Violent Rioters Breach Ohio Statehouse, Breaking Windows and Entering Building to Protest Death of George Floyd

Rioters in Columbus, Ohio, launched an attack on the Statehouse in the early hours of Friday morning to protest the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Floyd, who was unarmed and subdued with handcuffs, died after a police officer pinned his neck to the ground with his knee and held it there until he stopped breathing.

Protests and riots are ongoing in several cities around the U.S., including Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn., Memphis, Tenn., Louisville, Ky., Denver, Colo., Los Angeles Calif., and Columbus, Ohio.

The Statehouse in Columbus came under attack, with rioters breaking windows and some entering the building. There are unconfirmed reports that the protesters damaged the interior of the building.

Riots starting in Columbus Ohio . First building is the statehouse pic.twitter.com/p7VgD3HPpF

— ً (@MambaJama) May 29, 2020

WATCH: Columbus protesters targeting the Ohio Statehouse just a little bit ago. State troopers responded from inside & Columbus PD came over from the nearby street. pic.twitter.com/4P7kRNVMv5

— Tyler Buchanan (@Tylerjoelb) May 29, 2020

Columbus Ohio is now snapping off pic.twitter.com/eSFsYPypbT

— Evac (@evacuationboy) May 29, 2020

A large crowd of people just tried to break into the Ohio Statehouse. Trash cans, etc thrown at windows. Then the group fled back down the steps when state troopers approached the doors from the inside.

— Tyler Buchanan (@Tylerjoelb) May 29, 2020

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Authorities wasted no time breaking up the attack on the Statehouse, sending in the SWAT team to disburse the crowd. Officers used a loudspeaker to announce that an emergency had been declared and ordered protesters to leave the area. Throughout the night and into the morning police deployed pepper spray, tear gas, and flash-bangs to control the crowd:

Police formed a line in front of the Statehouse. People dispersed along High St.

These are scenes of damage from earlier this evening.

We will share updates in the morning on #GoodDayColumbus on @wsyx6 & @fox28columbus. pic.twitter.com/WLTpwTs5bH

— Haley Nelson (@HaleyWSYX6) May 29, 2020

Protesters also burned flags on the grounds of the Capitol:

Flags on fire outside the @OhioStatehouse tonight. We have team coverage of the protests across multiple @10TV platforms. #10TV pic.twitter.com/SE6YBk2esf

— Brittany Bailey (@BrittBaileyTV) May 29, 2020

The protest began peacefully at around 8 p.m. local time but escalated throughout the night:

Officers speaking over loudspeaker again with same message as earlier telling people to leave the road. More things have been thrown at officers. @nbc4i pic.twitter.com/8SucB6ZfvL

— Eric Halperin (@EricHalperinTV) May 29, 2020

Protesters are starting to break and tip over trash cans along High St. @nbc4i pic.twitter.com/Z8xLGk6KPe

— Eric Halperin (@EricHalperinTV) May 29, 2020

As of publishing time, the crowd in Columbus had diminished, but some protesters remained.

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