Louisville police tell protesters to use sidewalks then call unlawful assembly when that doesn't happen

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image for Louisville police tell protesters to use sidewalks then call unlawful assembly when that doesn't happen

(CNN) Protesters demanding justice for Breonna Taylor walked in the streets of Louisville for a third night, their march briefly interrupted then turned around by lines of police.

As the marchers moved along Main Street shortly before 7 p.m. ET Friday, police officers set up restraining lines in front of them and on a street to the left. Several flash bang devices exploded above the crowd.

Timothy Findlay, a pastor who organized a protest earlier this month at at the site of the Kentucky Derby, said police had no reason to use the stun grenades.

"We were nonviolent. We were peaceful," he told CNN's Jason Carroll. "We were exercising our constitutional right." He said there were seniors and children in the crowd.

An official with the Louisville Metro Police Department said officers shot two flash bangs in the air because the crowd was told to move onto sidewalks and did not.

Sgt. Lamont Washington said an unlawful assembly was declared after the protesters stayed in the streets, and the stun grenades were used to get their attention.

Two people were arrested, he said.

Protesters used another route to head back to Jefferson Square Park, where the march began. After staying their for a short time, marchers returned to the grounds of the First Unitarian Church, the scene of a nearly two-hour long peaceful standoff Thursday night.

Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer, and aunt, Bianca Austin, joined the beginning of the evening's protest, which comes two days after a grand jury didn't charge three Louisville police officers with Taylor's killing.

At the front of a march, Austin and several women held a purple banner with Taylor's image and the words "Justice for Breonna" as Palmer walked with the crowd.

Many in the throng raised their right fists and the crowd chanted, "Say her name."

Lonita Baker, attorney for Tamika Palmer, told CNN's Anderson Cooper: "They wanted to show their support to the protesters just as the protesters have been supporting them for over 100 days."

Breonna's mother: 'I am an angry Black woman'

Earlier, at a news conference, Taylor's mother said the grand jury's decision "reassured" her of why she has no faith in the legal system.

Palmer wrote a letter that she read Friday during a fiery news conference at which her attorneys called on Kentucky's attorney general to release the transcript of the grand jury proceedings relating to Taylor's death

"I was reassured Wednesday of why I have no faith in the legal system, in the police, in the law -- that are not made to protect us Black and Brown people," Palmer wrote in a letter read by her sister, Bianca Austin.

"When I speak on it, I'm considered an angry Black woman. But know this: I am an angry Black woman," Palmer's letter reads.

"I am not angry for the reasons that you would like me to be. But angry because our Black women keep dying at the hands of police officers."

Protests erupted in Louisville and across the country after Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced Wednesday that a grand jury did not charge three officers directly with Taylor's death, more than six months after police shot her in her home while executing a search warrant.

The grand jury did indict one detective on first-degree wanton endangerment charges, accusing him of blindly firing shots that went through Taylor's home and penetrated the walls of a neighbor's apartment.

separately The FBI has said it isseparately investigating Taylor's death.

At Friday's news conference, an attorney for Taylor's family, Ben Crump, called on Cameron to release the transcript of the grand jury proceedings.

"Breonna Taylor's entire family is heartbroken ... and confused and bewildered, just like all of us, as to what did Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron present to the grand jury," Crump said at Louisville's Jefferson Square Park.

"Did he present any evidence on Breonna Taylor's behalf, or did he make a unilateral decision to put his thumb on the scales of justice to help try to exonerate and justify (the killing) by these police officers?" Crump said.

"Release the transcript!" Crump said repeatedly, leading a crowd in a chant.

Palmer also wrote that she "never had faith in Daniel Cameron to begin with."

"I knew he had already chosen to be on the wrong side of the law the moment he wanted the grand jury to make the decision," Palmer's letter reads, according to Austin. "What I had hoped is that he knew he had the power to do the right thing."

"He helped me realize that it will always be us against them -- that we are never safe when it comes to them."

Earlier, Crump said he is counting on the federal probe for justice.

"We hope the FBI investigation finally gets justice for Bre and her family," Crump tweeted

Grand jury proceedings are generally kept secret to encourage witnesses' and jurors' candor, prosecutors and legal experts say. Exceptions have included the release of grand jury proceedings in the Michael Brown case in Ferguson, Missouri.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, former Kentucky Assistant Attorney General John W. Stewart and New York Attorney General Letitia James have called for the grand jury transcripts to be released.

Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests The University of Louisville men's basketball team leads a march calling for justice for Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, on Friday, September 25. Hide Caption 1 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Ju'Niyah Palmer, Breonna Taylor's sister, wipes away tears from the face of her mother Tamika Palmer, Breonna Taylor's mother, as Bianca Austin, the aunt of Breonna Taylor, speaks at a press conference in Jefferson Square Park in Louisville on September 25. Hide Caption 2 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Religious leaders from around the city gather at a press conference in front of First Unitarian Church in Louisville on Friday, September 25. Leaders discussed the unrest and incident the previous night where police surrounded the church and threatened to detain anyone who attempted to exit the perimeter. Hide Caption 3 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests A demonstrator speaks in front of a police line in Louisville on September 25. Hide Caption 4 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Protesters light up their cell phones during a demonstration on Interstate 64 in St. Louis, Missouri, on Thursday, September 24. Hide Caption 5 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests A protester wears a gas mask outside the First Unitarian Church on Thursday in Louisville, Kentucky. Hide Caption 6 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Police speak with protesters at the First Unitarian Church on Thursday in Louisville. Hide Caption 7 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Tanesha Grant led about 100 people in a peaceful protest at Union Square in Manhattan on September 24, one day after a grand jury charged only one officer for shooting into a neighboring apartment in the case of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky. The protesters held signs calling for justice for Taylor as well as defunding the police. Hide Caption 8 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Protesters march through Louisville on September 24. Hide Caption 9 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests An armed counterprotester speaks with Black Lives Matter demonstrators on September 24 in Louisville, Kentucky. Hide Caption 10 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Supporters of Breonna Taylor raise their fists near Jefferson Square Park in Louisville on September 24. Hide Caption 11 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Sheree Barbour holds her fist in the air as people protest the grand jury decision in the Breonna Taylor case on Wednesday, September 23, in Denver, Colorado. Hide Caption 12 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Demonstrators march during a protest in New York over a Kentucky grand jury's decision not to indict any police officers for the killing of Taylor. Hide Caption 13 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Police officers move past Louisville City Hall as a curfew is implemented at 9 p.m. to disperse protesters on September 23. Hide Caption 14 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Demonstrators gather at the US Department of Justice before marching to the White House to call for justice for Taylor. Hide Caption 15 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Protesters demonstrate at the door to the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville. Hide Caption 16 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Demonstrators in Louisville react to gunfire. Two officers with the Louisville Metro Police Department were shot Wednesday night during the protests. Hide Caption 17 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests People rally in Denver to protest the grand jury decision. Hide Caption 18 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests A woman carries a boy and a sign that reads, "Please don't make me a Breonna Taylor," as they watch protesters gather in Brooklyn, New York. Hide Caption 19 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Protesters attend a march at the Lake Merritt Amphitheater in Oakland, California, in solidarity with Louisville protesters. Hide Caption 20 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Demonstrators march from the US Department of Justice to the White House. Hide Caption 21 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Louisville Metro Police Department interim police chief Robert Schroeder speaks to journalists as he confirms two officers were shot during protests in downtown Louisville. Hide Caption 22 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Franklin Long touches a monument to boxer Joe Louis in downtown Detroit as protesters march calling for justice for Taylor. Hide Caption 23 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests A man holds a sign reading "Justice for Breonna Taylor" in Denver. Hide Caption 24 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Protesters jump onto the lower roadway of the Manhattan Bridge as people demonstrate in New York. Hide Caption 25 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Demonstrators march and block streets in Eugene, Oregon. Hide Caption 26 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests A protester rests in an intersection in downtown Los Angeles. Hide Caption 27 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Graffiti in honor of Taylor is seen in Chicago. Hide Caption 28 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Demonstrators march on the Williamsburg Bridge in New York. Hide Caption 29 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Christina Johnson chants Taylor's name as three women huddle following the grand jury announcement in Louisville. Hide Caption 30 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Father Michael Pfleger led a group of protesters in Chicago before using fake blood to paint Taylor's name on the street. Hide Caption 31 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Protesters fill the streets of Louisville following the announcement from the state's attorney general. Hide Caption 32 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests A Louisville police officer fires a pepper ball gun into a crowd of protesters. Hide Caption 33 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Nicole Hayden reacts to the grand jury decision in Louisville. Hide Caption 34 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests A protester in Louisville offers a detained man water. Hide Caption 35 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Louisville officers detain protesters following the announcement. Hide Caption 36 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests A woman confronts a National Guard vehicle in Louisville. Hide Caption 37 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests A Taylor supporter yells to journalists covering a protest in Louisville. Hide Caption 38 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests A member of the National Guard patrols downtown Louisville. Hide Caption 39 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests A demonstrator in Louisville confronts a police officer. Hide Caption 40 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests People had gathered in Louisville in anticipation of the decision. In the months since her death, Taylor's plight has been taken up not only by demonstrators but by celebrities like NBA star LeBron James and Oprah Winfrey, who put the ER tech on the cover of her namesake magazine. Hide Caption 41 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests A woman in Louisville cries out after the charges were announced. Hide Caption 42 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests Names of victims of police shootings are seen on a boarded-up business in downtown Louisville. Hide Caption 43 of 44 Photos: In pictures: Breonna Taylor decision sparks protests People covered Jefferson Square in Louisville with signs and flowers memorializing Taylor while waiting for the announcement in her case. Hide Caption 44 of 44

Louisville's mayor is extending the city's curfew

After another night of protests Thursday, Louisville's mayor said he is extending the city's curfew through the weekend to balance people's "rights to peacefully protest with the duty to protect public safety."

On Thursday night, after a standoff between the Louisville Metro Police Department officers and protesters on church property, police moved out to allow protesters to go home.

At least 24 people were arrested in the city, Louisville police said. Some people from the protest broke windows at a restaurant, damaged some public transit buses, and tossed a flare into a library, breaking windows there, police said.

During a protest Wednesday night, two Louisville police officers were shot and suffered non-life-threatening injuries, police said. Both are expected to recover, according to interim Police Chief Robert Schroeder.

A 26-year-old suspect has been arrested . He faces two counts of first-degree assault of an officer and 14 counts of wanton endangerment of a police officer.

The incident that ended Taylor's life began with a narcotics investigation on March 13.

Then-Detective Brett Hankison, Sgt. John Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove were executing a search warrant on Taylor's home, though her ex-boyfriend was the focus of the probe. Her ex-boyfriend was later arrested on drug charges. Taylor's family and their attorney have said she was not involved in her ex-boyfriend's alleged drug deals.

Taylor was sleeping next to her current boyfriend, Kenneth Walker III, in the early hours of March 13, when they heard a noise, he told investigators . They both got up and walked to the door.

"She's yelling at the top of her lungs -- and I am too at this point -- 'Who is it?' " Walker recalled to investigators . "No answer. No response. No anything."

Police forced entry into the home, and Walker said he couldn't see but he fired one shot. After entering, Mattingly was shot in the leg, Cameron, the attorney general, said Wednesday.

Hankison was accused by his own department of blindly firing 10 bullets into Taylor's apartment from an outdoor patio. Hankison was fired in June, the Louisville police chief said, and is appealing his termination.

Cameron argued the officers were "justified in their use of force" because Taylor's boyfriend fired first.

Steve Romines, Walker's attorney, also disputed Cameron's assertion, telling CNN on Thursday morning, "That's what a jury is for."

Hankison, charged with three first-degree wanton endangerment charges, will plead not guilty, his attorney, Stew Matthews, told CNN.

Hankison was booked in the Shelby County Jail, posted a $15,000 bond and was released, Matthews said.

JimmyMcShiv on September 26th, 2020 at 16:19 UTC »

This is what they have been doing in Portland. A journalist was arrested after not walking across and intersection fast enough. She was shoved first and told to move. After turning around to ask for badge numbers, she was tackled and arrested.

Her reporting partner was arrested about an hour before after he verbalized that he recognized the cop who pepper sprayed him a few nights before. After saying that cops name, two others pounced on him and he was arrested.

Even if you aren’t on board with the ways people are protesting, please know that people also aren’t allowed to protest the ways you think are okay.

Mauve_Unicorn on September 26th, 2020 at 14:02 UTC »

I remember marching through the streets of Asheville to protest the Iraq War, back in 2003 I believe. The cops told us to move to the sidewalk or they'd arrest us, so we did.

They then started grabbing people randomly off the sidewalk, throwing them to the ground, and arresting them.

Record as much of these protests as you can!

TheToastIsBlue on September 26th, 2020 at 13:29 UTC »

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."