George Floyd: Minneapolis, US cities brace for Chauvin verdict

As jury deliberates, officials have dispatched National Guard troops and upped security in preparation of protests.

Minneapolis and other cities across the US are bracing for possible protests after a jury delivers a verdict in the trial of police officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with murdering George Floyd, an unarmed black man. Floyd’s death last may in the Minnesota city helped sparked racial justice protests across the US that at times turn violent. In some cases, the unrest was met with violent crackdowns from police. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz declared a preemptive state of emergency in Minneapolis on Monday as the jury began deliberating Chauvin’s fate. A verdict could come as early as Tuesday.