George Floyd protest at Plaza in Kansas City has been ‘fairly peaceful,’ police say
A protest in Kansas City over police brutality and the death of George Floyd looked to be a “peaceful event” as the demonstration continued Friday evening near the Country Club Plaza, a police spokesman said.
Capt. David Jackson of the Kansas City Police Department said multiple officers were at the planned protest and remained there Friday evening.
Hundreds of people gathered by the J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain to protest the death of Floyd, who died while in police custody in Minneapolis on Memorial Day. Kansas City joined other major cities, including St. Louis, that held protests of their own earlier this week.
“Right now the crowd seems to be voicing their First Amendment rights. They’re voicing some concerns. Right now, this looks, from our perspective, this looks like a fairly peaceful event and we hope to be able to engage the folks throughout the night just like this,” Jackson said.
He added he did not have information on any injuries or arrests from the protest.
About two hours into the rally, a few water bottles were thrown and police officers warned protesters that they would be sprayed with pepper spray if they did not leave the street.
Police used a loudspeaker, calling for the crowd to ”please get on the sidewalk.” “If you do not get on the sidewalk, we will spray,” an officer was heard telling the crowd.
At one point, protesters marched down 47th Street and returned to the fountain.
Protesters mostly cleared the street as a line of officers stood on J.C. Nichols Parkway and police vehicles blocked the streets. Some moved back onto the street as chants continued. The area was shut down to traffic.
Outrage has poured out across the country after video was released showing the moments leading up to Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. Protests have gone forward this week in Minneapolis and St. Paul as well as other major cities including Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Phoenix, Denver, Memphis, St. Louis and now Kansas City.
Derek Chauvin, 44, the Minneapolis police officer seen on video kneeling on Floyd’s neck, was arrested on third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges Friday. He is accused in court papers of ignoring another officer who was worried about the handcuffed black man who died after pleading that he could not breathe, according to the Associated Press.
Protesters in Kansas City held signs sharing messages such as “Black Lives Matter,” “Stop the Violence” and “I can’t breathe.”
Many chanted “No lives matter until black lives matter” and “What’s his name? George Floyd,” while cars driving by honked in support.
The protests continued Friday evening on the east side of the Plaza.
On one side of the intersection, a man yelled into a loudspeaker. On the other side, another man beat a drum while the crowd shouting “I can’t breathe” reached a crescendo.
Some protesters shouted at officers just a few feet in front of them. Others had retreated, resting by the fountain with their homemade signs.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This story was originally published May 29, 2020 at 7:31 PM.