Protesters, police clash at Raleigh protest of Floyd’s death; buildings damaged, looted

The streets of Downtown Raleigh were filled with protesters and police in riot gear Saturday evening.

The event started peacefully, with protesters singing and chanting throughout downtown, but within an hour after the crowd began marching, police released tear gas and pepper spray. Protesters threw fireworks, rocks and water bottles at police and vandalized several downtown businesses. At least one protester was arrested, a Wake County sheriff’s office spokesman said.

As they moved through the streets, some protesters jeered at police officers and sheriff’s deputies. Most protesters wore masks, some with messages written on them like “BLM,” shorthand for the slogan Black Lives Matter, and “NO COPS.”

The protest was one of many to spring up across the country in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis on Monday. In a widely circulated video, a white police officer is seen kneeling on Floyd’s neck while Floyd says he cannot breathe. Floyd was declared dead 90 minutes later. The officer, Derek Chauvin, was charged four days after the incident with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, according to the Star Tribune.

In downtown Raleigh, tensions first escalated around 7 p.m., when officers released tear gas and pepper spray into the crowds near South McDowell and West Davie streets. Some demonstrators used umbrellas to deflect the tear gas or kicked canisters back at them. An anti-police hiphop song blasted from one protester’s speaker.

As the night wore on, crowds thinned from a peak of more than 1,000. Police repeatedly used tear gas and smoke bombs; and in front of the courthouse on Fayetteville Street, they shot rubber bullets at protesters and journalists. Several businesses along Fayetteville Street were looted, including CVS, where police were seen putting out a fire. Protesters scrawled anti-police slogans on walls throughout downtown.

Raleigh Police reported a shooting at 2:08 a.m. at the corner of South Blount and East Martin streets, an intersection within the footprint of the protest. Police said a man had been shot and taken to WakeMed Hospital, but did not say whether he had been part of the night’s protests.

Gov. Roy Cooper tweeted about 12:30 a.m.: “I am in continuing contact with Emergency Management leaders about violence occurring in some of our cities. Frustrating that planned peaceful protests about real systemic racism are marred. I am grateful for those seeking justice peacefully.”

In a video statement early Sunday morning, Raleigh Police Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown sharply criticized the vandals and looters, saying “we will not turn a blind eye to the despicable and outright criminal behavior” at the protest.

“We as a community are better than this,” she said.

In the days since Floyd’s death, protesters have turned out in large numbers in Minneapolis, where they burned a police substation; in Atlanta, where they broke into the CNN building; and in New York, where they rallied in front of the Barclays Center, a symbol of gentrification in Brooklyn.

Crowds also protested in Houston, Los Angeles and in Charlotte, where a Food Lion was broken into and several people were arrested, including a City Council member.

At 12:45 a.m. N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore said on Facebook that he had asked Cooper to immediately send in the National Guard. He followed with livestreamed videos showing the destruction from above, with police cars, smoke and clusters of activity scatted through downtown. He said he’s “really is at a loss for words for what to say.”

“It’s one thing to see this on TV,” Moore said. “It’s another thing to see the fire, have the tear gas get in your face, hear the screams.

“It was just absolute mayhem,” he said. “There’s just no words for this.”

Marching in Raleigh

Demonstrators began gathering in front of the Wake County Courthouse on Fayetteville Street hours before the 5 p.m. start of the demonstration.

The crowd began marching north from the courthouse about 6 p.m., passing by several tables full of people at the Big Easy on Fayetteville Street., then the Legislative Building on Jones Street.

While many protesters wore protective face masks, there was little attempt at social distancing among the crowds.

Near the Capitol building, protesters chanted, “No justice, no peace.” On the stone base of a Confederate monument, the word “racist” was written in red spray paint.

Protesters waved at inmates in the county jail, who waved back. “We’re paying homage to them,” said Steve George, 24, from Raleigh, said of the inmates. “They feel the same exact way that we feel... revenge... against laws that aren’t fair and are horrible.”

Kerwin Pittman, one of the organizers of the Raleigh event, said people from across the country were coming together in a show of solidarity to speak out against police brutality.

“We didn’t want Raleigh to be excluded from this, because by no means is law enforcement in Raleigh without their share of blood on their hands when it comes to police brutality,” Pittman said in a phone interview Saturday. “So we just want to stand in solidarity and awareness that police brutality will not be tolerated in North Carolina.”

The activists were also recognizing Breonna Taylor, a black woman who was killed March 13 in Louisville, Kentucky, after police forcibly entered her home to serve a search warrant; and Ahmaud Arbery, a black man who was fatally shot in Georgia by two white men in Georgia while running.

Several protesters said they were afraid to be black men in America right now.

“It’s pretty scary,” Donny Durham, 21, of Greensboro, said. “It’s pretty freaky.”

One protester armed with a cinder block said: “Ever since I was able to realize what is going in the world, it’s always been heavy on me. And now, everybody’s taking a stand all over the United States. This right here is the time for change. After this, [the police] are going to act right.”

Shiquoia Johnson said she had personal experience with violence by Raleigh police. An officer shot her brother Akiel Denkins in 2016.

“I think the Raleigh PD needs more training,” Johnson said. “I think they’re very unfair. I believe police departments can be reformed, but they have to want to.”

Max Williams, a protester from Raleigh of Haitian descent who was wearing a shirt with the Haitian flag on it, said that country’s slave revolt inspired him to come out. “I’m here to remind myself where I came from and that sometimes it takes a little bit of civil unrest to get things done.”

Bob Smith, of Raleigh, went to the protest with his son Thomas. “We’re showing people that we care, and we’re not just gonna sit and post on Facebook,” Bob Smith said.

Marley Kelley brought a sign that said, “We live in a world where ‘trained cops’ can panic and pull the trigger, while untrained civilians must remain calm with a gun in their face. #BLM”

“I’m tired of white people being silent,” Kelley said. “I think it’s beautiful, the way people have come together. They’re throwing tear gas for no reason. It’s been so civil.”

Jessica Peacock, a teacher, was among those hit by tear gas. “It happened so fast,” she said. “The police officer threw the tear gas. Next thing you know, my eyes are burning, my throat is burning.”

Carolyn Glover, 71, lives on Fayetteville Street and stood outside her apartment building for several hours watching the protest Saturday. “It was so wonderful. It was so diverse. People had kids on their shoulders,” she said.

“I support peaceful protests,” Glover said about 9 p.m. over the sound of shattering glass and exploding fireworks. “Now they’re just being destructive.”

Downtown damage

By 11 p.m., alarms were blaring across downtown. Residents of the Edison Lofts apartment complex milled about in the street.

Employees of Reliable Jewelry and Loan, a pawn shop on Wilmington Street, cleaned up and assessed the damage to the store.

Some businesses were spared damage. A group of people stood guard in front of Blalock’s Barber Shop and explained that it was a black-owned business.

A few doors down, protesters stocked up on water and snacks at TAZ’s convenience store. Two men outside who would not give their names told the N&O they were the owners and weren’t getting broken into because the protesters know the owners are armed.

As protesters smashed into the Tattoo Supreme piercing parlor and airbrushing businesses, riot police marched silently and threw tear gas canisters at the crowd.

On Blount Street near City Market a half hour later, the Dollar General was on fire. People gathered to watch firefighters battle the blaze. Windows were broken out, and smoke poured out through the front door.

A block down, at Blount and Martin streets, protesters threw objects at police as they tried to block off the intersection. Officers retreated, and many people cheered.

Virtually every storefront in the area with glass windows had at least some damage.

Cars sped up and down the streets. Passengers hung out the windows, yelling obscenities at police.

Just after midnight, Daniel Harris, who lives in downtown Raleigh, stopped to take a picture of the Confederate statue on the Capitol grounds.

The statue had been sprayed with anti-racist and anti-police graffiti.

“I got to walk past this every day,” Harris said. “As a black man, I hate it. I mean, this is on the Capitol grounds.”

He pointed out that several police in riot gear were protecting the statue while buildings were being burned and looted.

Harris said a police officer pulled a handgun on him once during a traffic stop.

“I wish people wouldn’t loot,” he said, “but I also wish people wouldn’t get unnecessarily murdered. This wouldn’t happen if that stops.”

Police leaders, mayors, governor respond

Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin, awakened shortly after midnight by a News & Observer journalist, said she couldn’t comment on the protest until she was debriefed on the events. At the time, Raleigh police in riot gear were still downtown, and store owners were clearing out debris from their vandalized businesses.

Several other local leaders offered statements near the start of the protest.

Around 5 p.m., Wake County Sheriff Gerald Baker said, “I’m glad to see the turnout.”

“I think times like these, we need to express how we feel and hopefully those who are able listen to cries for this not to happen here and all over the country,” Baker said.

In Deck-Brown’s video statement Sunday morning, she said the Raleigh Police Department “absolutely respects and supports the rights of all individuals to peacefully protest” and was present to ensure demonstrators’ safety during what was supposed to be a peacefully assembly.

“As the day wore into tonight, and the night into this morning’s early hours, some of the individuals began to break store windows, setting fires, looting and simply destroying property,” she said. “We will not tolerate these acts nor those individuals who seek to sow discord where we seek to build bridges, strengthen partnerships and maintain a safe, vibrant and healthy community.”

She added said witnesses to criminal acts at the rally should call Raleigh Police Department.

Cooper tweeted around 6:45 p.m.: “The protests around the country offer a space for people to make their voices heard, but they must happen without violence and further loss of life. It’s time we have the difficult conversations needed to stamp out racism and end these unjust killings.” An earlier version of this story incorrectly attributed this quote to a Raleigh City Council member.

Two members of the Raleigh City Council said on social media that they had been at the protest.

On Facebook, Raleigh City Council member Saige Martin wrote: “I’ve had tear gas deployed on me twice this evening. That’s been nice.”

And Council Member Jonathan Melton tweeted: “I attended the demonstration today to support and listen. I will work to fight systemic racism within our city. I support racial equity training for mayor and council and hope to approve this week and look forward to working w/ advisory board on changes to police policy.”

Protests around NC

In Durham, more than 200 people gathered to protest, marching peacefully to the county courthouse and the police headquarters.

As part of a “Bull City Solidarity March,” the protesters chanted “Whose streets? Our streets,” played instruments and held Black Lives Matter signs. As they marched across downtown, police cars followed and stopped traffic as protesters crossed intersections and blocked streets.

At each stop, protesters blocked the street and formed a circle around people who would chant, sing and talked about their experiences. Black mothers told stories about worrying about their children. Black men said they wanted to live in a community where they didn’t have to fear jogging, driving or even staying in their homes. White people talked about how they have to do better in standing up for black people and intervening in racist situations.

After a break of a few hours, about 100 protesters gathered at Five Points and marched peacefully down Main Street toward the police station. With a minimal visible police presence, the marchers passed several cars in traffic without incident.

At 10 p.m., after about 20 minutes of speeches and chanting, the group moved toward the courthouse and jail. “We see you, we love you!” they chanted.

“It’s always a success when we show people we’re not going to be complacent about what they’re doing to us,” protest leader Skip Gibbs said. “It’s a success we stayed peaceful despite the hurt and pain we’re feeling.” The Durham protest ended at 10:45 p.m.

In Fayetteville, protesters broke into the Market House, a former slave market, and set fires, the Fayetteville Observer reported.

Protesters in Greensboro marched onto Interstate 40/85, bringing traffic to a halt, and police used pepper spray, the Greensboro News & Record reported.

In Charlotte, city and county leaders declared a state of emergency, The Charlotte Observer reported. Demonstrators blocked traffic on the highway. The night before, protesters slashed tires on a police cruiser, smashed windows at a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department substation and pelted officers with water bottles along Beatties Ford Road.

Staff writers Andrew Carter, Danielle Battaglia, Will Doran, Luke DeCock, Virginia Bridges and Jonathan M. Alexander contributed to this story.