SAN DIEGO (CNS) - Following today's guilty verdicts against former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin for the in-custody death of George Floyd, San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore urged anyone wishing to publicly demonstrate over the resolution of the high-profile case to do so in a law- abiding manner.
"The San Diego County Sheriff's Department recognizes, respects and will protect the fundamental right to peacefully assemble and the right to freedom of speech and expression," Gore said. "We ask that individuals interested in expressing their emotions related to the verdict do so peacefully and with respect to other people and property."
For anyone planning protests, " a collective effort from all is needed to ensure the safety of the participants and the community," Gore stated.
"If you are participating in a demonstration and are asked by law enforcement to leave the area, please do so," the sheriff said.
Likewise, anyone witnessing violence or other criminal activity related to a protest should "move to a safe place and report it," Gore added.
Following a three-week trial, jurors found Chauvin, who is white, guilty this afternoon of second- and third-degree murder and manslaughter for the killing of Floyd, who was Black, last Memorial Day.
A witness-shot videotape of Floyd's death while handcuffed and pinned by the neck to the ground under Chauvin's knee sparked months of police- brutality and anti-racism demonstrations and counter-protests across the country.