AP PHOTOS: Looking back at 10 days in 2020 of fervent non-stop protests for George Floyd
A protester carries a U.S. flag upside down, a sign of distress, next to a burning building in Minneapolis, on Thursday, May 28, 2020, during protests over the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
As cellphone video documenting the last breaths of George Floyd spread across the internet, so did the collective outrage.
For 10 consecutive days after his murder at the hands of Minneapolis police officers on Memorial Day in 2020, protests erupted across the U.S., not just in major cities but suburbs and small towns, too.
Five years later, the Justice Department under President Donald Trump has canceled a settlement with Minneapolis and Louisville, Kentucky, to reform their police departments.
A police officer stands guard on a bridge near City Hall in downtown Los Angeles, on Wednesday, May 27, 2020, during a protest against the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu, File)
A police officer stands guard on a bridge near City Hall in downtown Los Angeles, on Wednesday, May 27, 2020, during a protest against the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu, File)
Protesters and residents watch as police in riot gear walk down a residential street in St. Paul, Minn., on Thursday, May 28, 2020, amid protests over the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)
Protesters and residents watch as police in riot gear walk down a residential street in St. Paul, Minn., on Thursday, May 28, 2020, amid protests over the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)
Law enforcement officers stand in formation along Lake Street near Hiawatha Avenue as fires burn after a night of unrest and protests in Minneapolis on Friday, May 29, 2020, following the death of George Floyd. (David Joles/Star Tribune via AP, File)
Law enforcement officers stand in formation along Lake Street near Hiawatha Avenue as fires burn after a night of unrest and protests in Minneapolis on Friday, May 29, 2020, following the death of George Floyd. (David Joles/Star Tribune via AP, File)
Tear gas fills the air after Denver Police fired canisters on Saturday, May 30, 2020, during a protest outside the state capitol over the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
Tear gas fills the air after Denver Police fired canisters on Saturday, May 30, 2020, during a protest outside the state capitol over the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
An officer swings a baton as demonstrators clash with police near the White House in Washington, on Saturday, May 30, 2020, during a protest against the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
An officer swings a baton as demonstrators clash with police near the White House in Washington, on Saturday, May 30, 2020, during a protest against the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
A protester is doused with a liquid to help neutralize the effects of tear gas fired by police outside the Minneapolis 5th Police Precinct, Saturday, May 30, 2020, in Minneapolis, as protests continued following the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)
A protester is doused with a liquid to help neutralize the effects of tear gas fired by police outside the Minneapolis 5th Police Precinct, Saturday, May 30, 2020, in Minneapolis, as protests continued following the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)
Several street bridges over the Chicago River remain closed early Sunday morning, May 31, 2020 in Chicago, after a night of unrest and protests over the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)
Several street bridges over the Chicago River remain closed early Sunday morning, May 31, 2020 in Chicago, after a night of unrest and protests over the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)
Demonstrators march around a large globe sculpture in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in the Queens borough of New York, Sunday, May 31, 2020, to protest the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
Demonstrators march around a large globe sculpture in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in the Queens borough of New York, Sunday, May 31, 2020, to protest the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
Motorists are ordered to the ground from their vehicle by police on South Washington Street in Minneapolis on Sunday, May 31, 2020, during a protest following the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)
Motorists are ordered to the ground from their vehicle by police on South Washington Street in Minneapolis on Sunday, May 31, 2020, during a protest following the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)
Philadelphia police and National Guard kneel at the suggestion of Police Deputy Commissioner Melvin Singleton, unseen, outside police headquarters in Philadelphia, Monday, June 1, 2020, during a march calling for justice over the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
Philadelphia police and National Guard kneel at the suggestion of Police Deputy Commissioner Melvin Singleton, unseen, outside police headquarters in Philadelphia, Monday, June 1, 2020, during a march calling for justice over the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
A Statue of Liberty painting is seen through a smashed Dolce and Gabbana store window in the SoHo neighborhood of New York on Monday, June 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)
A Statue of Liberty painting is seen through a smashed Dolce and Gabbana store window in the SoHo neighborhood of New York on Monday, June 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)
Police officers surround a group of people outside Radio City Music Hall in New York, Monday, June 1, 2020, before arresting them during protests against the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
Police officers surround a group of people outside Radio City Music Hall in New York, Monday, June 1, 2020, before arresting them during protests against the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
Atlanta police prepare to enforce a 9 p.m. curfew as demonstrators chant in Atlanta on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, following the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
Atlanta police prepare to enforce a 9 p.m. curfew as demonstrators chant in Atlanta on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, following the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
Standing next to a statue of Frederick Douglass, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., left, Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of N.Y., center, and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., right, pause during a prayer Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, June 4, 2020, during an event to commemorate the life of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
Standing next to a statue of Frederick Douglass, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., left, Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of N.Y., center, and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., right, pause during a prayer Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, June 4, 2020, during an event to commemorate the life of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
Demonstrators protest across the street from a Confederate memorabilia store in Kennesaw, Ga., on Friday, June 5, 2020, following the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File)
Demonstrators protest across the street from a Confederate memorabilia store in Kennesaw, Ga., on Friday, June 5, 2020, following the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File)
Retired Marine Todd Winn, wearing a mask which reads “I Can’t Breathe,” participates in a protest in front of the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City on Friday, June 5, 2020, amid protests around the world in the wake of the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
Retired Marine Todd Winn, wearing a mask which reads “I Can’t Breathe,” participates in a protest in front of the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City on Friday, June 5, 2020, amid protests around the world in the wake of the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
People attend a rally outside Jackson Square in New Orleans, Friday, June 5, 2020, protesting the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
People attend a rally outside Jackson Square in New Orleans, Friday, June 5, 2020, protesting the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
A protester holds a U.S. flag at Monument Circle following a non-violent sit-in at the Statehouse in Indianapolis, Saturday, June 6, 2020, against police brutality sparked by the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
A protester holds a U.S. flag at Monument Circle following a non-violent sit-in at the Statehouse in Indianapolis, Saturday, June 6, 2020, against police brutality sparked by the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
Police use chemical irritants and crowd control munitions to disperse protesters during a demonstration in Portland, Ore., Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File)
Police use chemical irritants and crowd control munitions to disperse protesters during a demonstration in Portland, Ore., Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File)
A demonstrator is arrested as police attempt to take control of the streets in Portland, Ore., on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020, as protests reached 100 consecutive nights since George Floyd was killed. (AP Photo/Paula Bronstein, File)
A demonstrator is arrested as police attempt to take control of the streets in Portland, Ore., on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020, as protests reached 100 consecutive nights since George Floyd was killed. (AP Photo/Paula Bronstein, File)
A protester and a police officer clasp hands in the middle of a standoff during a solidarity rally calling for justice over the death of George Floyd, in New York, on June 2, 2020. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File)
A protester and a police officer clasp hands in the middle of a standoff during a solidarity rally calling for justice over the death of George Floyd, in New York, on June 2, 2020. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File)
The casket of George Floyd is placed in the chapel for his funeral service at the Fountain of Praise church, Tuesday, June 9, 2020, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, Pool, File)
The casket of George Floyd is placed in the chapel for his funeral service at the Fountain of Praise church, Tuesday, June 9, 2020, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, Pool, File)
“It’s a symbolic nod from the state to police departments around the nation that they can continue discriminating and abusing Black people without worry,” the Movement for Black Lives said in remarks exclusive to The Associated Press. “So while they attempt to rollback our wins and erase our history, we will continue to care for one another ... so we can keep working toward our vision of freedom and liberation that this administration fears.”
Images from that time show how the risks of a still raging pandemic did not deter demonstrators. Some marched. Others kneeled. Many referenced Floyd’s final words: “I can’t breathe.” His face and “Black Lives Matter” became avatars on signs, streets and public buildings.
Some police officers faced down protesters with riot gear while others knelt in solidarity.
In one image that perfectly encapsulates the tension, a police officer and a protester — both Black — clasp their hands in the middle of a standoff during a New York City rally for justice for Floyd.
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editor Patrick Sison in New York.