Thread by @PoFaith4Pete

Molly and I just got home from Charlotte's second night of Black Lives Matter protests. TW: Discussions of violence, racism, and homophobia.
#CharlotteProtest #BlackLivesMatter #GeorgeFloyd
1/25

When we joined, the protest was just leaving Romare Bearden Park and was heading toward the Charlotte Metro Police Department @CMPD Headquarters. As we marched, the demonstration was entirely peaceful. 2/25

The crowd became fearful as two dozen police officers on bicycles took their place at the back of the march, and suddenly there was a feeling like we were being herded. Black leaders at the front shouted directions to hold up the back to protect stragglers falling behind. 3/25

As we marched down Trade, a number of officers on bicycles began pulling up beside the marchers, again seemingly to herd the crowd away from the police department. One officer fell off their bike, and the other officers formed a barricade around their comrade. 4/25

Black leaders again shouted directions, and those closest to the action interposed their bodies between the officers and the crowd, both to protect the activists and the police. 5/25

At one point, I heard one black leader explain, "We won't give them the satisfaction of seeking justice the way they uphold oppression." 6/25

When the officer was safely on a golf cart serving as a makeshift ambulance and police car, the protest marched on to the police department. As we marched, several Drumpf supporters using a microphone began to goad on the crowd, calling us n***ers and f***ots for protesting. 7/25

The tactic worked with some younger people. The Drumpf supporters pulled out guns and aimed them at people in the crowd. Police officers stood by and did nothing when they saw the guns pulled by white people on black and brown people. 8/25

Black leaders intervened and reminded the protestors that their lives mattered too much to engage in such nonsense. 9/25

As the crowd settled back into its chants, tension seemed to subside a bit. Then, the number of uniformed officers in the crowd subtly increased. Suddenly, two black people at the back of the crowd were surrounded and arrested by officers in tactical gear. 10/25

I recognized them as the two who were carrying guns. The officers on bikes surrounded the scene, and used the bikes to push us back into the street. These two folks were arrested for having, not aiming, guns. 11/25

There was no indication they had taken any weapons out, just that they had weapons while not white. 12/25

Several people followed the arrested people, including one person I was told was shouting at the officer that they were the protestors' lawyer. As that happened, the first flashbang grenades and tear gas were thrown into the crowd. 13/25

The protestors immediately began with shouts of, "Hands Up, Don't Shoot," which was promptly answered by a photographer taking his camera out of his bag being shot several times with rubber bullets. 14/25

The crowd attempted to form a human wall to protect the photographer and a woman who was having an asthma attack as a result of the tear gas. Uniformed officers in usual gear were asked to provide medical attention and ignored all requests. 15/25

The police escalated further with a second round of flashbang grenades, two of which landed next to Molly and I as we tried to help the fallen girl, now having a panic attack, find her friend. 16/25

This second round of unprovoked and unconstitutional attacks prompted some protestors to begin throwing water and water bottles in the directions of the officers. Black leaders stood up again and demanded peace. Chants of, "No Justice, No Peace," rose up again. 17/25

The police responded by informing the crowd that we were no longer a lawful assembly for throwing water as a response to their weapons. 18/25

People began to flee as more flashbang grenades and rubber bullets met the determined crowd, but when a man in a motorized wheelchair was hit, the crowd swelled with anger again. Officers advanced with bully clubs and forced their way through the crowd. 19/25

I lost track of the gentleman in the wheelchair with the next round of flashbangs, at which point the crowd largely dispersed. 20/25

At each point along the process, black leaders stood up to deescalate tensions that the police only provoked. 21/25

At every opportunity for the police to deescalate tensions, they heightened them, while ignoring suggestions from the black leaders to help protect both the crowd and the police. I love my city, and as a white person, I have only had positive experiences with police here. 22/25

But seeing the way that white male officers feared peaceful protestors but ignored far more legitimate safety threats, prioritizing their own safety over the well-being of the people they swore to serve and protect, has reminded me again that my experience is limited. 23/25

If you have read this and you're going to comment some utter bullshit like, "This isn't how they should protest," then shut up and show up. 24/25

Stand up peacefully and amplify the voices of black leaders who are already doing the hard work of managing a group that has every right to be angry. If you won't speak up for black lives, you don't get to have an opinion. 25/25