On bended knees in Phoenix streets
How 3 law officers came to kneel with protesters
Reshauna Striggles stood between a line of police officers in riot gear and at least 100 kneeling protesters in a lot near Sixth Avenue and Adams Street. The situation could have turned sour in minutes as the statewide curfew was about to begin.
Protesters need a reason to assemble, Striggles said through her megaphone. That’s the first rule of protest. The second rule, she said, is that protesters need a reason to go home.
As the lights from Phoenix police cars swirled and a message warning of the impending curfew rang over a loudspeaker in English and Spanish, Striggles turned between protesters and officers, between people kneeling and standing, to negotiate demands for the protest to end.
“My immediate call to action was safety, education and strategy,” Striggles said in a phone interview with The Arizona Republic. “If you’re going to be a protester, these are the things that you need to know how to do.”
“You guys need a strategy to get out of this intersection safely,” Striggles said she told the front line of protesters. “What are your demands? What are your concessions?”
She said one man suggested an officer take a knee. She asked the crowd if they would accept that and some yelled “yes!” so she turned to an officer and talked to him about whether they would.
Then, three officers met the protesters’ demands by kneeling amid cheers and chants of “Take a knee!”
The moment seemed to relieve the tension, at least temporarily, between law enforcement and the hundreds of people who have marched in protest through Phoenix over the deaths of George Floyd and Dion Johnson.
Phoenix police made no arrests on Monday night, and protesters left the area shortly after officers kneeled. Previous nights had ended with fireworks, tear gas and widespread arrests.
Striggles, 28, has been active at the protests with a group she informally calls “protest patrol,” which tries to help people who have been arrested or hit with pepper spray or tear gas.
She supports Black Lives Matter, but is not officially affiliated. “I do not need an organization to be concerned about the youth of my community,” she said.
The scene outside the Phoenix Police Department headquarters on Monday night was captured on video by an Arizona State University law student and shared with The Republic. At least three officers visibly took a knee, and Striggles said she saw two officers kneel shortly after. In the video, the officers respond haltingly, not kneeling all at once.
Redeem Robinson, a pastor with Ebenezer Church, stood by her side during the confrontation.
Ashley Cuber attended the protest as a medic and said she had been worried officers would use force against protesters as soon as the curfew took effect. She told The Republic that police were putting on their helmets and an armored truck had arrived.
She warned protesters to “leave while they still could,” but stayed until Striggles took the megaphone.
“The Phoenix Police Department is grateful that the demonstrators ... were peaceful and obeyed the law.” Sgt. Tommy Thompson Spokesman, Phoenix Police Department
“It was an incredible moment and I’m so lucky I got to watch it live. Just 3 minutes till curfew and everyone peacefully went home,” Cuber said.
On Twitter, Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams praised the moment, saying, “Images like these reflect our willingness to listen and work toward solutions.”
“The Phoenix Police Department is grateful that the demonstrators last night were peaceful and obeyed the law,” said Sgt. Tommy Thompson, a spokesman for the Phoenix police.
The department chose not to identify the names of the officers who knelt to allow them to be representatives of all Phoenix police.
But others in the Black Lives Matter movement have called the moment a “useless” photo op.
“It’s easy for them to kneel,” said Jamaar Williams, a local attorney and a member of Black Lives Matter Phoenix
Metro. “The apparatus of law enforcement in this city and in this state is going to protect them when they decide to stand up and beat us down.
“We need structural change and real accountability. We live in one of the most incarcerated states in the nation, and that starts with police,” Williams said.
Mass Liberation Arizona, which works to end mass incarceration in the state, publicly criticized the kneeling in a Facebook post.
“We’re looking for substantive change, systemic change, not a symbolic one,” said Lola N’Sangou, the group’s director.
Striggles responded to the criticism in her video.
“There were zero injuries tonight. There were zero arrests tonight. There were zero kids who were missing tonight,” Striggles said. “I feel like it was a success, and I’m glad I was able to convince some of the police to kneel down with us.”