Black Lives Matter protesters, Las Vegas police walk side by side
The sixth night of Black Lives Matter protests Wednesday evening in downtown Las Vegas involved a group of about 300 people.
A video by one of the marchers Latasha Pippen showed Las Vegas Metropolitan Police officers walking and talking with the group along Las Vegas Boulevard.
8:36 p.m.
Winding down
The protest appears to have wrapped up peacefully back at Las Vegas City Hall.
7:53 p.m.
‘Expect my resistance’
A ring of protesters has formed around a woman sitting in the middle of the intersection at Las Vegas Boulevard and St. Louis Avenue. Protesters and police are asking her to move, but she doesn’t want to. She is wearing a sign that reads, “Respect my existence. Expect my resistance.”
Officers removed the woman from the street.
— Alex Chhith
7:51 p.m.
Turnaround
The group has turned around and is heading north toward downtown and chanting “peaceful protest.”
— Alexis Egeland
7:38 p.m.
Moment of silence
The crowd of about 200 took a moment of silence, with some kneeling, near the city of Las Vegas sign on the boulevard just north of the Strat. But the moment of silence quickly turned back into chanting.
— Alexis Egeland, Alex Chhith and James Schaeffer
7:27 p.m.
Toward the Strat
The group is moving toward the Strat while chanting and marching peacefully.
— Alexis Egeland
7:10 p.m.
Peaceful march
A peaceful march that started at Las Vegas City Hall has passed heavy police presence on Fremont Street and turned south onto Main Street. There have been no confrontations between protesters and police. The group is heading south toward the Strip.
— Alexis Egeland and James Schaeffer
6:55 p.m.
Talks end, march begins
Conversations between protesters and Metro police officers have ended.
Members of the crowd took a knee to chant “I can’t breathe,” and are now beginning a march north on Casino Center Boulevard toward the Fremont Street Experience.
— Alexis Egeland, Alex Chhith and James Schaeffer
6:45 p.m.
‘No justice, no peace’
Police have stopped taking questions from the crowd over megaphone. Instead, eight Metro officers are answering individual questions from protesters over a metal fence.
Much of the crowd of 300 has taken up a chants of “no justice, no peace” and “not till black lives matter” as a helicopter circles overhead.
— Alex Chhith
6:24 p.m.
‘We are willing to learn’
A Metropolitan Police Department officer taking questions from protesters told the crowd that while he didn’t claim his department didn’t make mistakes, they were willing to listen and learn.
But the response drew a negative reaction from the crowd, leading organizers to try and calm the situation.
Shortly after, a group of attendees could be seen leaving the event in protest, with some saying they would march to Tropicana Las Vegas.
— James Schaeffer, Alex Chhith and Alexis Egeland
5:50 p.m.
Police join forum
Las Vegas police officers joined the group of protesters outside of City Hall for what one organizer described as a forum for questions and comments from the crowd. The crowd and officers are separated by police barricades and will use megaphones for the Q&A.
“We’re going to talk to them, we’re going to let our feelings be known in a manner that’s respectful, and they’re going to be respectful and hear us out, too,” an organizer said as he introduced the officers.
Officers said they wanted to listen to questions and hear what protesters’ have to say, but would not stand for lawlessness.
— Alex Chhith and Alexis Egeland
5:28 p.m.
‘On the cusp of change’
Holding a sign that said “You don’t have to be Black to be outraged,” attendee Mandy Emerson said she came to the event to raise awareness for the cause.
“I just feel strongly that there’s been a huge injustice, and it’s ongoing,” Emerson said.
Juan Maqueda said he came to protest because he’s tired of seeing injustice for people of color. As a first-generation citizen, Maqueda said he and his family have experienced racism in the U.S. and Mexico and that he wants to use his privilege to try and make a change for the future.
“I asked my parents where they were during the (1992 Los Angeles) riots and they said they stayed home because they were afraid they’d be deported,” Maqueda said. “I don’t have to be afraid of that, so I wanna use that privilege to fight for justice. And I think we’re on the cusp of a change.”
— Alexis Egeland