Alton Sterling supporters gather near the Baton Rouge Police Department in Baton Rouge, Tuesday, July 12, 2016 to hold signs and garner honking horns from motorists. “Protest with peace, not guns, not drugs, not alcohol, not violence”.
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The peaceful demonstration – organized in response to Alton Sterling’s death and the shooting of another black man in Minnesota – turned chaotic when shooter Micah Johnson opened fire on the cops protecting the march. The ACLU of Louisiana and other groups filed a lawsuit earlier this week over the treatment of protesters by police. The protests started after a video taken from outside the convenience store where Sterling had been pinned down by officers went viral, the latest in a string of protests after the deaths of black men at the hands of police.
Racial tensions are now reaching an all-time high throughout the country as more and more Black Lives Matter supporters have begun protesting the senseless killings of black men at the hands of police.
D’Ahmad Winfield, 23, who is friends with one of the suspects, was detained and questioned by police. He told people that if they wanted to protest, they should leave.
Detectives have arrested two other suspects in the case, including a 13-year-old boy.
A temporary restraining order also was requested to prevent police “from interfering with people’s constitutionally protected right to gather peacefully moving forward”, the ACLU said in a news release.
Cameron Sterling also asked that everyone “protest the right way”.
The two officers involved in Alton Sterling’s death have been put on paid administrative leave. Baton Rouge Police Chief Carl Dabadie, Jr. said it appears the suspects were unsuccessful in their attempt to steal ammunition.
Joining the ACLU in the suit are North Baton Rouge Matters; Black Youth Project 100; New Orleans Workers’ Center for Racial Justice; and the Louisiana Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. Bridgewater is one of three people arrested by police and accused of stealing several handguns as part of what authorities Tuesday, July 12, 2016, described as “substantial, credible threat” to harm police officers in the Baton Rouge, La., area.
Dadabie said police responding to the protests were dressed in riot gear and armed with automatic weapons because of a concerns that members of the crowd might be armed with the intent to harm police officers. One suspect identified as Antonio Thomas, 17, was arrested at the scene armed with a handgun and a BB gun.
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“This group was certainly not about a peaceful protest”, said Col. Mike Edmonson, superintendent of the state police.
