85 arrests at George Floyd protest; KCPD urges protesters to not destroy businesses
Eighty-five people were arrested Saturday night at Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza during protests over the killing of George Floyd that turned dangerous amid tear gas and fires.
Speaking to reporters Sunday, Mayor Quinton Lucas said while the damage seen in Kansas City was not as bad as in other cities, it was “more than we’d want to tolerate in this region.” Police officers and protesters were injured, he said.
“None of that needs to happen,” he said, calling on demonstrators to remain peaceful Sunday.
Police Chief Rick Smith begged for protesters to stop the damage seen Saturday night.
“Stop destroying our businesses,” Smith said. “Stop destroying our community. Stop destroying our reputation as a city.”
During a police briefing Sunday morning, Smith asked if any police officers in the room did not get hit by an object at the protest. None raised their hands, he said.
“Everyone had been assaulted in some way last night,” Smith told reporters. “Kansas City is better than this.”
Two officers were hospitalized after being struck by objects. One suffered an injury to the temple and the other had a lacerated liver, the Kansas City Police Department said on Twitter.
The Saturday protest drew 400 to 500 people, marking another in a series of protests across the country in the days that followed the death of George Floyd. Floyd died May 25 in Minneapolis after Derek Chauvin, a police officer there, applied his knee to Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes while he lay prone and pleading to breathe while in handcuffs.
By the end of the night, police reported 10 people injured. Protesters threw water bottles at officers, with Capt. David Jackson, a Kansas City Police Department spokesman, estimating more than 100 rocks and bottles were thrown.
Police used tear gas to try to disperse the crowds, with limited success. Some in the crowd said the tear gas was excessive. Several businesses were damaged as police said people were trying to break into them. A squad car was set on fire.
Lucas said he was planning to review the police department’s response.
“That being said, I was there yesterday,” he said. “I saw some of those frozen water bottles that are thrown at police officers. I saw rocks that were being thrown at police officers.”
Smith said tear gas was deployed after protesters were told the assembly was unlawful and were given an order to disperse.
“No one moved,” Smith said. “At that point, everyone was violating the law.”
Gov. Mike Parson declared a state of emergency, making available the Missouri National Guard and the Missouri Highway Patrol to support local authorities. At least 30 guard members had arrived in Kansas City by Sunday morning.
Kansas City officials have since ordered an 8 p.m. curfew for the Country Club Plaza, Westport and downtown business districts.
On Sunday morning, the mayor spoke to a 22-year-old African-American man from the northeast side of Kansas City. He asked the mayor: “Well, what are we supposed to do?”
Lucas, who is a member of the Board of Police Commissioners, urged civil conversation about reform. He again gave out his cellphone number (816-679-1662) and called on angered citizens to text or call him.
“Let’s make some sort of difference,” Lucas said. “A difference isn’t making a property owner, including a black property owner, have to clean up the next day.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
This story was originally published May 31, 2020 at 12:51 PM.
