An apparent calm had returned, in the day of Thursday, September 24, in Louisville after the announcement of the arrest of 127 demonstrators denouncing the legal consequences of the homicide of the African-American Breonna Taylor in this city of Kentucky.
After the clashes the night before, Louisville looked like a ghost town while some neighborhoods remained difficult to access, under the control of the police, according to journalists from Agence France-Presse (AFP) on square. “It’s going to be more violent tonight [jeudi] “, confided Marcus Reede, a black fifty-something working in a local restaurant. “People have had enough. “
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“We can no longer continue to be peaceful”
In the early evening, a hundred demonstrators gathered in the city center, despite the extension until the weekend of a curfew taking effect at 9 p.m. (3 a.m. in Paris). “I often walk past my front door, saying ‘the police could come to my house and kill me like they killed Breonna'”Grace Pennix, a 19-year-old black woman, told AFP. In the same group of protesters: Michael Pyles, 29, came with a pistol in his belt, as allowed by Kentucky law. “We are here to protect our own and those who support us, he testified. We can no longer continue to be peaceful. “
At the end of a night during which two police officers were wounded by bullets, the police of the largest city of the state proceeded to 127 arrests. One of the two injured policemen was treated in the leg and “Was able to leave the hospital”, while the second, affected in the abdomen, “Is in stable condition”, said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. A 26-year-old man, identified as Larynzo Johnson, suspected of being the author of the shootings, has been arrested and may be charged with willful violence against police officers. He is due to appear before a judge on Friday. Authorities said at least 16 acts of vandalism were reported overnight.
Decision deemed “scandalous and insulting”
The Kentucky prosecutor announced Wednesday not to prosecute the police officers who killed Breonna Taylor for homicide. The 26-year-old died on March 13, when three officers broke into her home, breaking down the door to her home in the middle of the night. Armed, the victim’s companion, believing in a criminal intrusion, opened fire.
Only one member of the police trio was eventually prosecuted, for endangering the lives of others, because of his shots which crossed the apartment of M’s neighbors.me Taylor. No charge has been brought against her two colleagues, yet the perpetrators of the shootings that killed the African-American.
Kentucky Attorney’s Decision Has Been Ruled “Scandalous and insulting” by Breonna Taylor’s family attorney Ben Crump. It’s’“Illustration of two-tier American justice – protecting white neighbors and ignoring the death of a black woman”, he added Thursday. “I know that these charges announced today will not satisfy everyone”, admitted state attorney Daniel Cameron, saying he had “A difficult discussion” with the family of Breonna Taylor.
“Violence is never acceptable”
Many Democratic officials denounced her decision, such as Senator Bernie Sanders, who called it ” shame “. Donald Trump’s opponent for the November presidential election, Joe Biden, said “Understand the frustration”, but at the same time called for calm: “Violence is never acceptable. “
Repeating his slogan again ” Law and order “ on Twitter, Donald Trump said for his part “Pray for the two injured police officers” during demonstrations.
Boston, Chicago, New York, Washington, Philadelphia… Spontaneous gatherings have also taken place in other cities of the country, shaken for months by a wave of anti-racist mobilization. In Seattle, an explosive device was thrown at a police station and 13 people were arrested, according to local police. “Many police officers were injured, including one who was hit on the head by a baseball bat which broke his helmet”, detailed the authorities.
