Protests sweeping across America after a grand jury decision not to indict a white police officer for the chokehold death of a black man in New York have remained largely peaceful, but a march in Berkeley, California turned violent on Saturday night, with demonstrators smashing windows, looting stores and throwing objects at police.
While several police officers were struck, at least one of them had to be taken to hospital for a dislocated shoulder after being hit with a sandbag, reports quoted Berkeley’s police spokeswoman Jenn Coats as saying.
Police fired tear gas to disperse a splinter group of marchers went unruly.
“Unfortunately, some in the crowd turned violent and threw rocks and other projectiles at officers,” said Coats. Several businesses, including a branch of Wells Fargo Bank, were vandalized and some police cars were damaged. Six people were arrested.
In New York and several other cities, protests continued for the fourth day, with large numbers of people taking to the streets, despite the rain and cold weather. Groups of demonstrators marched into some well-known stores, but no damage was reported. At the Macy’s and at the Grand Central Terminal, dozens of people staged “die-ins”.
The New York demonstrations on Saturday were preceded by the funeral of yet another black man who had been “accidentally” shot dead by the police on November 20. Akai Gurley, 28, father of a two-year-old girl, was killed when a police officer opened fire in a dimly lit staircase at a Brooklyn apartment building where he was walking with his girlfriend.
Not everyone believes it was an accidental shooting as claimed by the police. Kevin Powell, president and co-founder of the activist group BK Nation, calls it the murder of another black man as has vowed to secure justice for Gurley’s family. The rookie police officer involved is reported to have been placed on modified duty without his badge and gun.
“like Eric Garner, like Michael Brown, the life of another black man — gone. We want a full investigation. We believe homicide charges should be brought ….this was a reckless disregard for the lives of black and brown people in this country in spite of a black president in the White House,” media reports quoted Powell as saying.