Thousands rally for Houston native George Floyd

Thousands attended a rally on Friday in front of city hall in Houston, where George Floyd grew up.

The rally was mostly peaceful but police had apparently taken into custody a woman who had a rifle and had tried to use it to incite the crowd.

The crowed marched down streets in downtown Houston to get to city hall, chanting "No justice, no peace" and "Say his name. George Floyd."

Many held up signs that said "Justice For George."

Lazaro Gonzales, 21, of Houston, held up an American flag blanket, on which he wrote, "I can't breathe."

"Everybody is expressing anger," Gonzales said. "Everybody is all, everything we've been keeping silent. We need the government to understand our rage."

As people assembled at Houston City Hall, Derrick Robinson looked on at the crowd which he described as incredibly diverse.

"I'm speechless," he said. "I'm sitting back in awe watching everyone who cares."

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said he welcomed the rally.

Acevedo later oversaw the ejection of an unidentified woman carrying a high-velocity rifle into the crowd of protestors.

Clad in all black and ski mask, the woman drew jeers from the demonstrators, many asking her to leave.

"A white woman with a rifle trying to incite this crowd," Acevedo said. "We're not gonna tolerate that (expletive), people inciting these young people in our city. These young people have every right to be protesting out here peacefully."