Police SUV plows through protesters in Michigan, video shows. ‘We went flying off’

During a protest against racism and police brutality in Detroit, a police SUV drove through a group of protesters Sunday night, video from the scene shows.

Warning: The video contains disturbing content.

The protest started around 4:30 p.m. in response to the death of George Floyd, the Detroit News reported.

Floyd, an unarmed 46-year-old Black man, died while in police custody on May 25, and his death sparked an avalanche of protests across the nation. He died after now-fired Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for about eight minutes, as three other officers didn’t intervene. The officers have since been fired and charged in his death.

The incident between protesters and the police vehicle occurred around 9:30 p.m., according to the Detroit News.

Video shows a group of people crowded around a police SUV — its lights strobing — as they chant. One person appears to sit on the hood of the vehicle before it accelerates into the crowd, with several people ending up on the hood of the SUV.

People scream as others fall to the ground. The SUV briefly stops then speeds away with one person still on the hood, video shows. A crowd of people chases after the SUV as it drives off.

The video was posted to several social media platforms. It’s been shared more than 13,000 times on Facebook.

Ethan Ketner, who posted the video, said 10 to 12 people were struck by the police vehicle and some had been hospitalized.

Jae Bass, 24, said he tried to step in front of the SUV to protect other protesters.

“In response to that, he just floored it,” Bass told the Detroit Free Press. “He went super fast. Me and a couple of other organizers that were with me, just went flinging off. We went flying off. He ran over a couple people’s arms, feet. He ran over her phone. I think I was the last person on the car. I was just holding onto the car. I could feel him speeding up and then he did one of these and he flinged me off the car.”

Detroit police said the back window was smashed out of the police vehicle and that “the officer tried to escape,” the Detroit News reported.

Detroit police spokeswoman Sgt. Nicole Kirkwood told the Detroit Free Press that the department is investigating both the protesters and the officer, according to the newspaper.

“That’s why we march,” one protester told WDIV. “The police feel like their badge gives them the authority to do harm and damage under any circumstances.”