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Mourners Hold Memorial for Floyd as More Protests Take Shape

Associated Press

   RAEFORD, N.C. - Hundreds of mourners lined up Saturday to pay respects
   to George Floyd in his North Carolina hometown, and the nation's
   capital prepared for what was expected to be the city's largest
   demonstration yet against police brutality.

   Military vehicles and officers in fatigues closed off much of downtown
   Washington to traffic ahead of the planned march, which was expected to
   attract up to 200,000 people outraged by Floyd's death 12 days ago at
   the hands of police in Minneapolis.

   Large protests also took place across the U.S. and in major cities
   overseas, including London, Paris, Berlin and Sydney, Australia.

   In Raeford, the small town near Fayetteville where Floyd was born 46
   years ago, a long line of people formed outside a church, waiting to
   enter in small groups for a chance to look at his coffin. A private
   service was scheduled for later in the day.

   The line of people waiting to view the coffin included families with
   young children and teenagers. One young woman wore a green and gold
   graduation cap and gown as she walked beside her parents. Most people
   wore surgical masks or cloth face coverings.

   When a hearse bearing Floyd's coffin arrived, chants of "Black Power,"
   "George Floyd" and "No justice, no peace," echoed from beneath the
   covered entrance.

   "It could have been me. It could have been my brother, my father, any
   of my friends who are black," said a man in the crowd, Erik Carlos of
   Fayetteville. "It was a heavy hit, especially knowing that George Floyd
   was born near my hometown. It made me feel very vulnerable at first."

   Washington has seen daily protests for the past week -- largely
   peaceful, with people marching back and forth from the White House to
   the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said
   local officials expected 100,000 to 200,000 protesters for Saturday's
   event. The White House has been fortified with new fencing and extra
   security precautions.

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