Protests in Charlotte

[preppy]

The news this morning is saying they declared a state of emergency. 

It looks like the person they had originally said died in a shooting during the protests yesterday is actually alive but in critical condition. There are conflicting reports about if this person was shot by another protester or by police. Honestly, it wouldn't shock me in the least if the police were covering that up.

Is anyone is Charlotte? What is the local news saying?

[orval]

I am in Charlotte. Local news says another protester shot they guy. I saw the video of this shooting on the news. I didn't see any police any where in the video but who knows the truth.
Uptown is shutdown. Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Duke Energy all shut down today -- the biggest employers uptown. Uptown is heavily damaged. Broke tons of windows, punched hotel employees after they broke in. Not a good scene. Protests the day before were about 3 minutes from my house.
My ds goes to school about a mile outside of uptown. They can't serve lunch today as their supplier is shut down.

[karinothing]

I keep retyping but can't seem to find the proper words. I just hope no one else gets hurt.

[minniemouse]

I don't know what to say but didn't want to be silent. T&p for those in Charlotte.

[namasteak]

I am so sad that things like this keep happening. Hopefully no one else gets hurt and this brings more attention to the shit show that is race relations in this country. And encourages people to actually DO SOMETHING about it.

[kdubs923]

Sept 22, 2016 8:05:15 GMT -5 namasteak said:

I am so sad that things like this keep happening. Hopefully no one else gets hurt and this brings more attention to the shit show that is race relations in this country. And encourages people to actually DO SOMETHING about it.

Ideally, I'd hope that this could spark a need for positive change, but instead I see the assholes on FB using this as a 'See? They're damaging their own neighborhoods & ransacking local businesses, so it's not like they're really law abiding citizens.' They're using it as negative proof almost as if 'they deserve whatever they get.'

Which is real easy for asshole white privileged people to say when their community has never been so badly broken or hurt. Or ever been so desperate and literally fighting for their lives as the men and women of color.

*Note, I haven't seen it said yet about Charlotte, but this is what I've seen in the past regarding protests and rioting.

Thinking of those down in Charlotte & hoping everyone can stay safe.

[abs]

Everytime something like this (this=police brutality) happens I think it will be the catalyst for change.

Then like 5 seconds later it ceases to be news and it happens all over again.

Thoughts and prayers for Charlotte.

[carolinagirl831]

I am in Charlotte. The situation is so sad.. Yes, to ditto others they are saying another protester shot that person not the police.

The whole situation is terrible. Scott's family, especially his brother were big in speaking out and leading the protest's the first night. Originally started out as peaceful until the smaller group went crazy shutting the down a major interstate. It was very scary- that area is only 4 miles down the highway from us. They shutdown all lanes, looting stuff out of trucks and burning it in the highway. Those poor people stuck in that had to be terrified, just trying to get home.
I am saddened that this is what it has come too.
Interestingly, the police officer that shot Scott was black and the whole was it a book or a gun is such a mess. Witnesses took pictures but it really isn't clear what it really was.

[noodleoo]

OMG this is so awful. I'm sorry, orval  and carolinagirl831,, I can't even imagine how scary this must be for you and everyone in Charlotte.

I can't even think of what to say. I feel like there is such a divide and so much hatred, things are only going to get worse. I'm so nervous about the election and what effect that might have on an already very volatile situation in this country.

[karinothing]

One of my friends from here posted a picture of a black police officer in riot gear in NC. He had tears rolling down his cheeks. It just sort of struck home how hard this must be for black cops. Caught between two worlds.

[spk926]

This morning on my local news (MN) they said the person is on life support and wasn't shot by police. Frankly I don't know if the truth is really what is being said.

[holly116]

Sept 22, 2016 8:12:20 GMT -5 @upnorth said:

The whole situation is tragic. This could have been prevented. I worry because my gut feeling is that law enforcement officers in this generation are still ones who were "taught to be colorblind" (obviously I understand the issue although I have to include myself in the generation/s that were taught this) and for that reason, I worry that it is going to get worse or stay the same before it gets better.

One of the most blatantly racist people I have ever encountered is a retired Columbus police officer that is now an assistant professor, training police officers. The problem is so systematic and deeply rooted, but I pray to God people will wake up and things change, everything is so broken.

Prayers for Charlotte & Tulsa.

[UnderProtest]

Has anyone heard from @barefootbarista? I know she lives very close.

[carolinagirl831]

Sept 22, 2016 8:31:17 GMT -5 karinothing said:

One of my friends from here posted a picture of a black police officer in riot gear in NC. He had tears rolling down his cheeks. It just sort of struck home how hard this must be for black cops. Caught between two worlds.

I know that picture has been all over the news here, so sad I can't imagine how he is feeling

[darnkatz]

Sept 22, 2016 8:31:17 GMT -5 karinothing said:

One of my friends from here posted a picture of a black police officer in riot gear in NC. He had tears rolling down his cheeks. It just sort of struck home how hard this must be for black cops. Caught between two worlds.

That photo broke my fucking heart. 

[robyn]

I just...where do we go from here? Innocent people are being
murdered and the message time and time again to police is that it's okay. Paid admin leave (I think in the OK case, not the Charlotte one right now. But in many others too.); innocent verdicts like in Baltimore, excuse after excuse made my police and city leaders. Showing support here, on social media and in everyday conversations is my goal right now. The situations are terrible, and I agree with noodleoo that the election and the hate that Drumpf and his asshole supporters are being allowed and encouraged to spew is hurting our country more and more every day. Hate and fear are what he is thriving on and as more shootings happen these openly racist hateful people are adding fuel to their fire and doubling down on their hate. I do not like living in a world where this is okay

[cincodemayo]

My thoughts are with those in Charlotte.

[bluelikejazz]

Thoughts and prayers for those in Charlotte.

Thanks for our local Charlotte women for checking in.

[scribellesam]

I'm sorry to read this (the protestor shot and the reason behind the protest to begin with). I hope there is some positive change that results.

[momin2013]

My heart broke watching this on the news last night. Thoughts and prayers to everyone in Charlotte. What will it take people, what will it take? I feel like hoping for change at this point is like hoping for a miracle.

[erbear]

The riot gear is killing me. WHY? It doesn't have to be like that. I am not, by any means saying that Philly is a model of policing, not by a long shot, but one of the things I noticed during our (relatively peaceful) BLM protests in the spring were that the cops were on bikes, in regular gear. They were sitting to the side and watching the crowd. They were not confronting the protestors. There has to be a better way.

[anonymous]

Sept 22, 2016 8:25:53 GMT -5 carolinagirl831 said:

I am in Charlotte. The situation is so sad.. Yes, to ditto others they are saying another protester shot that person not the police.

The whole situation is terrible. Scott's family, especially his brother were big in speaking out and leading the protest's the first night. Orginally started out as peaceful until the smaller group went crazy shutting the down a major interstate. It was very scary- that area is only 4 miles down the highway from us. They shutdown all lanes, looting stuff out of trucks and burning it in the highway. Those poor people stuck in that had to be terrified, just trying to get home.
I am saddened that this is what it has come too.
Interestingly, the police officer that shot Scott was black and the whole was it a book or a gun is such a mess. Witnesses too pictures but it really isn't clear what it really was.

race based policing is a structural issue and I think it's a big misconception that black LEO cannot police with the same profiling and prejudices as white officers.

Also, it wouldn't come to "this," if black and brown skinned people were not continually murdered and harassed by LEO and so disproportionately affected by the criminal justice system in general.

I imagine i'd be just as angry if that were my reality

[carolinagirl831]

Sept 22, 2016 10:03:49 GMT -5 anonymous said:

Sept 22, 2016 8:25:53 GMT -5 carolinagirl831 said:

I am in Charlotte. The situation is so sad.. Yes, to ditto others they are saying another protester shot that person not the police.

The whole situation is terrible. Scott's family, especially his brother were big in speaking out and leading the protest's the first night. Orginally started out as peaceful until the smaller group went crazy shutting the down a major interstate. It was very scary- that area is only 4 miles down the highway from us. They shutdown all lanes, looting stuff out of trucks and burning it in the highway. Those poor people stuck in that had to be terrified, just trying to get home.
I am saddened that this is what it has come too.
Interestingly, the police officer that shot Scott was black and the whole was it a book or a gun is such a mess. Witnesses too pictures but it really isn't clear what it really was.

race based policing is a structural issue and I think it's a big misconception that black LEO cannot police with the same profiling and prejudices as white officers.

Also, it wouldn't come to "this," if black and brown skinned people were not continually murdered and harassed by LEO and so disproportionately affected by the criminal justice system in general.

I imagine i'd be just as angry if that were my reality

I know, I didn't get a chance to comment more on this because I was typing quickly at work. It may have come across not as I intended, I was not saying it was fine because the Police officer was black.  But you are right, It is definitely Police vs Black, not necessarily white vs black. But given all the recent events in other cities on this, I was surprised people in general are not commenting more on this. I would be angry also if this were my reality. Ugh, Police departments across the US as an entirety for sure need a change and new/different training.  As the incidents happening all over the US do not seem to change or impact situations going forward. 

[carolinagirl831]

Sept 22, 2016 9:40:27 GMT -5 erbear said:

The riot gear is killing me. WHY? It doesn't have to be like that. I am not, by any means saying that Philly is a model of policing, not by a long shot, but one of the things I noticed during our (relatively peaceful) BLM protests in the spring were that the cops were on bikes, in regular gear. They were sitting to the side and watching the crowd. They were not confronting the protestors. There has to be a better way.

Unfortunately, they were originally peacefully watching until it got way out of control. Protestors were stopping traffic on the interstate, stealing stuff from people's cars and burning it! They vandalized many of our major buildings in uptown. I certainly don't think police offers need to be brutal/violent, but things were out of control. It was not peaceful. Ugh I  don't what the right answer is here, but I don't think police can calmly watch protestors harass and vandalize innocent victims on the interstate.

[pugz]

Such a mess. I have no faith in that police dept to act justly and be truthful about the original event or the protest

[erbear]

Sept 22, 2016 10:20:16 GMT -5 carolinagirl831 said:

Sept 22, 2016 9:40:27 GMT -5 erbear said:

The riot gear is killing me. WHY? It doesn't have to be like that. I am not, by any means saying that Philly is a model of policing, not by a long shot, but one of the things I noticed during our (relatively peaceful) BLM protests in the spring were that the cops were on bikes, in regular gear. They were sitting to the side and watching the crowd. They were not confronting the protestors. There has to be a better way.

Unfortunately, they were originally peacefully watching until it got way out of control. Protestors were stopping traffic on the interstate, stealing stuff from people's cars and burning it! They vandalized many of our major buildings in uptown. I certainly don't think police offers need to be brutal/violent, but things were out of control. It was not peaceful. Ugh I  don't what the right answer is here, but I don't think police can calmly watch protestors harass and vandalize innocent victims on the interstate.

Gee, I wonder why a protest of black Americans, whose lives are in constant jeopardy, might have a negative reaction to seeing a bunch of white cops roll up in riot gear 

This response speaks volumes about how much you've paid attention the last few weeks/months.

[arch01]

The riot gear didn't come out until it started getting out of hand. The protests were peaceful for about 4 hours. Prior to that, officers were on foot and bike patrol.

I just got done walking around Uptown; a lot of the broken glass is cleaned up, but the number of boarded up windows is shocking. It wasn't just in a concentrated area, it was spread throughout several blocks.

ETA: It has also started to come out that a vast majority of the protesters aren't from CLT or even NC, which I find interesting. 

[carolinagirl831]

Sept 22, 2016 10:24:10 GMT -5 pugz said:

Such a mess. I have no faith in that police dept to act justly and be truthful about the original event or the protest

I agree, it is a huge mess. There are blurry videos and pictures, but neither are really clear. I think the police easily could have covered up/ changed the story. 

It makes no sense, a guy waiting to pick up his kid from school, supposedly reading a book is shot because the police claim he got out of his car with a gun?
It's too bad the officers were not wearing a camera.

[preppy]

Sept 22, 2016 10:20:16 GMT -5 carolinagirl831 said:

Sept 22, 2016 9:40:27 GMT -5 erbear said:

The riot gear is killing me. WHY? It doesn't have to be like that. I am not, by any means saying that Philly is a model of policing, not by a long shot, but one of the things I noticed during our (relatively peaceful) BLM protests in the spring were that the cops were on bikes, in regular gear. They were sitting to the side and watching the crowd. They were not confronting the protestors. There has to be a better way.

Unfortunately, they were originally peacefully watching until it got way out of control. Protestors were stopping traffic on the interstate, stealing stuff from people's cars and burning it! They vandalized many of our major buildings in uptown. I certainly don't think police offers need to be brutal/violent, but things were out of control. It was not peaceful. Ugh I  don't what the right answer is here, but I don't think police can calmly watch protestors harass and vandalize innocent victims on the interstate.

I wouldn't be peaceful either in their shoes. The peaceful protests seen with Colin Kapernick and being ripped apart too, there is no winning.

[Deleted]

preppy, Is right. There is just no winning. My cousin is a cop and keeps saying " IF they complied..." " If they listened..."


NO! What you mean is " If they were WHITE"!

Fucking ridiculous.