Protests, fires and outrage over the death of George Floyd spread to cities in North Carolina Saturday, with some protesters smashing windows, setting cars ablaze and clashing with police officers. Protests began Sunday
Wake County, N. C. — Protests of the death of George Floyd continued into the early hours of Monday morning.
At 4:30 a.m., the National Guard remained in downtown Raleigh, where dozens were still gathered at E. Hargett Street and S. Wilmington Street during the second night of Triangle demonstrations.
Malls outside of downtown Raleigh were also impacted by the riots on Monday. Raleigh police said three people were arrested at North Hills, where several shops and restaurants were vandalized, and four people were arrested at Triangle Town Center, where Target and Ross stores had windows smashed and items stolen.
Raleigh Police said via Twitter that members of the guard were deployed to « provide support as we work top restore order and ensure the safety of residents; protect necessary and critical infrastructure; and help ensure that those who wish to lawfully and peacefully exercise their First Amendment right to protest can do so. »
Groups began gathering in downtown Raleigh on Sunday around 5 p.m. While initially peaceful, the situation began to escalate with armed guards deploying tear gas several times throughout the night and taking at least two people into custody.
At one point, Raleigh police said via social media that they used tear gas to move protesters out of the path of an EMS vehicle on its way to an emergency call after they refused to move.
Just before 8 p.m., crowds moved to the Governor’s Mansion, where guards stood inside the gates. Protesters began throwing water bottles and shooting smoke bombs in the direction of the officers. Officers in riot gear arrested at least one person downtown.
Just before 9 p.m., police deployed tear gas, which dispersed the crowd. More tear gas was deployed about 30 minutes later, but the crowd continued to march.
A crowd gathered around the Confederate monument in downtown. Some climbed the monument and others painted it with messages including « Black Lives Matter. »
Businesses in City Plaza, including Happy and Hale and Jimmy Johns, had shattered windows. The state archives and state Department of Transportation buildings also had windows smashed late Sunday. The downtown YMCA had numerous windows smashed.
Demonstrators set several fires in downtown Raleigh amid the chaos. Members of the National Guard were on the scene as of midnight. By 1 a.m. Monday, many of the demonstrators had left the area. The National Guard were on the grounds of the State Capitol early Sunday.
In Rocky Mount, a group protested at a Confederate monument on Sunday afternoon. Later that evening, crowds marched through the streets and at one point blocked the intersection of Wesleyan Boulevard and Sutter’s Creek Boulevard.
In Smithfield, a peaceful gathering of about 75 people happened at the courthouse. Gatherings in Clinton and Durham remained peaceful.
Wilson police said about 200 protesters had gathered at the area Walmart, but the protest was resolved peacefully. Things began to escalate though in downtown Wilson where windows were broken at nearby businesses. « Officers have been deploying chemical munitions and moving in to make arrests in the downtown area. The protesters are mobile on vehicles and moving throughout the city, » the police department said via Facebook.
In Fayetteville, Sunday night’s scene was much quieter with many heeding the curfew set by Mayor Mitch Colvin.
« The purpose of curfew is to allow our law enforcement identify who it is that are moving about our streets in the wee hours of the night, » Colvin said. The curfew runs 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
On Saturday, Fayetteville’s historic Market House was set on fire and vandalized, police cars were smashed and flags were burned. Protesters threw bottles and other trash at police officers.
Similar to Fayetteville, protests began peaceful on Saturday in downtown Raleigh but later lead to damaged property. Twelve people were arrested and five officers were sent to the hospital. One officer left Saturday’s protest with a broken jaw, Raleigh Police Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown said.
Shots were fired in Raleigh after yesterday’s protest, Brown said. Some of those arrested were not from North Carolina.
« We had about two hours of peaceful protesting, » Deck-Brown said. « Everything after that was anarchy. »
Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said a decision about a curfew for the city will be made by 4 p.m. Monday and rely heavily on what occurs Sunday night in the city.
Gov. Roy Cooper said Sunday that 450 members of the National Guardhave been activated to assist cities, including Raleigh and Charlotte.
« My fear is that the cry of the people is being drowned out by the noise of the riots. Let me be clear about one thing, people are more important than property. Black lives do matter, » he said.
These protests were sparked by the death of George Floyd, who died in Minneapolis police custody on Monday. Former police officer Derek Chauvin has since been charged for third-degree murder and manslaughter after a video of Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck until he couldn’t breathe went viral.
Some of Floyd’s last words, « I can’t breathe, » were chanted in the streets of downtown Raleigh, Durham and Fayetteville. His words were also spray-painted along buildings throughout the cities. Protesters in Durham carried a large white sheet with those words through the streets of downtown Durham.
Floyd’s death has sparked protests and riots throughout the nation.
Latest Updates:
1:35 p.m.: Raleigh Police are responding to calls of break-ins in the Triangle Town Center Mall area.
