Dallas Police Chief David Brown had asked Alexander to cancel the protest because of the potential danger.
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The same day of his arrest, Alexander sparred with Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings at a city council meeting and, later, with Police Chief David Brown by email over yet another BLM protest his group planned for Wednesday evening. He was taken into custody Wednesday for 10 outstanding warrants in two counties.
Alexander is founder of the Next Generation Action Network, which organized the downtown rally as well as the July 7 downtown protest march that ended suddenly when a sniper opened fire on law enforcement officers, killing five.
“Chief Brown then asked what’s more important than our officers’ safety, and insisted that today’s rally be canceled and that he should not schedule anymore in the downtown area”, the published statement read.
The group’s vice president, Damon Crenshaw, says he believes the outstanding warrants relate to tickets for failure to pay tolls on a toll road in neighboring Collin County.
The protest is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.at the Main Street Garden.
“Chief Brown did not want this protest to occur tonight”, said Kim T. Cole, legal counsel for the Next Generation Action Network.
The marchers swelled in number to about 35 by the time they reached the Dallas County jail, where they chanted, “Release him!”
A group of demonstrators protesting outside the Dallas County jail has dwindled to about a dozen, and the remaining participants are taking turns with a megaphone telling personal accounts of what each regarded as police brutality against them.
About 25 demonstrators gathered outside the jail where Mr Alexander was being held until Ms Cole emerged to say he was safe and in good spirits.
She also said the group would continue to hold demonstrations in downtown Dallas, regardless of the police department appeals.
Brown spoke to the Dallas City Council Tuesday about the ongoing investigation into the shootings that left four Dallas police officers and one Dallas Area Rapid Transit officer dead as well as several other officers and civilians wounded.
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The chief told the council he is increasingly anxious for officer safety with downtown protests. Alexander and a handful of protesters went to City Hall for a Wednesday council meeting to make several requests, including asking the city to form an independent review board to investigate police shootings.
