Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges met with Black Lives Matter protesters–again early on Thursday morning after a raucous night of protests at the city’s 4th precinct police station. The protestors closed down Interstate 94 not far from the where the incident occurred and also occupied the police station, setting up tents in front, beginning Monday night following the fatal shooting of unarmed Jamar Clark, 24.
Police responded to a call of a domestic dispute Sunday night and confronted Clark where a struggle ensued. Protests started within hours as some neighbors said that Mr. Clark had been handcuffed when he was shot, which contradicted statements by the Minneapolis police. Clark was taken to a hospital but died the following day. Police stated that they were in possession of video that may have captured the incident. Protestors want the video to be released to the public in the interests of transparency and to settle whether or not Clark was handcuffed as witnesses stated.
Mayor Hodge requested a federal civil rights investigation into the shooting on Monday and the names of the officers involved in the shooting, Mark Ringgenberg and Dustin Schwarze, were released shortly thereafter.
Late on Wednesday, after Mayor Hodges agreed to meet with some of the leadership of the protestors, police began moving in to disperse the encampment. Protestors reported the use of “chemical irritants” by police, who say they resorted to the tactic after bricks and bottles were thrown at them. The protestors also reported the police were attired in riot gear and had high-impact assault weapons.
Clark’s shooting is the latest incident that local activists say continues to erode the trust of the community.
Protestors remain in front of the 4th Precinct where a joint press conference was recently held with the local chapter of the NAACP. Black Lives Matter members have been using Twitter to publicize the police clearing of the encampment as well as this morning’s meeting with Mayor Hodges via Periscope.