Crowd gets angry as police arrest person during KC mayor’s talk with Plaza protesters
As Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas met with protesters near the Country Club Plaza Monday, police arrested a person nearby and the crowd grew angry.
Lucas was addressing the group at Mill Creek Park when some protesters began yelling that a person was being restrained by police.
It’s unclear what led up to the person being removed from the area.
Afterward, at least one person was heard yelling to police officers. “You a coward,” she said. “You’re all some cowards.”
As the situation unfolded, protesters were telling the mayor they want to see more training, de-escalation and body cameras for police.
Lucas told the crowd he agreed.
“This is where we’re going to build it bit by bit to try to make it better,” Lucas said, indicating he understands the citizens’ frustrations. “Know that we and the city are trying to make a change,” he continued.
At one point, Lucas, along with Kansas City Police Chief Rick Smith and other police officers took a knee and held a moment of silence for a black man, George Floyd, who died after a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for several minutes.
The mayor’s discussion with protesters came minutes after he and Smith spoke at a joint news conference about the weekend’s protests at the Plaza. Crowds of people descended on the Plaza throughout the weekend to protest police brutality. The demonstrations were part of a series across the country sparked by the killing of Floyd during his arrest on Memorial Day in Minneapolis.
At the news conference Monday, Smith defended the actions of the police department during the protests. Police arrested more than 150 people over the weekend and used of tear gas to try to disperse crowds.
Smith said a crowd of protesters Sunday was told the gathering had become “an unlawful assembly” before tear gas was deployed, shortly after an 8 p.m. curfew went into effect for the Plaza and other areas.
During a joint news conference Monday, Mayor Quinton Lucas said there would be no curfew Monday night.
Protesters could be heard chanting as officials took questions from reporters Monday afternoon. During their comments, Smith and Lucas also addressed questions about a video that has circulated on social media showing a protester pepper sprayed and detained by police after shouting criticism at them.
Smith said he had not seen the video. Lucas said he has seen the video, and will review such situations.
“I believe in accountability,” Lucas said. But he added that he would not make a judgment based on a Twitter video alone.
Earlier Monday afternoon, about 30 people joined together at Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard and Main Street, where they chanted “White silence is compliance,” while passing drivers honked.
Some held signs saying “Black Lives Matter” and “Say their names” to protest police brutality and honor black Americans who have died at the hands of law enforcement.
This story was originally published June 1, 2020 at 5:15 PM.
