After the death of Minneapolis resident George Floyd, the plinth of the massive monument was painted with colorful protest messages that called for police reform. Community members placed small signs that featured a photograph of different individuals who died after encounters with the police around the entire base of the plinth. The signs included details about each of these encounters. During the protests, the space surrounding the monument was unofficially renamed "Marcus-David Peters Circle" in memory of a young Richmond teacher who was killed by police while experiencing a mental health crisis. Professional signage featuring the name was even installed in the circle as protesters reclaimed the space. On several occasions, a sign featuring the Marcus-David Peters name was removed overnight by those who opposed the actions of protesters. Within a few days, another professionally made sign would appear in its place. Some who opposed the actions of protesters even visited the statue overnight and attempted to wash the messages away or paint over them with a solid color. Protesters would quickly show up to the circle and begin the task of repainting the brightly colored messages. The space surrounding the statue became a gathering place. It served as a space for community events including voter drives, music and dance recitals, and meeting spaces to devise solutions for community issues. A community garden was also planted. Installed in 1890, the statue that sat atop the massive pedestal was removed on September 8, 2021 after months of protests and court battles.