Raleigh protesters weigh in on police chief’s call for outside review of department
On the 10th straight day of protests against police brutality, racism and injustice in Raleigh, dozens of protesters marched from the state Capitol to Central Prison and blocked corrections officers from leaving the parking lot after a shift change.
Sitting in front of a long line of cars with fists raised, protesters held a moment of silence lasting 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the length of time a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on the neck of George Floyd. Outrage over Floyd’s death, on top of a string of other police killings, sparked protests in cities and towns across the country.
“They over police us, then they send us to jail,” a protester yelled into a megaphone in front of the Raleigh prison. “We’re stereotyped. We’re angry.” The woman, who said she was 31 and from Raleigh, declined to give her name.
Not all of the protesters who marched to the prison agreed on the same course of action. Amari McLeod said those blocking corrections officers from leaving were not with the majority.
”We are out here trying to do a peaceful protest. We are not out here trying to invite violence,” McLeod said. “We were out there to talk about prison reform.”
Some wanted to block traffic longer, but Gerard Woody, 27, of Raleigh, persuaded them to leave. “It’s a marathon, not one day,” he told them.
Protesters returned to the Capitol, where they disbanded, after one protest group announced it would be taking a break from daily demonstrations. Others vowed to carry on.
Police chief asks for outside review
Earlier in the day, Raleigh’s police chief and city manager asked the City Council to hire independent law enforcement experts to review the Police Department’s response to the protests.
The city “has experienced unprecedented times regarding what began as a peaceful rally and march (May 30) that suddenly shifted to individuals storming the Wake County Public Safety Center and the deployment of tear gas by another law enforcement agency,” the chief, Cassandra Deck-Brown, said in a memo sent to the council on Monday.
The Wake County Sheriff’s Office’s initial deployment of gas “created volatile circumstances for hours to come,” she wrote.
Law enforcement officers in Raleigh repeatedly launched tear gas and sponge grenades at protesters and journalists on the first two nights of protest, May 30 and May 31. Protesters threw water bottles, rocks and fireworks at police, and by the end of the night, windows across downtown had been smashed, with some property stolen.
The mayor instituted a curfew, lifted after a week on Monday, and the governor called in the National Guard. Subsequent days of protest were calmer, with fewer violent confrontations.
Community members have criticized law enforcement response, arguing that it antagonized the crowds. Hundreds joined a virtual Raleigh City Council meeting last week, many calling on Deck-Brown and Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin to resign.
Protesters urge independent investigation
On Monday night, about 100 protesters showed up in front of the state Capitol about 5 p.m. to voice their anger and pain.
They inscribed messages at the base of a Confederate monument: names of people killed by police — Sandra Bland, George Floyd; “BLM,” short for Black Lives Matter; “Fire Deck-Brown,” the police chief; “It’s not heritage it’s racism.”
Several protesters agreed that an independent investigation of Raleigh’s response to the protests was necessary.
“I believe that is needed,” said Jesse Dunn III, 26, of Zebulon. “It look like police fired the first shot. If that is true, we do need an outside investigation.”
Dunn was attending his first protest on the issue. He was inspired to come by the organizer’s emphasis on peaceful protest. “No looting, no violence,” he said. “We’re trying to do it the way Dr. King did it.”
“There’s definitely going to be a need for transparency,” Andre Taylor, 41, of Raleigh, said.
Ytallo Cruz, 24, of Raleigh, also wants an outside investigation. He said he has been to all but one of the local protests.
“We were all peaceful protesting for the most part,” he said of events of the first night. Law enforcement antagonized people who were already on edge, he said.
Council evaluating paths to reform
“The RPD is a progressive agency,” Deck-Brown wrote in the memo sent to the council Monday. “Yet, we understand there is always room for improvement. Therefore, the Raleigh Police Department is committed to learning from this crisis and anticipates finding areas to enhance our response moving forward.”
Outside experts will be in high demand, and the city needs to move quickly, City Manager Ruffin Hall wrote.
On June 2, Council member Nicole Stewart asked the city to provide information about training for police officers. She also asked:
- If officers who witness bad behavior are required to intervene.
- If choke holds like the one used by police on Floyd are allowed in Raleigh.
- If officers with complaints against them in other jurisdictions are tracked and if they are considered for hire in Raleigh.
The memo outlined the “8 Can’t Wait” policies recommended by the police-reform organization Campaign Zero. The eight recommendations, which include a ban on choke holds and strangle holds, will be reviewed by the city’s newly created Police Advisory Board.
The City Council will discuss outside experts, its own review of police response and potential police policy changes during its virtual 4 p.m. work session Tuesday. People can watch on the city’s website raleighnc.gov or on YouTube.
“The events of the last several days have been heartbreaking and devastating for our entire community in the city of Raleigh,” Hall said. “We are facing a crisis at a local, state, and national level. We are all working hard to respond to the challenges raised by the protests and respect the rights of everyone to express their voices peacefully. We hear the community’s concerns.”
This story was originally published June 8, 2020 at 5:08 PM.
