COLUMBUS, Ohio —  Response to the death of George Floyd has reached a fever pitch across the nation and now we’re seeing it play out right here in Columbus. 

A night that started with peaceful protests turned violent Thursday as protestors broke into the Ohio Statehouse, while police used tear gas to push back the crowds.

 The protests in Ohio’s capital city are among several taking pace all across the country.

George Floyd was a 46-year-old man who died in Minneapolis earlier this week after a poilce officer was caught on tape digging his knee into Floyd’s neck for several minutes.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther weighed in on Thursday night's events on Twitter:

In another Tweet, he added, “I respect peaceful protests and ask residents to remain peaceful in their actions tonight and every night."

Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin joined Ginther in urging peaceful protests.

Meanwhile, several more protests are planned across Ohio this weekend — including at least two on Saturday. Organizers are planning a rally at the Free Stamp in Cleveland at 2 p.m

A group in Dayton is also expected to gather on Saturday at 4 p.m. on West Second Street.

And then on Sunday in Cincinnati, organizers say they will kneel for 10 minutes outside the Main Street Courthouse to commemorate the approximate length of time the police officer had his knee on Floyd’s neck.