TAMPA, Fla. — The city of Tampa is now using dump trucks to block roads near police headquarters, an apparent attempt to stop protesters from gathering in front of the building.
What You Need To Know
- Use of dump trucks used as added security
- Media partner says police used tear gas on protesters
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It's an added security detail as the city moves in to the second weekend of protests, some of them violent, over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis almost two weeks ago.
CITY OF TAMPA preparing for another weekend of demonstrations over the killing of George Floyd almost two weeks ago in Minneapolis. Police headquarters now blocked with concrete barriers and city dump trucks. The latest on what to expect this weekend @BN9 pic.twitter.com/SOuyYfSnen
— Jason Lanning (@Jason_Lanning) June 5, 2020
Video from our partners at the Tampa Bay Times on Thursday night shows the Tampa Police Department officers using tear gas to disperse a crowd of protesters it says was trying to take over Interstate 275 in downtown Tampa, the second such attempt by protesters this week.
As nighttime fell in Tampa Thursday night, one woman protesting was encouraging people to go home.
"Right now I feel like we're not really that organized and I know it's about to be sunset and I heard that the cops will bring in swat and they're bringing in the military. So as much as I want to fight for justice, I want to be safe," she said.
Protesters have complained this week that Tampa police are stoking the violence with protesters by shooting gas and rubber bullets into crowds they claim are peaceful.
In a joint statement, black-elected leaders in Tampa accused police of breaking up peaceful demonstrations with misuse of force.
The statement read in part "It is time for a new era of common-sense reforms to ensure greater transparency in policing and stronger limits on the use of force. (We) call on Mayor Jane Castor and Tampa Police Department Chief Brian Dugan to end the wrongful practice of the use of force during otherwise peaceful protests immediately."
In response, Castor released a statement saying police have allowed protesters to freely demonstrate while at the same time keeping the rest of the community safe. The mayor, in her statement, promised every allegation of police misuse of force will be thoroughly investigated.
The National Guard remains on-call in Tampa this weekend in the event the protests turn violent as they did last weekend.
On Fowler Avenue last Saturday night, several motorists were harassed by protesters who had shut down roads without permits in the afternoon.
Later at night, businesses were looted and some were set on fire.
Protests and riots have broken out all over the country since Floyd’s death. The black man pleaded for air after a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, had his knee on Floyd's throat for nearly ten minutes during an arrest in Minneapolis.
Chauvin and three other officers were fired and have been charged in Floyd’s death.