Guse said.

Dangerous confrontations flared repeatedly as officers made arrests and cleared streets. A video showed two NYPD cruisers lurching into a crowd of demonstrators who were pushing a barricade against one of them and pelting it with objects. Several people were knocked to the ground, and it was unclear if anyone was hurt.

“The mistakes that are happening are not mistakes. They’re repeated violent terrorist offenses, and people need to stop killing black people,” Brooklyn protester Meryl Makielski said.

Phoenix

Police arrested more than 100 after an unlawful assembly was declared late Saturday, according to a local news outlet.

Columbia, South Carolina

About 2:50 p.m. Sunday, police reportedly deployed tear gas on retreating protesters on Assembly Street in Columbia, according to reporter Avery Wilks.

Nine Columbia police officers and three Richland County Sheriff’s Department officers were injured during Saturday and overnight protests, reporter Emily Wakeman said.

More than 12 protesters were arrested, and two shooting incidents were reported.

Detroit

Police said 84 were arrested during protests in Detroit, reporter Jim Kiertzner said.

Miami

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez has postponed the reopening of beaches and extended the curfew after protests, reporter Carlos Suarez said.

Miami-Dade County officials confirmed 57 were arrested overnight, according to reporter Brooke Shafer.

Tampa, Florida

The police department made more than 40 arrests overnight during protests in Tampa, Liz Burch of WTSP reported.

Louisville, Kentucky

At least 40 were arrested and five officers reportedly were shot at in Louisville during overnight protests, according to a local news outlet.

Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas announced a curfew beginning at 8 p.m. Sunday through 6 a.m. Monday, a local news outlet reported.

The police department said about 50 people were arrested and several officers were injured -- mostly by debris -- during protests in Kansas City, Missouri, according to a reporter.

Richmond, Virginia

About 9:25 a.m. Sunday, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney said four officers and a few firefighters were injured in overnight protests, according to reporter Ben Dennis.

A man has a life-threatening injury after being shot when he came into contact with a group of protesters while in a car, reporter Eric Perry said.

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said 36 were arrested during overnight protests. She has asked the police chief to release bodycam video of interactions between police and protesters, reporter Cristina Flores said.

Oakland, California

Police arrested nine for burglary and looting, possession of a firearm and assault with a deadly weapon during protests in Oakland, according to reporter Liz Kreutz.

La Mesa, California

The quaint downtown of suburban La Mesa near San Diego has suffered major damage, with Chase and Union banks next door to each other burned to the ground.

Windows were smashed at many businesses, including a Goodwill store, a Sotheby’s real estate office and a popular bar.

San Diego police officers, aided by other law enforcement agencies, walked shoulder to shoulder through the streets after 2 a.m. Sunday, telling hundreds of protesters and observers that they would be arrested for unlawful assembly if they didn’t disperse.

The east San Diego suburb of 60,000 people borders El Cajon, where the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man by a police officer triggered days of major unrest in 2016.

The La Mesa protest that began peacefully Saturday afternoon turned increasingly violent as night fell.

Minneapolis

In Minneapolis, the city where the protests began, police, state troopers and National Guard members moved in soon after an 8 p.m. curfew took effect to break up protests, firing tear gas and rubber bullets to clear streets outside a police precinct and elsewhere.

Few corners of America were untouched, from protesters setting fires inside Reno's City Hall, to police launching tear gas at rock-throwing demonstrators in Fargo, North Dakota. In Salt Lake City, demonstrators flipped a police car and set it on fire. Police said six people were arrested, and a police officer was injured after being struck in the head with a baseball bat. In Ferguson, Missouri, where Michael Brown Jr. was shot and killed by a white police officer in 2014, sparking a wave of protests throughout the country, mostly peaceful protests turned late Saturday, and six officers hit with rocks and fireworks were injured.

Police have arrested at least 1,669 people in 22 cities since Thursday, according to a tally by The Associated Press. Nearly one-third of those arrests came in Los Angeles, where the governor declared a state of emergency and ordered the National Guard to back up the city's 10,000 police officers as dozens of fires burned across the city.

The damage in U.S. cities came as many Americans plan to return to in-person church services Sunday for the first time in several weeks since the pandemic forced a ban on large gatherings. Pastors in pulpits across the country will likely be urging peace amid the rubble of riots.

President Donald Trump appeared to cheer on the tougher tactics Saturday night, commending the National Guard deployment in Minneapolis, declaring “No games!” and saying police in New York City “must be allowed to do their job!”

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden condemned the violence as he continued to express common cause with those demonstrating after Floyd’s death.

“The act of protesting should never be allowed to overshadow the reason we protest,” Biden said in a statement Saturday night.

Overnight curfews were imposed in more than a dozen major cities nationwide, including Atlanta, Denver, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, San Francisco and Seattle.

This week’s unrest recalled the riots in Los Angeles nearly 30 years ago after the acquittal of the white police officers who beat Rodney King, a black motorist who had led them on a high-speed chase. The protests of Floyd’s killing have gripped many more cities, but the losses in Minneapolis have yet to approach the staggering totals Los Angeles saw during five days of rioting in 1992, when more than 60 people died, 2,000-plus were injured and thousands arrested, with property damage topping $1 billion.

But not all protests were marred by violence. In Juneau, Alaska, local police joined protesters at a rally in front of a giant whale sculpture on the city's waterfront.

“We don’t tolerate excessive use of force,” Juneau Police Chief Ed Mercer told a gathering where most people wore masks and some sang Alaska Native songs.

The show of force in Minneapolis came after three days when police largely avoided engaging protesters, and after the state poured in more than 4,000 National Guard troops to Minneapolis and said the number would soon rise to nearly 11,000.

“The situation in Minneapolis is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd,” said Gov. Tim Walz, who also said local forces had been overmatched the previous day. “It is about attacking civil society, instilling fear and disrupting our great cities.”

Some residents were glad to see the upheaval dissipating.

“l live here. I haven’t been able to sleep,” said Iman Muhammad, whose neighborhood saw multiple fires set Friday night. Muhammad said she sympathized with peaceful protests over Floyd’s death but disagreed with the violence: “Wrong doesn’t answer wrong.”

Saturday coverage

In various parts of the country, the tumultuous demonstrations, which were plagued by fires, looting and destruction, were met by tear gas deployed by the National Guard and other local and state police forces in Los Angeles, Nashville, Tennessee, Jacksonville, Florida, and New York. In many cities, curfews were enforced up-to-the-minute in attempt to disperse the violent crowds that peppered community centers across America on Saturday.

Washington, D.C.

Flanked by security Saturday night, President Donald Trump returned from Florida to the White House, where protesters had knocked down barricades and swarmed Pennsylvania Avenue. The unrest at some point included fire setting in nearby garbage bins, which reportedly led to police administering tear gas within the crowds, according CBC Washington correspondent Katie Simpson. Some said they were "unable to see" and had trouble breathing after the the tear gas deployment.

Earlier Saturday, protesters jumped over a temporary fence at a park across from the White House, reporter Jackson Proskow said.

Los Angeles

A curfew had been set earlier Saturday for downtown Los Angeles due to the heated protests in the city’s core. About 6:40 p.m. PDT, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that a curfew would be in place for the entire city as of 8 p.m.

New York

Traffic on the Manhattan Bridge in New York was halted Saturday night as protesters infiltrated the bridge.

Police reportedly warned some of those protesting on 14th Street and 3rd Avenue could be arrested, according to social commentator Keith Boykin.

Chicago

A large brawl reportedly has broken out between police officers and protesters in downtown Chicago, according to a local source.

Two police officers allegedly were hurt amid protests at the Wrigley Building on Michigan Avenue.

On Saturday afternoon, police appeared to push a group of protesters near the Trump International Hotel & Tower, according to a local source.

A police officer reportedly was seen using his knee to restrain a protester who was on the ground during a rally against police violence on Saturday afternoon.

At least one protester was seen detained near Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago, according to reporter Justin Miller.

Miami

Miami police reportedly are using tear gas amid protests near the police department close to 8 p.m. Saturday, according to a reporter.

A witness reported a police car on fire.

Jacksonville, Florida

A sheriff said a police officer was slashed or stabbed in the neck during protests in Jacksonville, according to a reporter.

Columbia, South Carolina

Four officers were injured, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. One firefighter was hurt by debris and one of the officers was “seriously” injured amid the protests, according to a local news outlet.

Earlier Saturday, police cars were seen on fire in Columbia, according to a local source.

Earlier Saturday, police were in riot gear as protesters reportedly attempted to break down barricades in Columbia, South Carolina, according to Brittany Breeding.

Seattle

The police command in Seattle changed the status to a “riot response” amid the protests Saturday, according to a reporter.

A protester reportedly disarmed another protester who found a rifle inside a damaged police vehicle.

A child reportedly was sprayed with mace during  the protest.

A police car was on fire near the Westlake Center, according to a witness.

Four police vehicles were on fire and projectiles were thrown in front of Nordstrom headquarters, a witness reported.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announced a curfew, according to reporter Chris Daniels.

Columbus, Ohio

On Saturday afternoon, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine was set to deploy the National Guard amid protests over George Floyd’s death, according to reporter Jake Zuckerman.

At 5:50 p.m., all city streets reportedly were closed.

Philadelphia

About 6 p.m. protesters broke into City Hall, reporter Steve Keeley said. A fire reportedly was set in City Hall, reporter Josh Albert said.

At least 100 Philadelphia police officers rushed to the archway leading to the City Hall’s courtyard to stop protesters from breaking in, according to Keeley.

A specialty evacuation was called for a police officer with a chemical burn to her arm near the Municipal Services Building, according to a local source.

A police vehicle was seen on fire near City Hall, according to reporter Alan Yu.

Protesters were seen overturning an unmarked police car that was vandalized.

Cleveland

A protester was injured after reportedly being shot in the chest with a grenade, according to a local source.

Cleveland officials have put a curfew in place.

Dayton, Ohio

The police department reported using “chemical munitions” on protesters after property was damaged and objects were being thrown at officers on West Third Street in Dayton.

Gainesville, Florida

On Saturday afternoon in Gainesville, Florida, an armed suspect reportedly was charged with aggravated assault after driving through a group of protesters near South Main Street, according to a local source.

Austin, Texas

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott activated the National Guard on Saturday night in response to protests across the state.

At least one person was arrested after protesters in Austin, Texas, reportedly threw liquid and eggs at police on Interstate 35, according to a local news outlet.

On Friday night, protests turned violent from New York to Los Angeles. In Atlanta, demonstrators set a police car ablaze and broke windows at CNN’s headquarters.

As anger over Floyd’s killing continued nationwide, local leaders increasingly said they could need help from National Guardsmen or even military police to contain the unrest.

»RELATED: Who was George Floyd?

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency early Saturday to activate the state National Guard as violence flared in Atlanta. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler also declared an emergency and ordered a nighttime curfew for the city.

Another 500 Guard soldiers were mobilized in and around Minneapolis, where Floyd died and an officer was charged Friday in his death. After another night of watching fires burn and businesses ransacked, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said early Saturday that he was moving to activate more than 1,000 Guard soldiers and was considering federal help.

The Guard was also on standby in the District of Columbia, where a crowd grew outside the White House and chanted curses at President Donald Trump. Some protesters tried to push through barriers set up by the U.S. Secret Service along Pennsylvania Avenue. They threw bottles and other objects at officers wearing riot gear, who responded with pepper spray.

“I just feel like he’s just one of many names that we’ve had to create hashtags and T-shirts and campaigns for, and I feel like nothing has changed,” D.C. resident Abe Neri said of Floyd. “And so that’s why I’m out here. Yeah, when you say nothing you’re taking the side of the oppressor.”

In scenes peaceful and violent across the nation, thousands of protesters chanted “No justice, no peace” and “Say his name. George Floyd.” They hoisted signs reading: “He said I can’t breathe. Justice for George.”

Here is a look at other protests across the country Friday night and overnight Saturday:

Detroit

A person was killed in downtown Detroit just before midnight after someone in an SUV fired shots into a crowd of protesters near the Greektown entertainment district, police said.

Indianapolis

At least 30 businesses were damaged, 27 people were arrested, five patrol cars were damaged, and at least three officers and three protesters were injured during overnight protests.

Portland, Oregon

Protesters broke into police headquarters and authorities said they lit a fire inside.

Portland police said at least one shooting was tied to the protest, although details weren’t immediately released. Two people were arrested during overnight riots in which protesters set fires throughout downtown and smashed storefront windows, police said, but arrest details were not immediately available.

Police, who declared the protest a riot, said they deployed gas after people threw projectiles at them.

Mayor Wheeler tweeted a plea to protesters to remain peaceful and said that, while he had left the city to be with his dying mother, he was heading back. He later declared a state of emergency.

“Portland, this is not us,” he wrote. “How does this honor the legacy of George Floyd?”

Richmond, Virginia

In Virginia’s capital, a police cruiser was set on fire outside Richmond police headquarters, and a city transit spokeswoman said a bus set ablaze was “a total loss,” news outlets reported.

Oakland, California

About 1,000 protesters in Oakland smashed windows, sprayed buildings with “Kill Cops” graffiti and were met with chemical spray from police, who said several officers were injured by projectiles.

New York

Video posted to social media showed New York City officers using batons and shoving protesters down as they took people into custody and cleared streets. One video showed on officer slam a woman to the ground as he walked past her in the street.

Demonstrators rocked a police van, set it ablaze, scrawled graffiti across its charred body and set it aflame again as officers retreated. Blocks away, protesters used a club to batter another police vehicle. The police department said numerous officers were injured.

The names of black people killed by police, including Floyd and Eric Garner, who died on Staten Island in 2014, were on signs and in chants.

“Our country has a sickness. We have to be out here,” said Brianna Petrisko, among those at lower Manhattan’s Foley Square, where most were wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. “This is the only way we’re going to be heard.”

The New York Police Department issued a Level 3 mobilization Friday night as protesters overran the 88th Precinct in Brooklyn, according to a reporter.

There was a report of an officer down near Fort Greene in Brooklyn.

In Brooklyn, crowds of demonstrators chanted at police officers lined up outside the Barclays Center. There were several moments of struggle, as some in the crowd pushed against metal barricades and police pushed back.

Scores of water bottles flew from the crowd toward the officers, and in return police sprayed an eye-irritating chemical at the group twice.

At his Friday briefing, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he stood with the Minnesota protesters.

“Nobody is sanctioning the arson, and the thuggery and the burglaries, but the protesters and the anger and the fear and the frustration? Yes. Yes. And the demand is for justice,” Cuomo said.

At a news conference, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said New York Police Department officers had been told to respect peaceful protest.

He also had a message for protesters. “If you are angry with the government, if you are angry with the elected leaders, direct that anger to all of us, because if we haven’t done enough, we are the ones who should be held responsible,” he said. “But the police officer in front of you is a working man or woman just trying to do their job.”

Bakersfield, California

A vehicle reportedly drove through protesters who were blocking a road Friday night.

Washington, D.C.

Protesters were seen throwing objects at police outside the White House late Friday, according to a reporter.

Louisville, Kentucky

A police officer reportedly fired pepper balls at a WAVE3 news reporter who was live on air Friday night in Louisville, which had protests Thursday night and Friday.

Protesters there took to the streets to honor Breonna Taylor, who reportedly was shot eight times by Louisville police officers in March.

Cincinnati

A protest was seen outside a Cincinnati police district office, according to a reporter.

Earlier, protesters also were seen walking on Interstate 75.

Windermere, Florida

A group of about 10 protesters gathered Friday near a Florida town home that belongs to a white Minneapolis police officer who reportedly knelt on George Floyd’s neck.

The protesters arrived after social media postings listed the address of Derek Chauvin in the community of Windermere outside Orlando.

They carried signs that read, “He said I can’t breathe. Justice for George,” and “We see you, we hear you ... we love you! #Justice for George.” The handcuffed black man pleaded for air as Chauvin, the white police officer, knelt on his neck during an arrest recorded on video by bystanders.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office tweeted from its official account that Chauvin is not at the residence and is not expected there.

Chauvin was arrested and charged Friday in Floyd’s death.

Denver

Police were seen firing weapons into traffic at protesters Friday night at the Denver Justice Center, according to reporter Vince Chandler.

Earlier Friday, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock called for calm and unity after the first of several planned city protests over George Floyd’s death turned violent, declaring, “Let not the story be about the riots and protests. Let’s keep the focus on the life that was lost.”

“I can tell you not to go out and demonstrate, but the reality is it’s going to happen,” Hancock said at a news briefing, stressing he shared outrage over what he’s called the “senseless and tragic murder” of Floyd in Minneapolis.

Hancock and Police Chief Paul Pazen blamed what they called a minority of agitators among peaceful protesters for inciting violence throughout downtown on Thursday. That violence included throwing rocks at police officers, setting small fires, and breaking windows and damaging cars at the state Capitol and at businesses. More protests were planned for Friday night and Saturday. Pazen said three officers were injured and that 13 people were arrested for burglary, criminal mischief and assault.

San Francisco

A protest was holding up traffic on the top deck of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge on Friday night.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Albuquerque police used a helicopter and tear gas as they retreated from a crowd of people after a confrontation that followed a protest of the death of George Floyd.

Police said officers responded to several shots being fired from a vehicle following a demonstration that had lasted hours. Four individuals were taken into custody, and several protesters became confrontational, police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said.

During the confrontation, protesters waved signs and yelled at officers clad in riot gear. Gallegos said Friday the tear gas was used to allow officers to leave the area and avoid further confrontation.

There were no reports of injuries from the gunshots, and it wasn’t clear whether that incident was related to the protest. Gallegos also said there were no injuries resulting from the confrontation with protesters.

Los Angeles and Fontana, California

One Los Angeles officer received medical treatment, police said. An LAPD vehicle had its windows smashed, and at least one city bus was vandalized. Police declared an unlawful assembly throughout downtown, where aerial footage from KTLA-TV showed scores of people corralled by police.

Protesters were seen in a standoff with police Friday night after they blocked Interstate 110 in Los Angeles, according to reporter Fidel Martinez.

Earlier Friday, police reportedly began to deploy non-lethal force on protesters in Los Angeles.

Nine people were arrested after rocks were thrown at businesses, vehicles and officers during a Southern California protest stemming from the death of George Floyd.

The violence erupted Thursday night in Fontana as about 100 people moved up and down a thoroughfare and blocked traffic. Police say an unlawful assembly was declared. The crowd was ordered to disperse, but some persisted.

Elsewhere in the region, demonstrators gathered outside Los Angeles police headquarters but there was no repeat of Wednesday evening’s action in which protesters blocked freeway traffic and attacked two Highway Patrol cruisers.

Houston

On Friday, several thousand people attended a rally in front of City Hall in Houston, where George Floyd grew up.

The rally was mostly peaceful, but police had apparently taken into custody a woman who had a rifle and had tried to use it to incite the crowd.

The crowed marched through downtown Houston to get to City Hall, blocking traffic and at times chanting “No justice, no peace” and “Say his name. George Floyd.” Many held up signs that said, “I Can’t Breathe” and “Justice For George.”

Eventually the protesters ended up alongside U.S. Highway 59, one of the major thoroughfares in Houston. A group of about 60 to 70 shut down the freeway for at least half an hour. Houston police accompanied the protesters as they marched for less than half a mile along the freeway before they walked off it. No arrests were made.

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said he welcomed the rally.

“We stand with them protesting what happened in Minnesota,” said Acevedo. “I’m happy that they’re here today because people need to be heard; voices need to be heard.”

One of those protesting Floyd’s death was 19-year-old Jimmy Ohaz, who came from the nearby city of Richmond, Texas.

“My question is how many more, how many more? I just want to live in a future where we all live in harmony and we’re not oppressed.”

San Jose, California

San Jose police said Santa Clara County sheriff’s deputies shot at a fleeing SUV that was shown on video striking protesters, the San Jose Mercury News reported.

Protesters repeatedly clashed with police in San Jose, said Mayor Sam Liccardo, and police responded with flash-bang grenades and rubber bullets. One officer was hospitalized with a non-life-threatening injury, officials said.

Liccardo said his city’s officers shared the community’s outrage over Floyd’s death.

“It was a horrible injustice,” he told the AP.

Police declared a protest an "unlawful assembly" and reportedly fired tear gas into a crowd amid protests Friday night.

Earlier in the day, roughly 300 people protesting the killing of Floyd shut down a five-lane section of a highway in California’s Silicon Valley.

Vehicles southbound on U.S. 101 were at a virtual standstill Friday afternoon, ahead of a greatly diminished rush hour as the region shelters at home. KGO-TV footage showed some cars passing on a shoulder of U.S. 101 in San Jose.

Some protesters wore masks. Later in the afternoon, the protesters were leaving the highway.

Las Vegas

More than 400 people were demonstrating on the Las Vegas Strip on Friday afternoon, calling for policing reforms after George Floyd died while in police custody.

The crowd gathered in triple-digit-heat in front of the Bellagio casino-resort, holding signs and chanting “No justice, no peace!” and “Black lives matter.”

They later began walking north up the Las Vegas Strip in front of casinos still shuttered because of coronavirus-related closures.

Stephanie Toone and Rich Barak of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution contributed to this report.