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TIMELINE: George Floyd protests in Central Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. — Watch our in-depth coverage below:

Read live updates below:

Rally makes its way through Orlando

10:30 p.m. update

A huge rally made its way through the City Beautiful on Monday.

Some people met at City Hall first, but eventually everybody converged at Orlando Police Department

See our coverage below:

Most arrests in Orlando have taken place after curfew, police said

9 p.m. update

Orlando police said a majority of the arrests made in the city during protests have occurred after the curfew.

Thirty people have been arrested, according to police.

Protesters made their way onto the 408 and I-4 over the weekend, shutting down the major highways.

Orlando police to release bodycam footage from protest

7:10 p.m. update

Mayor Buddy Dyer says the Orlando Police Department plans to release all the body camera video footage surrounding this weekend’s protest.

Dyer said it’s about transparency.

“I’ve directed our police department to proactively pull body camera video (footage) from incidents over the last couple of nights when tear gas was deployed to be released on the public,” he said.

Councilwoman Regina Hill commends how well police officers and citizens demonstrated together. But to move forward, she said, everyone must come together.

About 30 people have been arrested in Orlando due to the protests, but a majority of them have taken place after the 10 p.m. curfew, police said.

Officers, residents march together

6:05 p.m. update

A march being led by the Kissimmee Police Department is now underway.

Click here to watch the march live from Skywitness 9.

Click here to read more.

Read: George Floyd protests: Demonstrators, police officers march together in Kissimmee against police brutality


Downtown Kissimmee march to begin at 6 p.m.

5:35 p.m. update

The Kissimmee police chief will lead a march through downtown Kissimmee alongside protesters to take a stand against police misconduct and brutality.

The group has already started to gather, and the march will begin at 6 p.m. Click here to watch it live on Channel 9 Eyewitness News.

Read: George Floyd protests: DeSantis deploys additions Florida National Guard to aid law enforcement

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also tweeted a statement about protests over George Floyd’s death.

“Florida has zero tolerance for violence, rioting and looting,” he said. “George Floyd’s murder was appalling, and the Minnesota perpetrators need to be brought to justice. But this cannot be used as a pretext for violence in our communities. I thank local leaders for their efforts to keep Florida safe.”

Read the full statement below:


Kissimmee police to join protesters for solidarity march Monday

3:45 p.m. update

Kissimmee police are shutting down Broadway as of 4:25 p.m. to make way for officers to march in solidarity with protesters beginning at 6 p.m. The gathering is set to begin at 5 p.m.

Please see below for information on tonight's march.

Posted by Kissimmee Police Department on Monday, June 1, 2020


Doctor says evidence shows Floyd died of ‘mechanical asphyxia’

3:40 p.m. update

Dr. Allecia Wilson, director of autopsy and forensic sciences at the university of Michigan, said Monday that evidence shows that George Floyd died of mechanical asphyxia. Click here to read her full statement.


Protesters block traffic, kneel outside Florida state capitol

2:45 p.m. update

Dozens of people stopped traffic near the Florida state capitol midday Monday, protesting police brutality. Protesters knelt for about five minutes in the middle of a major intersection in front of the capitol building, chanting “I can’t breathe” and “take your knee off my neck.”

Demonstrations have been happening nationwide since George Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis one week ago.

Read: George Floyd protests: Floyd died of ‘mechanical asphyxia,' according to independent autopsy

Those gathered at the capitol are also asking law enforcement for answers in other officer-involved shootings in Tallahassee this year. Group organizer Tesia Lisbon said people will continue to protest until they are listened to.

“The people out here who pay bills, the people out here who pay their taxes, the people out here who vote these people into their positions, we are saying we are holding you accountable. You are going to meet us where we are,” Lisbon said.


Protest planned for Monday evening in Lake Nona, police chief says

2:15 p.m.

Orlando police chief Orlando Rolon said a protest is planned for 6 p.m. Monday in Lake Nona.


DeSantis deploys additions Florida National Guard to aid law enforcement

2:05 p.m. update

With some protests turning violent over the weekend, Gov. Ron DeSantis has activated the Florida National Guard. The governor’s office said the specially trained units were put on standby Saturday. Click here to read more.


30 arrests made following overnight protests in Orlando, body camera footage to be released

12:41 p.m. update

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer has instructed the release of body camera footage to the public in reviewing incidents where tear gas was deployed.

The mayor said he’s doing so to allow full transparency.

Police Chief Rolon said that once protesters got to I-4 and Colonial Drive, they began to throw rocks and objects at officers. Officers then deployed the tear gas.

Read: George Floyd protests: Derek Chauvin’s 1st court appearance postponed 1 week

Rolon said once the protesters moved up the on-ramp, they began throwing things at the traffic below them. There were no injuries to drivers, according to Rolon.

Rolon said there were up to 30 arrests made, some of which came after officials enforced curfew. He said some of the arrests came at eight businesses around the city that individuals attempted to break into or vandalize.

You can watch their full remarks below:

WATCH LIVE: Orlando police chief, mayor provide update on second day of protests

WATCH LIVE: Orlando police Chief Orlando Rolón and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer are giving an update on a second day of protests in the city. Read: at.wftv.com/36NoEMe

Posted by WFTV Channel 9 on Monday, June 1, 2020


Orlando officials to provide update on second day of protests

11:36 a.m. update

Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolón and Mayor Buddy Dyer are set to provide an update on a second day of protests in the city.

The briefing will be held at 12:30 p.m. outside Orlando Police Department Headquarters.

You can watch the press conference live here.

Photos: Protesters gather across Orlando in wake of George Floyd’s death


St. Cloud police to join Kissimmee police in march

9:25 a.m. update

The St. Cloud Police Department will join the Kissimmee Police Department in a peaceful march of solidarity with protesters.

Read: 2 Atlanta officers fired after video shows them using ‘excessive force’ on 2 college students during protests


Kissimmee police chief plans peaceful march in solidarity

6:30 a.m. update

Kissimmee police Chief Jeff O’Dell said the Police Department is planning a peaceful march that will take place downtown Monday evening.

People are asked to gather in front of the Police Department at 5 p.m. and begin to march and hour later.

O’Dell said officers will walk together with the community and be united against any police misconduct or brutality.


Orlando police chief says situation across city has ‘normalized’

4:21 a.m. update

Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolon tweeted just before midnight that the situation across the city has “normalized.”

Officers had been urging protesters to “go home or go to jail” after the 10 p.m. curfew went into effect. Officials said the curfew will be in place from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in both Orlando and Orange County until further notice.

Rolon made the tweet after officials received calls that Orlando International Premium Outlets and The Mall at Millenia could be targets for vandalism.

Christopher Boyce, WFTV.com

Christopher Boyce joined WFTV in January of 2019.

Sarah Wilson

Sarah Wilson, WFTV.com

Sarah Wilson joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2018 as a digital producer after working as an award-winning newspaper reporter for nearly a decade in various communities across Central Florida.

Jason Kelly

Jason Kelly, WFTV.com

Jason Kelly joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2014. He serves as the station's Digital Executive Producer.

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