Soon after Lucas and KCPD chief kneel with Plaza protesters, police use pepper spray
Police used pepper spray on some protesters as demonstrations continued Monday afternoon at the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City.
The pepper spray was deployed soon after Mayor Quinton Lucas met with a group of protesters and then left. The mayor had been having conversations with protesters about making changes within the police department.
It was not immediately clear what led up to the pepper spray being used, but afterward the crowd broke, with people running in different directions and then returning to the curb. Some were seen coughing.
Nineteen-year-old Jayla Johnson, of Kansas City, said right before police sprayed into the crowd, she had been questioning police about three black men who have been shot and killed by Kansas City police officers: Ryan Stokes, Cameron Lamb and Donnie Sanders, who died most recently in March.
“They killed them and nobody is talking about it,” Johnson said.
“Why are we a shooting target for them?” Johnson asked aloud. “Our lives won’t matter until black lives matter. It is what it is. Brown lives matter just as well. ... When will we start to matter?”
The protest, which started off with a few dozen people Monday at Mill Creek Park, was largely peaceful but included some tense moments.
A short time earlier, as Lucas met with protesters at Mill Creek Park, police arrested a person nearby and the crowd grew angry, with some protesters began yelling that a person was being restrained by officers. It was 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 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, 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.
At the afternoon went on, protesters were seen marching along Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard, some walking in the street.
Just before 5:30 p.m., police officers were seen arresting a second person, though it was unclear why.
This story was originally published June 1, 2020 at 6:05 PM.
