Shooting probe at racism protest after car is driven into the crowd
More clashes have taken place in America at anti-racism demonstrations, reports Jack Mcgregor
POLICE in Colorado are investigating a shooting that took place after a car drove into a crowd of people protesting against racial injustice.
The Aurora Police Department confirmed on Twitter that protesters were walking on Interstate 225 when a vehicle drove through.
A demonstrator is said to have fired a weapon, striking at least one person, who was taken to a hospital and was said to be in a stable condition.
Authorities said the vehicle was later towed away and they are investigating.
Protesters also broke windows at the federal courthouse and a fire was started in an office, police said, with demonstrators ordered to leave the scene after an unlawful assembly was declared.
Tensions have been heightened at recent protests against racial injustice since federal officials were sent to quell demonstrations in Portland, Oregon.
Thousands of protesters gathered outside the courthouse in Portland into the early hours of Saturday, directing fireworks at the building as plumes of tear gas dispensed by US agents lingered above. The demonstration went on for hours until federal agents entered the crowd at around 2.30am and marched in a line down the street, clearing remaining protesters with tear gas at close range.
They also extinguished a large fire in the street outside the courthouse.
The Federal Protective Service said some officers had been injured during their disturbances.
As the crowd dispersed, someone was found stabbed nearby, Portland police said.
That person was taken to a hospital and a suspect was detained.
By 3am, most demonstrators had left, with only some small groups roaming the streets.
Protests against police brutality have spread around the world following the May 25 death of George Floyd – a black man in Minnesota who died after a white officer held him to the ground with a knee to his neck.
In Colorado, protesters have been drawing attention to the death of Elijah Mcclain, who was stopped by police while walking down an Aurora street in
August 2019 after a 911 caller reported him as suspicious.
Police placed him in a choke hold, and paramedics administered
500 milligrams of ketamine, a sedative, to calm him down.
He went into cardiac arrest, was later declared brain dead and taken off life support.
Elsewhere, protesters in Oakland, California, set fire to a courthouse, damaged a police station and assaulted officers after a peaceful demonstration intensified late on Saturday, the authorities have said.
Demonstrators broke windows, spray-painted graffiti, set off fireworks and pointed lasers at officers, according to Oakland’s police department.
It used Twitter to call for peace and ask organisers to “help us provide safe spaces and safe places for demonstrators”.
The protest in Oakland began peacefully, but turned violent later into the night.
A fire broke out at the Alameda County Superior Courthouse and was contained a short time later, news outlets reported.
Police said protesters at one point were “breaking windows and chanting racial slurs at residents”.
Photos tweeted by the department showed broken glass and paint
Help us provide safe spaces and safe places for demonstrators
splattered at a police building.
Meanwhile, police declared a riot in Seattle on Saturday as they clashed with crowds marching in support of anti-racism protests.
Thousands of people there had initially gathered peacefully, carrying signs with slogans such as “Feds go home” and “We are living in a police state”, and shouting chants of “No justice, no peace”.
A group then set fire to the construction site for a youth detention facility before smashing windows of a courthouse and nearby businesses, police said.
Authorities said rocks, bottles, fireworks and mortars were thrown at officers, and one of them was taken to hospital for treatment to a leg injury.
Officers used stun grenades and pepper spray in response.
A total of 45 people were arrested, while 21 officers were injured.
Police are also investigating the death of a man during a Black Lives Matter march in Austin, Texas, on Saturday night.
Initial reports suggested the victim might have been carrying a rifle and approached a vehicle, from where a person shot and killed him.
The suspect has been arrested and is co-operating with officers, according to the authorities.