Skip to main content
Updated Jun 3, 2020 - Politics & Policy

In photos: Mayors and police in solidarity gestures with protesters across U.S.

headshot
headshot
LA Mayor Eric Garcetti walks out to address protesters and clergy members from the Los Angeles area that are participating in a march and peaceful protest

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti with protesters and clergy members downtown Tuesday. 1,000 people rallied outside his home the same day to protest his response to the demonstrations, per the L.A. Times. Photo: Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti and LAPD officers kneeled with peaceful protesters in downtown Los Angeles following days of unrest that prompted a curfew to be imposed from 6 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday. The crowd chanted "Defund the police!" as Garcetti knelt, per the Los Angeles Times.

The big picture: There have been days-long clashes across the U.S. between law enforcement and demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd and other black people in police custody. But police and officials in several cities have taken to kneeling with protesters in recent days. One sheriff even marched alongside demonstrators in Michigan.

LAPD officers take a knee with clergy and marchers at LAPD Headquarters during a demonstration
Los Angeles officers take a knee with clergy and marchers at LAPD Headquarters during a demonstration on Tuesday. Photo: Sarah Reingewirtz/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images
Sheriff Chris Swanson with protesters in Flint, Michigan
Sheriff Chris Swanson with protesters in Flint, Michigan, posted to his Facebook page Sunday with the caption, "Building trust, and bringing our community together. Let’s create a path forward, for everyone." Photo: Sheriff Swanson/Facebook
Two New York City police officers take a knee during a demonstration in Times Square over the death of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer at a rally on Sunday in New York.
New York City police officers show support during a Times Square protest Sunday. Other officers kneeled with protesters elsewhere in the city, after which NYPD Brooklyn assistant chief Jeffrey Maddrey asked demonstrators to remain peaceful, saying, "I don’t look at you as anything but my brothers and sisters." Photo: Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images
A man screams with emotion as he sees a policeman take a knee while hundreds protest the death of George Floyd next to the White House on May 31
A man screams with emotion as a police officer takes a knee while hundreds protest in Washington, D.C., on Sunday. Several other officers later briefly took a knee in front of a line of protesters, before several fires and clashes with police began after the city's curfew came into effect. Photo: Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images
A ew York City police officer takes a knee during a demonstration by protesters in Times Square
A New York City police officer takes a knee during the Times Square protest. Photo: Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images

Editor's note: This article has been updated with the gestures in L.A.

Go deeper