Riotous end to BLM rally in DC
Black Lives Matter protesters in Washington, DC, clashed with cops overnight Sunday as they marched through residential areas, urging locals to “get out of your homes and into the streets.”
A crowd of about 100 gathered at around 10 p.m. at Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House and took off through the Logan Circle neighborhood, according to reports.
Marchers chanted, “No justice, no peace,” and, “Get out of your homes and into the streets,” and shined lights into people’s homes. Some set off fireworks and spraypainted the street and sidewalks.
The group returned to the plaza at around 11:30 p.m. The protests took a violent turn about 30 minutes later and cops deployed a type of chemical irritant to break up the crowd, sending plumes of thick smoke into the air.
Police officers on bikes were called in and were seen tackling demonstrators and swinging their bikes at people, according to The Washington Post. The cops tried to take some into custody and shoved others away from the plaza.
The night’s unrest came after five protesters were arrested during chaotic demonstrations in DC Saturday into Sunday. Two were charged with assault on a police officer.
Police said a “group of individuals who were intent on damaging property and injuring Metropolitan Police Department officers began engaging in riotous behavior at Black Lives Matter Plaza and throughout the city,” Washington’s CBS affiliate reported.
Protesters have descended on DC to rally against racial inequality and police brutality following the police-custody killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May, as well as the August police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin.
Some demonstrators harassed Republican National Convention guests as they left the White House last week.