A nationwide threat

The murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, led to a nationwide wave of racial justice demonstrations and the rise of a new type of backlash against them – people using their vehicles as weapons against protesters.

An analysis by The Boston Globe found at least 139 instances of what researchers call vehicle rammings between the date of Floyd’s death and Sept 30, 2021. At least 100 protesters were injured and three were killed when cars hit them.

The Globe confirmed drivers faced charges in only 65 of those incidents, and less than half of them were charged with felonies. The Globe analysis found only four drivers have been convicted of felonies in vehicle rammings, although many cases are pending.

Like the protests themselves, vehicle rammings happened across the country, in small towns and big cities. Explore the map for more details.