Last Updated on February 17, 2022
Video footage from the autonomous zone at the George Floyd memorial in Minneapolis, Minnesota shows a pair of black bloc-clad Black Lives Matter journalists threatening an American news reporter, telling him “you’re gonna be in a bad situation in a second” and “you need to get in your car and go.”
NewsNation reporter Brian Entin was providing coverage of the George Floyd Autonomous Zone, standing in front of the makeshift barricade used to cordon off the border of the anarchist settlement, when two diminutive masked individuals in black bloc antifa gear confronted him and ordered him to leave.
“You’re gonna have a bad situation here in a second,” the male border guard announced, appearing to hold an unidentified object in his right hand which he quickly clasped behind his back.
“Oh, I thought if we were on this side of the barricade – ” Entin attempted to explain, but was interrupted by the female border guard, who stated, “No, you need to go.
When asked, “What do you mean by that,” the Black Lives Matter activist replied, “Because you’ve been called out for what you are, you need to get outta here. We know what you are, you need to get in your car and go.”
The George Floyd memorial is an "autonomous zone" with several blocks controlled by activists. Police don't even go in. We tried to respectfully get video-but left after two people confronted us near the barricades.
Later learned many protestors don't even feel comfortable there. pic.twitter.com/5w32fxQ0hR— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) March 10, 2021
“The George Floyd memorial is an “autonomous zone” with several blocks controlled by activists,” Entin said on Twitter. “Police don’t even go in. We tried to respectfully get video-but left after two people confronted us near the barricades. Later learned many protestors don’t even feel comfortable there.”
“The situation at the memorial, from what I understand, is its kind of volatile,” Black Lives Matter supporter Kim Griffin told NewsNation. “People that want to go and support doesn’t feel a sense of inclusion. There is more of a like militant type atmosphere over and a sense of fear.”
The situation at the George Floyd Autonomous Zone has become more increasingly volatile following the shooting death of Imez Wright near the George Floyd Memorial. No suspects have been identified in Wright’s killing thus far, as police are not allowed inside the autonoAmous zone.
As National File reported in September 2020, the autonomous zone surrounding the site of Floyd’s death was originally founded under the name of “The Free State of George Floyd.”
