This is not a good view of the crowd, but there are thousands (some estimate 10k) of protesters walking through Nashville. Here’s when I turned the corner to Broadway’s honky tonk strip.
NEW: Protesters and Nashville police are having physica altercations in front of Central precinct downtown. Pepper spray may have just been deployed according to some
Video won’t upload right now but protestors are smashing a Metro Nashville police cruiser outside Central Precinct. Also tried lighting it on fire
Protesters smashed in the windows on this Nashville police cruiser. Also lit fire but a cop quickly put it out. Glass is flying at us as they keep smashing it
Nashville police commander says multiple people have been arrested. Says he has no information about pepper spray having been deployed, despite people in the crowd saying it was. 
It’s important to note that this destruction of property is occurring after a much larger event, Nashville’s “I can breathe” rally, that was peaceful and featured elected officials and community activists.
Nashville officers in riot gear have formed a small line outside the precinct. People are now throwing water bottles and signs at them
Horses just brought down crowded sidewalk. Me and @Andrew_Nelles just got knocked to the ground with a bunch of people. No idea what the horses are supposed to be doing right now
People are throwing traffic cones at the cops on horses. One woman just began yelling about Daniel Hambrick, who was shot by a MNPD officer in 2018
Rocks are now being thrown at the cops and the precinct as protesters try to push back on the police line
“I’ll be real, I didn’t think Nashville had it. I didn’t think they had it in them,” one woman said to her friend as they stand in front of the police line. I keep hearing comments of celebration about the scene they are making
They’re moving underneath the convention center and someone just lit what looks/smells like a smoke grenade
Bridgestone Arena, where @PredsNHL play and Nashville’s biggest concerts occur, is being vandalized with anti-cop graffiti as the crowd heads back down Broadway
Someone has yelled “Jason Aldean is racist as f—k.”
BREAKING: rioters are now throwing rocks through and smashing windows at Metro Nashville’s courthouse, which is also city gall
It’s getting intense. They’ve defaced the front of Metro Courthouse and continue to shatter the windows
They’re chanting “f—k 12,” (police) which has also been graffitied on items across downtown today. There aren’t enough police to keep them back from the city hall.
Mayhem. Utter chaos outside Nashville city hall while it’s being vandalized.
We just got hit with some pepper spray
Wow. Police are retreating.
The statue of Edward Carmack, an early 1900s newspaper publisher who hated Ida B. Wells and alcohol and was gunned down on a Nashville street, has been torn down.
There has been a commission in the works for years to replace this with one of Davy Crockett.
There has been a commission in the works for years to replace this with one of Davy Crockett.
Nothing will be done tonight about the statue torn down outside the Capitol, the state General Services dept. says. Unclear if troopers will stand guard by it all night, but probably.
There’s a meeting scheduled for tomorrow morning about it. Don’t know who is invited to that.
There’s a meeting scheduled for tomorrow morning about it. Don’t know who is invited to that.
BREAKING: they’ve set fire to Nashville’s city hall. It’s just in a window right now
The fire is now out and people are starting to break inside Metro courthouse
They’ve set fire again to the courthouse. Black smoke billowing out a window. They’re starting to smash it again
Multiple fires are now going on inside the Metro Nashville courthouse as rioters continue to smash windows and spray paint the building
Riot cops just came to guard the Nashville courthouse using tear gas and flash bangs to get people back
Nashville police have gotten everyone back from Metro Courthouse using flash bangs and tear gas, which I can attest is highly effective
This woman, Antoinette Smith, is pleading with people to stop the rioting, despite having a black son and herself being grieved. She saw the news and drove over.
“This is not power. That is not strength,” she says.
“This is not power. That is not strength,” she says.
They’re tearing down all the light poles outside Metro courthouse. It’s extremely dangerous. A second after this one behind me came crashing, missing me by a couple feet
The crowd has moved into the street in front of the courthouse now. “Justice for Dan Dan, f—k the police” is a reference to Daniel Hambrick, killed by a Nashville cop who was indicted for murder and is awaiting trial.
More tear gas. Police are trying to get people out of the street but now they’re headed back to the courthouse instead of the other way ...so there will be even more tear gas now
Nashville Mayor John Cooper has declared a state of civil emergency and issued a 10 p.m. curfew. I don’t see any way people are gone by then.
A line of police now advancing and they’re using flash bangs again. They’ve been repeatedly telling people to get off the property
BREAKING: Tennessee @GovBillLee has deployed the National Guard at the request of Mayor John Cooper, effective immediately.
Tonight @GovBillLee says protests have taken “violent, unlawful turn in Nashville. The threat to both peace and property is unacceptable and we will work with local law enforcement and community leaders to restore safety and order.”
“This is not a reflection of our state or the fundamental American right to peaceful protest,” @GovBillLee says.
Out here, alerts just went off on everyone’s cellphones informing them of 10 p.m. curfew in Nashville
Out here, alerts just went off on everyone’s cellphones informing them of 10 p.m. curfew in Nashville
This is the second time today I’ve seen a TV news photographer with a private security guard. Never seen that before at protests in Nashville.
Police over loud speakers are telling anyone who is “caught outside after curfew” that they’ll be arrested. There are not enough officers to arrest all of the folks just congregated around the courthouse.
Glass storefronts have been broken out in downtown Nashville by the rioters.
People have just set fire to random things downtown.
It appears they set fire to Boot Barn on Lower Broadway. Firefighters appear to have put it out
Nashville’s Broadway strip, which has just begun reopening process, has taken a hit. The Stage venue’s glass is broken out. Glass is shattered at Margaritaville and merchandise inside is disheveled
Now some honky tonkers angry about the curfew have joined the earlier protesters in screaming at the police on Broadway. A few min away from the 10 pm curfew.
Police are now on loudspeakers on Broadway telling people they’re about to be arrested. Curfew begins now.
Multiple people are asking me about Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium and if it’s OK. I haven’t been up that way yet but have not heard anything about it being vandalized.
An officer with a handful of zip ties is telling people on a Broadway corner if they don’t leave, they’re going to jail
Curfew violation arrests have started. A man who was not arrested just yelled at the Nashville cops that they killed George Lopez (??)
This woman has been yelling after officers tried to arrest her. They carried her into the sheriff’s office van because she wouldn’t walk. She alleges they’re hurting her, though none of us saw that
Broadway area is pretty much empty now. Police are chasing the last of the people away, but they’re gathering on the pedestrian bridge, which police are telling them to vacate too.
Downtown Nashville is finally quiet. The curfew and enforcement so far is working, at least in this part of the city.
