Live updates: SLO police chief says a ‘full deployment’ of officers will be on patrol all night
The second large protest march in San Luis Obispo in as many days ended with police firing multiple rounds of tear gas Monday night to disperse a crowd of about 100 demonstrators who refused to clear an intersection on Santa Rosa Street.
After four hours of peacefully marching to honor the memory of George Floyd, who was killed by a Minneapolis police officer last week, protesters were halted by lines of law enforcement officers in riot gear at the corner of Santa Rosa and Walnut streets, near the SLO Police Station.
The two groups faced off in a stalemate for two hours, with police repeatedly asked the protesters to disperse and eventually advising them that they were engaging in an unruly assembly.
Shortly after 8 p.m., officers warned the group one final time before firing tear gas canisters and advancing a skirmish line that stretched from one end of the street to the other.
Protesters scrambled to escape, running south on Santa Rosa toward downtown.
Officers continued moving slowly down the street, eventually deploying a second round of tear gas, along with firecrackers.
Eventually, the group broke up, and by 9 p.m. police had retreated back to the station and reopened the street to traffic.
Multiple people were arrested, and police Chief Deanna Cantrell said in a tweet that “a full deployment of the city of SLO Police Department” will remain on duty throughout the night.
“The city is committed to ensuring the safety of our community members and businesses,” she said.
Here’s a look at how events unfolded from the beginning of the march at 2 p.m. until the crowd was dispersed at 9 p.m.:
Update, 9 p.m.
Santa Rosa Street opened to traffic again after law enforcement and protesters mostly left the area.
San Luis Obispo Police Chief Deanna Cantrell said in a tweet the protest was declared an unlawful assembly after law enforcement determined there were undisclosed “public safety risks.”
“The protest was mostly peaceful and lasted for 6 hrs,” Cantrell said. “Protesters were asked to disperse with some taken into custody.”
Officers from other law enforcement agencies and “a full deployment of the City of SLO Police Department” will remain on duty throughout the night and into tomorrow, Cantrell said in another tweet.
“The City is committed to ensuring the safety of our community members and businesses,” she said.
Update, 8:10 p.m.
Police officers gave the crowd a countdown to disperse and then began advancing. Some in the crowd have thrown water bottles at the officers.
Police have fired multiple rounds of tear gas at the protesters, who began running south on Santa Rosa Street toward downtown.
Police advanced their lines to Peach Street.
Most of the protesters have left the area, but a little more than two dozen have remained on Santa Rosa Street.
Update, 8 p.m.
Some protesters have returned and sat down in the street.
Police said they will arrest those who don’t start walking away from Walnut Street. At least two people have been arrested so far.
Update, 7:45 p.m.
Police have directed protesters to move to the sidewalks. Otherwise, they will disperse the unruly gathering.
Most of the protesters have moved to the sidewalk, with the exception of a small group that remained in the street.
Police gave a final warning to disperse. One woman was detained by police and escorted away.
Protesters began shouting “Hands up, don’t shoot” and “What’s his name? George Floyd!” as the march reached the six-hour mark.
Update, 7:15 p.m.: With light beginning to dwindle, police are asking the crowd to disperse.
Police told the marchers that they have received information that there is a potential safety threat to the event.
Update, 7 p.m.:
About a third of the protesters have left as the marchers remain in a standoff with police at the corner of Santa Rosa and Walnut streets.
About 100 protesters remain in the intersection near the Police Station.
Update, 6:20 p.m.:
Police formed a wall on Santa Rosa Street at Walnut Street near the Police Station to prevent protesters from continuing back over or near the freeway.
About 40 to 50 officers and deputies in riot gear formed a line as people chanted, “I don’t see no riot here, why are you in riot gear.”
Two drones and a helicopter were circling overhead, and some officers put on gas masks. An officer told The Tribune that every law enforcement agency in the county was deployed to the march.
The two sides were faced off in a silent stalemate after the protesters’ chants trailed off. The protesters then recited the names of several people who were killed by police, before many began to back away from the officers.
Earlier some of the protesters shared their reasons for participating in the march.
“For me, it means solidarity, it means unification, it means togetherness,” said Carlton Brown III. “People are coming together behind the black community. All these people are dog-tired out here and still marching.”
One of the protest leaders encouraged people to make their statement at the ballot box. “If you really are with us today, make sure in November, you vote.”
“We need to show these people that hate black people that we are not thugs. We are f------ people!”
Update, 5:35 p.m.
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson gave a statement at Monday’s coronavirus news conference, expressing his disgust at the killing of George Floyd and voicing his commitment to protect this community.
“I’ve watched the video of the officers restraining George Floyd, and I was shocked, saddened and angered over what I saw,” Parkinson said. “The officers involved deserve to be prosecuted for their actions, or their lack of actions, for Mr. Floyd’s death.”
“We can not ignore or tolerate racism in our community,” he added. “We must denounce it when we see it, and we must do everything we can to prevent it from occurring.”.
Parkinson said he was encouraged by how San Luis Obispo County protests have unfolded.
“Our local gatherings have been peaceful, and the organizers have been cooperative with law enforcement in keeping our community safe. I expect further gatherings and protests and marches to remain peaceful, because the people attending them are our friends, our neighbors, and our family members,” he said.
At the same time, he said, law enforcement is prepared to protect people and property while maintaining constitutional rights.
“To be clear, I will not stand by and allow anyone to take advantage of a peaceful march and turn it into an opportunity to hurt people or to damage property,” he said.
Parkinson also noted that 44 deputies and nine officers have returned to San Luis Obispo County after being deployed to Los Angeles under a mutual aid request.
San Luis Obispo County public health officer Dr. Penny Borenstein also addressed the protests at Monday’s news conference, expressing concern about the dangers of large group gatherings in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I would be remiss not to say anything about the additional anguish that is being experienced in our community,” Borenstein said. “I want to continue to ask of our community that we bring our best selves to all of the fights that stand before us, especially the pandemic, which is still absolutely here.”
“I’d like to ask of everyone to get past the divides,” she continued. “Be it black-white, be it red-blue, be it mask-wearers and non-wearers, impoverished versus wealthy, housed versus unhoused, we are all in this community together.
“We are an amazing, caring, committed bunch of individuals that live side-by-side. And I just want to continue to ask of you that as we work through the pandemic — and as we work through the additional challenges that we face in light of Minnesota — that we continue to work as one society and one community so that we can all be safe and healthy as we move forward.”
Borenstein encouraged the protesters to keep six feet of distance between them and to wear masks when distancing is not possible.
“I am concerned that gatherings of any type — be it a protest or any other type — is a potential cause of spread of disease,” she said.
Update, 4:45 p.m.:
After marching south on Highway 101, protesters exited the freeway at Marsh Street in San Luis Obispo — chanting “Don’t shoot, hands up” as they were joined by other demonstrators.
Police officers in riot gear met the marchers on the highway just past the Marsh Street exit.
The protesters then headed toward Mitchell Park on Marsh Street.
A black woman teared up as protesters passed her and said, “I see you.” One of the marchers stopped to hug her.
Update, 4:15 p.m.:
After stopping traffic and holding a dance circle at the intersection of Foothill and Santa Rosa streets, hundreds of protesters headed back toward downtown San Luis Obispo.
The marchers walked on both sides of the street, chanting “Black lives matter” as cars honked and people cheered.
“The police want to find any reason to shut us down so keep it peaceful,” a marcher with a megaphone urged the crowd.
After pausing at the intersection of Olive and Santa Rosa streets, the protesters continued onto northbound Highway 101. They headed south on the freeway against the flow of traffic as cars stopped in their lanes.
Update, 3:45 p.m.:
As protesters rallied for a second day in San Luis Obispo over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, San Luis Obispo Police Chief Deanna Cantrell said via email Monday that protests have so far been peaceful.
Cantrell on Monday credited “Act Now for Justice” rally organizers R.A.C.E. Matters SLO and participants for the successful event.
“The memory of George Floyd was honored and respected, and because the rally remained peaceful, the message of injustice has been heard,” Cantrell wrote. “We are really grateful that people in San Luis Obispo acknowledge injustice and want to help make and influence change.
“Working in and with a community that values civil rights, peaceful protest and community engagement is something the police department holds in high regard.”
She added: “Protecting people’s First Amendment rights is paramount and vital to the health and well-being of our community.”
Update, 3:05 p.m.:
Protesters were met by police officers in riot gear in front of the San Luis Obispo Police Department near the intersection of Walnut and Santa Rosa streets.
Marchers chanted “I don’t see no riot here. Why are you in riot gear?” and asked the officers to kneel with them.
One police officer bent his knee, followed by the rest of the officers as the crowd cheered.
The protesters observed eight minutes and 46 seconds of silence in George Floyd’s memory as they knelt in the street.
Update, 2:40 p.m.:
Protesters knelt in front of about 20 deputies with the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office stationed in the courtyard of the San Luis Obispo Superior Court courthouse.
As people stopped to chat at the deputies, one protester waved others on, saying “This is a peaceful protest.”
The marchers then moved to the intersection of Chorro and Monterey streets, passing employees at Passport SLO men’s clothing store who stood with their fists raised in solidarity.
Black protesters stood at the front of the crowd with their fists raised as others knelt in the road, chanting “Black lives matter.”
“I’ve always felt that I was important just by myself. But watching people march and chant ‘black lives matter,’ I’ve never felt more important and more loved,” said a tearful Miko Jackson of Monday’s demonstration. “And I’m new to this community. This is a beautiful thing to me. Thank you for seeing me and telling me that I matter. Thank you!”
Original story:
Hundreds of people gathered in downtown San Luis Obispo on Monday for the second day in a row to protest racial injustice and police brutality following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Chanting “No justice, no peace, no racist police” and “Black lives matter,” the protesters met at Mission Plaza around 2 p.m. Monday before marching down Chorro Street and turning onto Marsh Street, then Higuera Street.
The San Luis Obispo Police Department used officers and patrol cars to barricade the intersection of Santa Rosa and Higuera streets, but that failed to prevent the marchers from reaching Santa Rosa Street.
Monday’s protest follows a rally and march on Sunday in downtown San Luis Obispo that lasted about four hours.
Videos show a Minneapolis police officer pinning Floyd, a black man, with his knees on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes on May 25. In at least one of the videos, Floyd can be heard saying “I can’t breathe.”
Floyd soon became unresponsive. He was declared dead at the hospital a short time later.
The Minneapolis police officer who kneeled on Floyd, Derek Chauvin, has since been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Three other officers who were present during the incident were also fired.
This story was originally published June 1, 2020 at 2:32 PM.
