Marchers cross the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge during Nashvilles March For Justice. Mayhem erupted in Nashville on Saturday as police gassed protesters who authorities say set fire to the city's historic courthouse and city hall. I finally ask them to point where I should go. It means a lot that the Nashville immigrant community stood with us today to say thats enough. Theyre calling to officers with a question: Why are you in riot gear? Other Saturday events are scheduled in Clarksville and in Winchester. Journalists on scene reported the building had a fence perimeter and was guarded by local police wearing riot gear. I work downtown, and Ive seen these horses in action before, nearly trampling drunken tourists after hockey games. But the horses are shaken. There are a few black men that seem to want an actual fight, and there are several white men amping up the crowds and encouraging mayhem, steering the energy toward destruction. It is obvious in this moment that a show is being choreographed. MORE:Start the fire sale, Nashville Predators. But just about the time that I think violence is inevitable, the streets get quiet as black leaders take turns speaking impromptu and the crowd mostly listens. Some protesters seem prepared for this moment, like maybe theyve done this before. One man skateboarding on police cars. Culwell, who as a pedal-tavern driver downtown is. The group is promoting the end of what they call discriminatory policing practices in Nashville and Davidson County, and would like to see more cultural education. Police said one drone operator was charged for flying too low over crowds on Lower Broadway. A loud white kid with no shirt who has been stirring things up along the fringes dons a vest. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The BLM . One seems to look me in the eyes and recognize me. White kids climb telephone poles. Graffiti is everywhere, with mostly white men in their twenties tagging surfaces with Fuck 12, ACAB, Fuck Trump, and BLM.. Copyright 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Similar rallies have been held across the United States the the days following Floyd's death. Were [Somalis] able to use our voice and were able to use our energy, says Mohamed Gure, an organizer of the protest. They plan to protest outside of the home of Judge Monte Watkins next. The increased focus on possible protests comes after a riot erupted at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. The latest videos from WKRN News 2. I notice a small crowd gathering back on the courthouse steps and someone banging on the door. "We are not against the police, we are against bad policing," said Pastor Howard Jones with Fairfield Baptist Church. Mohamed Gure, an organizer, makes the first speech of the day at a downtown Nashville protest march. Severe storms, flash flooding possible in TN, Fishermen impacted by Old Hickory boating accident, Man free on bond arrested on gun, drug charges, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, WKRN News 2 Now @ 10pm (M-F): 12am 12:30am, Good Morning Nashville Weekends: 7am 9am, Good Morning Nashville 8am (Sat. Nashville Tennessean 0:00 1:38 Law enforcement is bracing for the possibility of armed protests at the Tennessee Capitol on Sunday. Floyd died moments later and his last words were, "I can't breathe. Copyright 2023 WSMV. Many of those people are white. Metro police say none of their personnel were injured, but at least 6 MNPD vehicles were significantly damaged. Theres a lull, a chance to collect ourselves. The people left in the streets are getting the chaos they came for. Now is the time for our tears. Culwell, who as a pedal-tavern driver downtown is acutely aware of the police presence in the citys tourist district, documented the events in real time via Instagram Live. We first made a group chat, an instagram, a platform, and got other organizations involved, Emma Rose Smith told HuffPost in an email over the weekend. "We want to make sure the DA is offering an absolutely fair and equitable sentence.". "To be offered 36 months, that hurts our hearts and community," Jones said. Small skirmishes between protesters and police break out. "The Together Movement" and "Pounding 4 Change" hosted the rally, which started at 2:33 p.m. Organizers said they chose this start time because the numbers add up to 8, which represents a new beginning in the Bible. As teens, we feel like we cannot make a difference in this world, but we must.. Metro police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives all participated in the investigation. A few of the protesters at Sunday's rally were also outside of District Attorney Glenn Funk's home Saturday evening. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, Donate to the Salvation Army Red Kettle Challenge, Storm 5 Alert: Several waves of storms though Friday afternoon (3.1.23). Piphus said the response from Black viewers has been a positive one. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Water bottles being thrown. Gloves on, they launch the teargas back at the cops. A Somali-American teen leads marchers in an Arabic prayer during Nashvilles March For Justice on Saturday, June 6. Tense. If I were able to pluck five or 10 people from the crowd and send them on their way, I am confident the day would have ended differently. This is especially important for protesters like Dayquond Taylor, who says hes had his fair share of racially motivated encounters with police. Though the show aired in 1969, it wasnt until 2020 that the program had its first Black female puppeteer. As the crowd amasses on the police station steps, the police make a theater of firepower by deploying a couple of flash grenades. We want to hear it. Her daughter was 6 years old and her name was Gabrielle and she had 2 puffs, just like Gabrielle. The violence began soon after a march immediately following a large downtown rally, but the tipping point came after protesters set several fires in and outside the Metro Courthouse. The first protest in Nashville will occur at Gallatin Pike North and Rivergate Parkway Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon, and the second will be at Broadway and Rep. John Lewis Way from 2 p.m. to 4. There are no officers. The teens now hope that their demonstration inspires others their age to do the same. I move forward and momentarily stand at the entrance of the courthouse lawn, cops in a solid line on the other side. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Protest underway outside the Tennessee Capitol in Nashville (FOX 17 News) NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) Protesters are rallying for social justice outside the . We are all enemies now. That was my very first project.. I walk, I march, as a stench fills the air a woman burning incense that has a smell of death in it, like rotting flesh. The marchers even received waves and supportive fist pumps from restaurant patrons on downtown rooftops, as the organizers gave short speeches. Later in the evening, some of the protesters spray painted messages near the Music City Center and on the Metro Courthouse, while others threw objects through the courthouse windows. Five states in the Southhave passed laws called trigger bansthat would outlaw most abortions, with some exceptions such as extreme medical emergencies,shortly following a ruling overturning Roe. We now know that just. Metro police said several people have been arrested near the precinct, but they did not give any details on the arrests. Thats what really opened peoples eyes to whats been going on in our country, Fuller told local news channel WSMV of the disturbing footage thats led to worldwide protests. This afternoons rally for George Floyd and racial justice was peaceful. MORE: Broadway businesses vandalized, looted during protests. Organizers of the latest Nashville event, a vigil and March for Justice, includes the Somali Students Association at Middle Tennessee State University. The crowd begins marching down 3rd Ave, singing happy birthday for Breonna Taylor, the aspiring nurse who wouldve turned 27 this week but was killed by Louisville police as she slept in her own home in March. Suddenly, 90 percent of the crowd disperses and rushes the tunnel of the Music City Center, the massive convention center that anchors downtown Nashville. Protests turned into damage, destruction and vandalism, affecting businesses across the lower Downtown area, from fires set in the Courthouse to businesses broken into and looted across historic Broadway. I dont see how this ends without escalating. Across the southern United States, many states already have legislation in place to limit or ban abortion procedures. Water bottles fly through the air. He wrote"there is no indication of an imminent threat of violence or danger.". It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. Metro Police announced a 10 p.m. curfew, and soon after that time, began to arrest people who refused to leave, using additional tear gas to continue to disperse crowds. The demonstration appears to be winding down. 2023 www.tennessean.com. Megan is also a wife and mother of two young boys who she hopes shes inspiring with her very unique and historic career. Natalie Allison, Natalie Alund, Brett Kelman,Cassandra Stephenson and Cole Villena contributed to this report. I dont see a way for this event to dissolve without catastrophe. Five people, including a Washington, D.C., police officer, died in the attack. Demonstrators stand in the middle of Melrose Avenue on Saturday night in Los Angeles. According to the United State Department of Justice, Wesley Somers, 26, was sentenced to five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Nashville Tennessean 0:00 1:07 Two of Tennessee's top GOP lawmakers promised to introduce legislation banning gender-affirming surgeries for minors during a rally against such treatments Friday. Yet, despite this one dubious account, news outlets reported that the five-hour protest was peaceful and occurred without incident. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) - To enhance safety and security in the Lower Broadway entertainment district, more than 100 merchants . Not one. Nashville woman is the first Black female puppeteer on Sesame Street. (Courtesy: Metro Nashville Police Department). The Predators are coming off a loss in the waning seconds Sunday against the Minnesota Wild in a Central Division matchup. If you mean our city harm, go home. The police seem like robots in this moment, save the fear you can see in some of them. They claim if these policies are put into place across the country, police violence would decrease by 72 percent. It means that we stand in solidarity shoulder to shoulder with our African American communities.. demonstrators clashed with police one week ago, Somali Students Association at Middle Tennessee State University, Black Musicians March Through Music Row To Protest Racial Inequality And Police Brutality, In Photos: Nashville's 'I Will Breathe' Rally, From Daytime Unity To Nighttime Chaos, Thousands March Through Downtown Nashville In Youth-Led Demonstration Against Systemic Racism, What's Next For A Lead Organizer Of Nashville's 'I Will Breathe' Rally. I remember that experience so vividly of making children laugh and smile and also learning something. It wasnt until 2020 that the program had its first Black female puppeteer, Megan Piphus. Update at 4:45 p.m. Nashville's march concluded shortly after 4 p.m. Saturday after spirited but peaceful demonstrations across downtown. ], Say his name George Floyd; his name George Floyd!. This comes after the recent killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor that have sparked outrage and led to rallies around the country calling for equality and an end to police brutality against African Americans. Several masked Tennessee state troopers wearing chest-mounted body cameras are on site andMetro Nashville patrol cars are posted at the corners of nearby streets. The event began peacefully Saturday afternoon. Biden also said this week he would nottake an Amtrak train from Delaware to Washington for his inauguration because of security concerns. Protesters gathered outside the U.S. Supreme Court building Friday to voice their opinions on the matter. The threat comes on the heels of the deadly Jan. 6 U.S.. Theyve shaken down the lampposts, and the courthouse lawn is lit only by the burning teargas canisters. Maybe tear gas maybe not, but people have fearfully scattered a few times. A post shared by Teens4Equality (@teens.4.equality) on Jun 4, 2020 at 9:00pm PDT. Loud banging. legislative leaders and law enforcement haveurgedeveryoneto remain peaceful, law enforcement are braced for the possibility of armed protests at the Tennessee Capitol, legislative leaders and law enforcement are urging peopleto remain peaceful, issued an internal bulletin warning of nationwide protests, impeached by the House of Representatives, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. A post shared by Teens4Equality (@teens.4.equality) on Jun 1, 2020 at 9:08pm PDT. Sky 5 footage captured rocks and water bottles being thrown at officers. I cant imagine a way out that wont be violent. ): 11am 12pm. As teens, we are tired of waking up and seeing another innocent person being slain in broad daylight, Thomas said in a speech during the event, according to Nashville Scene. For Justice on Saturday, June 6: Broadway businesses vandalized, during... May not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed George Floyd! so vividly of making children and. 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