Thousands of demonstrators gathered at Oakland Technical High School on Monday evening as they continued a days-long protest movement sparked by the death of George Floyd a week before at the hands of police.

Only hours before the demonstration began, Alameda County announced a curfew that would extend from 8pm to 5pm. The curfew was an attempt by county officials to control destruction to city businesses that has followed other protests.

Protesters chanted as they walked from Oakland Technical High School towards downtown. The number of people made it difficult to adhere to the six-foot social distancing rule, but almost everyone in the crowd wore face masks. Many held signs expressed solidarity for black lives.

After a short rendezvous at the Frank H. Ogawa Plaza where a few impassioned speeches were made, the march continued down Broadway towards the Police Department, where it was met with a line of police officers in riot gear.

As the crowd began to press up against the police blockade, it began chanting, “White people to the front.” Tensions rose as impassioned voices continued to ring out for justice and for the police to take a knee.

After 20 minutes of chanting and no response by police, a water bottle thrown from the back of the crowd started off a chain reaction. Police readied their riot gear and then began releasing tear gas into the crowd. A few protestors used orange traffic cones and bottles of water to try and extinguish the smoke but were met with more canisters.

What started as a peaceful protest ended in tear gas as the crowd dispersed 10 minutes before the 8pm curfew.