Night after police clashed with protesters, Charlotte demonstrations remained peaceful
Demonstrations in Charlotte remained largely peaceful Wednesday night as hundreds circled the streets of uptown and gathered in Romare Bearden Park — forging a reprieve from nights of sometimes violent and destructive protests that have roiled the Queen City since Friday.
Some people sang as they marched along Trade Street around 9 p.m. on the sixth night of protests in Charlotte against racial injustices.
Others appreciated the calm presence of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers, including Capt. Brad Koch, who walked at the front of the protest line. Koch told the Observer he was there “to make sure that we can peacefully facilitate the protest throughout the city of Charlotte.”
As of 1 a.m. Thursday, CMPD had not reported any arrests related to protests.
But protests briefly devolved around 11:20 p.m., as a water bottle was thrown in front of police.
A line of officers in riot gear and on bikes blocked access to I-277 along 3rd Street, with flash bangs and tear gas deployed near the interstate without an order to disperse.
“Officers are preventing protesters from attempting to walk on the interstate for their safety,” CMPD tweeted at 11:23 p.m.
“Keep it calm,” protesters yelled out. “Don’t let them antagonize you.”
As officers told protesters to move back, people dispersed toward the Mecklenburg County Jail, where inmates flickered their cell lights on and off.
Outside the jail, the American and North Carolina state flags were taken down, creating a tight huddle as people — some vigorously chanting — converged to record the incident as cars passed by and blared their horns. Some protesters brandished lighters, but they didn’t burn the flags.
‘All the beautiful people’
At Romare Bearden Park early in the evening, people raised their cellphones high among strangers and called out to onlookers in nearby apartment buildings, rallying together to honor George Floyd, a black man killed by Minneapolis police last week.
Demonstrators were still reeling from an incident Tuesday night in uptown, when police officers used chemical agents against peaceful protesters.
“Look at all the beautiful people next you ... If you see someone beautiful next to you, make some noise,” one person said in a series of speeches at the park.
By 10:40 p.m., hundreds had made their way to the Charlotte Transportation Center, cheering as they knelt in tribute to Floyd.
Earlier Wednesday evening, Mayor Vi Lyles and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney had spoken spoke with thousands of protesters, who demanded explanations into Tuesday’s incident and sought assurances for their own safety.
The city is bringing in the State Bureau of Investigation to review those police actions. Once that review is finished, Putney will “immediately petition the courts” for all videos of the incident, CMPD announced on Twitter late Wednesday.
The mayor and City Council members earlier Wednesday also marched in solidarity with protesters through uptown, at one point also kneeling for nine minutes to honor Floyd.
By 1 a.m. Thursday in uptown, lingering crowds continued their peaceful march as police officers maintained a presence on bikes.
This story was originally published June 4, 2020 at 1:07 AM.