Day marked by emotions
George Floyd killing spurs peaceful rally, then chaos, in Albany
In the space of a few hours Saturday the outrage over the killing of an unarmed black man in a police encounter in Minneapolis filled Albany’s streets with hundreds of peaceful protesters — then sparked a night of rockthrowing, tear gas and flames.
During the afternoon, hundreds, likely thousands, filled the city’s Townsend Park and crowds spilled into the streets calling for justice and an end to police brutality in the wake of George Floyd’s death on Monday. The emotional but orderly crowd expressed frustration with police in general, but the protest remained nonviolent.
A chaotic scene developed by evening at a different protest as people clashed with police behind the city’s South Station in a confrontation that started with rock-throwing and ended with police using tear gas, riot gear and
officers on horseback to drive away the crowds.
At least one fire burned in the middle of Arch
Street and explosions from fireworks and possibly flash grenades used by police could be heard as officers tried to disperse the crowd. Some people threw rocks at police before the confrontation ended at about 9 p.m.
The incident started as a standoff after a protester tossed rocks at a police SUV parked in the lot near the station about three hours earlier. A reporter for the Daily Gazette captured the vandalism on a video. Police filled the parking lot and eventually pushed the protesters away from the station.
As police pushed into the crowd and tear gas was thrown, people could be heard coughing from the vapor.
As police in riot gear pushed forward, the protesters fell back and continued chants of “No justice, no peace.”
Others yelled, “I don’t see no riot here. Why are you in riot gear?”
The confrontation in Albany is among a number of protests that turned ominous Saturday evening across the state and nation. In Rochester, Mayor Lovely Warren declared a state of emergency and imposed a 9 p.m. curfew. Later in the evening, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan imposed a curfew until 7 a.m. Sunday morning.
“I am asking Albany residents to stay away from the area immediately adjacent to the @albanypolice South Station on Morton Ave.,” Sheehan tweeted at one point. “If you live in the area, please stay indoors.”
It wasn’t immediately known if arrests had been made or whether there were any serious injuries. Police spokesman Officer Steve Smith said the situation was still active at 10 p.m.
The unrest came after the massive, yet orderly gathering and march from Townsend Park. The walk was planned weeks before Floyd died after a white police officer put his knee on Floyd’s neck, according to authorities. When putting together Saturday’s event, the organizers thought of several others who experienced police brutality, including local cases.
“We couldn’t even get to this event without another black body dropping to the ground,” said Jamaica Miles, an organizer of community grassroots organization All of Us, a sponsor of the march.
The organization had already held other walks this spring in dedication to those who dealt with racial injustice in the criminal justice system, and for Miles it’s been disturbing to see these repeated acts of violence.
“We are not safe anywhere. To be clear, I am a black woman with black children, and I fear for their lives. I fear for their lives every day,” Miles said in a phone interview.
Holding signs in memory of Floyd and other victims, participants marched and chanted against police brutality.
The numbers were diverse and included several families.
Contributing: Casey Seiler, Mike Goodwin