Workers began removing artwork and barricades from George Floyd Square, the memorial space constructed at the south Minneapolis intersection where George Floyd was murdered by a white police officer.

Barricades were being taken down to allow the intersection to be reopened to traffic, the city confirmed, but there were small demonstrations by community activists and local residents that opposed the reopening of the intersection at Chicago Avenue and 38th Street.

The space, which became a de facto autonomous zone, features memorials, community art, sculptures and often hosts performances and protests

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Residents gathered across the city to honor Floyd and other victims of police violence, and vowed to hold officers accountable

In downtown Minneapolis, the city that was plagued with tension during the Derek Chauvin murder trial last month, a celebration of George Floyd’s life was held less than a mile from where the white former Minneapolis officer was convicted of all three counts of his murder.

The event, organized by the George Floyd Memorial Foundation, was filled with shrieks from children as they leapt in bouncy houses while others filled the air with bubbles. The smells from a dozen food trucks penetrated the space as people danced and basked in the sun.