Fires, a shooting, curfews, arrests: George Floyd protests turn to unrest across country

Demonstrations across the country again devolved into unrest Saturday, a day after a Minneapolis police officer was arrested and charged with the third-degree murder and manslaughter of George Floyd.

Police cars and government buildings burned, the National Guard was deployed, and some of the country’s largest cities instituted curfews. In one Midwest city, a person was killed and at least two more shot.

More than 1,400 people have been arrested in 16 cities since Thursday, with more than 500 of those happening in Los Angeles on Friday, the Associated Press reported.

Former officer Derek Chauvin faces the charges in Floyd’s death, but activist groups say they are inadequate. Video from a bystander showed Chauvin pressing his knee on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes.

The demonstrations Saturday were part of a National Day of Protest against Chauvin and police brutality inflicted nationwide. Protesters also called out the names of other people of color killed by police, including Louisville’s Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old ER tech who was shot and killed by police in March.

Here is a city-by-city look at what’s happening across the country.

Indianapolis: One dead after shooting

One person was killed Saturday and at least two more shot during a second night of protests downtown, Indianapolis Police Chief Randal Taylor confirmed in a hastily called late-night press conference.

“Enough is enough,” Taylor said as sirens blared and fire trucks raced past on the street. “Indianapolis, we are better than this. Downtown is not safe at this time.”

Police did not have details on the individual who was killed nor the conditions of the others shot.

Shortly before 1 a.m., the department tweeted again that it was investigating additional reports of shootings downtown. The shootings did not involve officers, police said.

Protests during the day Saturday had been peaceful.

— Staff of The Indianapolis Star

Nashville: Fires at courthouse and City Hall building

Fires in Nashville led Mayor John Cooper to declare a state of civil emergency. Police announced a 10 p.m. curfew for the city, and Gov. Bill Lee deployed the National Guard.

Dozens of protesters had gathered on the steps of Nashville’s criminal courthouse and City Hall after a rally and march. Demonstrators smashed windows with rocks and other materials, drawing a swarm of police. The situation at the building appeared to subside around 7:30 p.m.

By 8:15 p.m., fire was visible from a first-floor office at the courthouse. A short time later, police with riot gear arrived as a fire burned inside a window at City Hall. Officers deployed tear gas as demonstrators clustered in the center of Public Square Park.

— Staff of The Tennessean 

Reno, Nevada: Fires at City Hall; National Guard, curfew in place

The Nevada National Guard is en route to downtown Reno, the city’s police chief said, after protests there turned violent Saturday.

Gov. Steve Sisolak tweeted he activated the Nevada National Guard.

A group of people broke windows at Reno City Hall Saturday night and set fires there following hours of protest in the area. Responding Reno police fired tear gas into City Hall. Items such as a couch inside were on fire but soon put out. Police dispersed the protesters as some chanted “Hands up, don’t shoot.”

Washoe County residents, which includes all residents in Reno and Sparks, are under curfew until 7 a.m. Sunday, police said Saturday evening.

— Amy Alonzo, Siobhan McAndrew and Benjamin Spillman, Reno Gazette Journal

New York City: Videos show vehicle’s confrontation with crowd

Hundreds of protesters walked against traffic in Manhattan on Saturday afternoon, temporarily stalling vehicles on 7th Ave. The group chanted: “No justice, no peace” and “Whose streets? Our streets.”

Late Saturday, videos circulated on social media that show a police vehicle driving into a crowd of protesters, after objects were thrown at the vehicle.

Mayor Bill de Blasio called the video “upsetting” and said he wishes the officer “hadn’t done that.” He added: “It’s clear that a different element has come into play here, who are trying to hurt police officers and trying to damage their vehicles.”

He said the situation was started by a group of protesters converging on the police car and attacking it.

Other video showed at least one vehicle on fire.

An initially peaceful demonstration in the city had spiraled into chaos Friday, as protesters skirmished with police officers, destroyed police vehicles and set fires.

Video posted to social media on Friday showed officers using batons and shoving protesters as they took people into custody and cleared streets. One video showed an officer slam a woman to the ground as he walked past her.

Denver: Car crashes into police; weapons confiscated

Three officers and a civilian were “severely” injured when a car crashed into a Denver police vehicle, the police department tweeted late Saturday. Police said they were searching for a Chevrolet compact car with Wyoming plates.

The city had enacted a curfew from 8 p.m. until 5 a.m.

A few agitators, the department said, were “hijacking” Floyd’s memory. Police shared photos of a gun, a gas canister and a hatchet — all of which were confiscated Saturday.

“Last night, agitators brought crowbars, baseball bats, assault rifles, hand guns and improvised flash-bangs which were thrown at police officers and protesters,” Chief Paul Pazen said in a statement on Saturday.

Police on Saturday announced 34 arrests over the last two nights in Denver amid Floyd protests.

San Francisco: Fireworks outside mayor’s apartment after curfew

Videos from the scene show protesters lighting fireworks outside of San Francisco Mayor London Breed’s apartment.

Late Saturday, Breed made an announcement alongside the city’s police chief, sheriff and fire chief implementing a curfew from 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. She also said the National Guard is on standby for the city.

“If you are home, please stay home. If you are in our city from other places, please go back to the city that you live in. Please do not come into San Francisco and destroy our city,” Breed said.

Breed said there were peaceful protests early Saturday, but the violence and vandalism exhibited later in the day are “something we will not tolerate.”

Chief Bill Scott said officers were dealing with looting and people breaking windows.

Dallas: Close to 100 arrests, Whole Foods looted

The Dallas Police Department announced a host of arrests Saturday night and early Sunday. Police arrested 74 people on charges of inciting a riot, the department tweeted. An additional 15 people were arrested on charges of vandalizing buildings.

Three guns and one taser were recovered, according to the police department.

The Dallas Morning News reported police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds downtown. One woman who said she was not a protester reportedly was struck in the face.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit shut down service to downtown Dallas and a Whole Foods store was looted, according to the newspaper.

Columbus, Ohio: Broken windows, small fires

After peaceful daytime protests, tensions rose after dark in Columbus.

Construction material and a vehicle were set on fire. Windows were broken on the east side of Downtown. Protesters faced off with officers. Chairs and other material were set on fire inside a government office building.

Protesters threw rocks through the window of a funeral home and windows were broken at the Columbus College of Art and Design.

The Ohio National Guard was called to assist as the city approached its 10 p.m. curfew.

— Lucas Sullivan, Beth Burger, Marc Kovac, Columbus Dispatch

Washington: Protests escalate near White House, Trump warns against ‘mob violence’

Protesters clashed with police outside the White House Saturday, as tensions flared there for a second day.

Protesters marched and chanted “No justice! No peace!” and “I can’t breathe!” – a phrase Floyd was heard saying before his death – in Lafayette Square, across the street from the White House and along surrounding streets. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., stood with peaceful protesters outside the White House during the afternoon.

Protesters stood facing a line of police wearing helmets and holding shields, the officers with their backs to the White House. At times, some protesters tried to knock over barriers or attacked officers around the White House perimeter, although none scaled the surrounding fence, according to the Secret Service. “Multiple” special agents and uniformed officers were injured when some protesters threw bricks, rocks, bottles and fireworks at officers, officials said.

Officers responded by firing tear gas to break up the crowds.

President Donald Trump attended the historic SpaceX rocket launch in Florida during the afternoon, but arrived back at the White House around 8:30 p.m. as protests raged outside. As the presidential helicopters buzzed overheard near the White House grounds, some demonstrators shouted obscenities and shook their fists.

Trump used an address at the Kennedy Space Center to offer a stern warning against violence by “rioters, looters and anarchists.”

Mayor Muriel Bowser tweeted Saturday that the city’s police department would protect everyone, regardless of whether the mayor agreed with them.

— Nicholas Wu, David Jackson, Courtney Subramanian and John Fritze, USA TODAY

Cincinnati: Violence, clashes with police as night falls

Another wave of civil unrest hit Cincinnati’s streets Saturday as peaceful protests gave way to violence for the second consecutive night, with police firing tear gas and making arrests.

Tensions between police and demonstrators boiled over outside District 1 police headquarters after 9 p.m., when some protesters began throwing debris at officers who had gathered outside the entrance with riot shields.

Police responded by pushing the crowd away, firing tear gas and bean bag rounds as they marched forward.

At one point, some in the crowd tried to build a makeshift barrier with trash cans, but police pushed through and arrested several people. Others fled down streets and alleys.

— Dan Horn, Madeline Mitchell, Cameron Knight and Sharon Coolidge, The Cincinnati Enquirer

Des Moines, Iowa: Protesters throw fireworks at police

Police in riot gear met protesters marching on the state’s Capitol building. Some protesters could be seen throwing fireworks at police.

At the Polk County Courthouse, protesters scattered after police fired tear gas into the crowd. There were conflicting reports about whether a protester managed to get into the courthouse. One person was seen breaking a glass window.

— Des Moines Register staff

Minneapolis: Projectiles fired to clear protesters

The National Guard started moving into downtown Minneapolis on Saturday, after days of unrest.

“The situation in Minnesota is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd. It is about attacking civil society, instilling fear and disrupting our great cites,” Gov. Tim Walz said in a press conference.

An 8 p.m. curfew would be strictly enforced, major highways would be closed and those on the streets Saturday night could be subject to arrest, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said Saturday night.

“Don’t go out of your homes; don’t make things more difficult,” Walz said.

As curfew approached, hundreds of protesters sat to await the arrival of law enforcement near Fifth Precinct. One commented that police couldn’t arrest the whole group.

Soon, black-clad law enforcement approached to the sound of explosions. Some demonstrators chanted: “Hands up, don’t shoot!”

Police officers fired nonlethal projectiles toward masses of people, including a crowd of journalists gathered in an alley next to a looted store.

Protesters reported tear gas being used. Some people hobbled away from an intersection appearing to be injured.

“State Patrol troopers are moving in to secure the Fifth Precinct. Go home and obey the curfew order now,” Minnesota Department of Public Safety tweeted.

— Trevor Hughes and Jordan Culver, USA TODAY

Los Angeles: Looting and destruction mount, mayor sets curfew

Looting and property destruction mounted Saturday in Los Angeles as police worked to disperse protesters after the third evening of mass demonstrations. City Mayor Eric Garcetti set a curfew from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. throughout the whole city.

Police set up skirmish lines throughout the downtown area and fired non-lethal ammunition in at least one incident, City News Service reported. Garcetti requested the National Guard.

Protesters looted several downtown businesses, including a Target store, a Rite Aid, a Starbucks and jewelry stores near Sixth Street and Broadway. Fires were ignited near the intersection of Hill and Seventh Street, and in one case, a person threw the hose being used by a firefighter into a smoldering fire.

Garcetti urged residents to go home.

“When things burn, it is not the time to stay,” he said. Taking part in civil unrest, he added, does a disservice to Floyd’s memory.

He noted Los Angeles has seen unrest over racial issues before, a nod to the Watts Riots in 1965 and the disturbance after the Rodney King verdict that exonerated the police officers who were videotaped beating him in 1992.

— Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY

Fayetteville, North Carolina: Reporter injured as looters break into J.C. Penney

Protests turned violent in Fayetteville even after police opted to close access to downtown areas of the city. People reportedly went to a local mall and were seen running in an out of the J.C. Penney amid reports of looting.

A reporter for the Fayetteville Observer reporter was attacked while shooting video from the scene and is being treated for minor injuries at a local hospital.

The Fayetteville Police Department earlier tweeted it was “deploying officers to stop the damage to property and violence.”

— Rodger Mullen, Melody Brown-Peyton, Paul Woolverton, Rachael Riley, The Fayetteville Observer

Memphis: One protest ends peacefully, the other in chaos

About two hours after a demonstration against police brutality ended peacefully on Saturday night, a confrontation played out between a crowd of people and a team of police officers in riot gear and on horseback.

When police horses entered the area, a chaotic few seconds followed: Police barricades tumbled to the ground and people fell down. Glass bottles flew through the air. At one point the crowd chanted: “No justice, no peace.”

The standoff was a dramatic contrast from a peaceful protest march earlier in the evening. That demonstration had apparently ended without arrests, and the police had largely let it play out on its own, without interference. Most of the crowd from the protest march left around 9 p.m.

— Laura Testino, Desiree Stennett, Daniel Connolly, Corinne S Kennedy and Samuel Hardiman, Memphis Commercial Appeal

Detroit: Day starts peacefully, turns violent

Saturday, in the light of day, the protesting crowd appeared to be mostly peaceful, with police following marching protesters closely and even handing out masks, a coronavirus precaution, to those who did not have them.

The situation changed late in the evening. A new — and larger — crowd filled downtown and turned violent. In the skirmishes, Detroit Free Press reporters were exposed to tear gas, and a phone was violently knocked out of a photographer’s hand.

Police in riot gear, supported by armored cars, moved toward protesters.

Crowds began to gather at about 4:30 p.m. Most wore masks, and many carried signs, some with angry slogans. By about 8 p.m., and just after a moment of tension between protesters and police, the crowd began to disperse, with a few folks saying they’d be back again for a third day of demonstrations at 4 p.m. Sunday.

On Friday, a 21-year-old male from Eastpointe was been fatally shot near a protest in downtown Detroit when he was approached by an unknown suspect while in his vehicle, police said. Friday night’s protest had at least 60 arrests.

— David Jesse, JC Reindl, Branden Hunter and Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press

Phoenix: Police demand protesters disperse

A large group of protesters knelt with their hands up in the streets outside Phoenix police and municipal buildings.

They chanted, “Hands up, don’t shoot” and “Black lives matter.”

Phoenix police stood in full riot gear outside the front entrance of the department headquarters, amid sound and smoke from numerous flash bangs.

Officers began broadcasting a message telling protesters they were engaging in an unlawful assembly, and they needed to disperse immediately.

— BrieAnna J. Frank, Joshua Bowling and Angel Mendoza, Arizona Republic

Miami: Curfew after fire in cars, rubber bullets

The Miami Police Department announced a 10 p.m. Saturday curfew for the city. The city also will have a Sunday curfew for 8 p.m. until 6 a.m. Police warned violators would be subject to arrest. Thirty-eight people had been arrested as midnight approached, police said.

The police department asked residents to stay away from Miami’s downtown and Wynwood areas, citing a “situation involving large crowds of protestors.”

The Miami Herald reported protests in the area started peacefully but eventually devolved into violence.

Flint, Michigan: Sheriff walks with protesters

Video showed Genessee County Sheriff Christopher Swanson walking with protesters Saturday after taking off his riot gear. He joined the demonstration to cheers from attendees.

In a video posted to Facebook, Swanson told the gathered protesters, “We want to be with y’all, for real. I took the helmet off; they laid the batons down. We want to make this a parade.”

As Swanson was talking, the crowd began to chant, “Walk with us!” Swanson began walking with the crowd, saying he could walk all night.

Chicago: Demonstration outside Trump Tower; curfew in place

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a curfew for the city, effective between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Earlier, hundreds of protesters gathered downtown at Federal Plaza on Saturday afternoon for a demonstration organized by Black Lives Matter. Protesters chanted “Say his name, George Floyd” and “Say her name, Breonna Taylor” as drivers honked their horns. Some held signs saying “Black lives matter” and “Liberty and justice for all.”

At least two police vehicles were covered in spray paint.

Protesters reported seeing demonstrators being arrested outside Trump Tower as the group marched north through downtown. After passing Trump Tower, thousands of protesters took a knee in silence. A spokesperson for Chicago police said he was not immediately able to provide an update.

The Chicago Transit Authority temporarily suspended train services to downtown.

— Grace Hauck and Jordan Culver, USA TODAY 

Jacksonville, Florida: Damaged vehicles, officer injured

Violence erupted in Jacksonville’s downtown Saturday night, after thousands of people earlier marched peacefully on police headquarters in protest of law enforcement abuses of force.

Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams said one officer had been hospitalized after being “slashed in the neck.”

Broken glass and damage to Jacksonville sheriff’s vehicles were reported, as was the firing of tear gas. Police urged people not already downtown Saturday night to stay away from the area.

— Teresa Stepzinski and Garry Smits, Florida Times-Union

Philadelphia: Officers injured, peaceful protests turn chaotic

Charred cars, one lying flipped on its roof in a pile of ashes, lined John F. Kennedy Blvd. Saturday night as the city started to clean up after peaceful protests gave way to a fiery afternoon.

Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said 13 police officers were injured in protests that resulted in property damage and several burned cars. Fourteen people were arrested, police said just before midnight.

By the 8 p.m. curfew set by Philadelphia police, the large crowds had mostly dispersed. Dozens of officers stood in a line at the municipal services building, steps away from where at least one of the department’s cars was burned.

Just hours before, hundreds flooded City Hall, damaging cars and spraypainting messages on buildings, vehicles and the city block.

— Phaedra Trethan and Jeff Neiburg, Cherry Hill Courier-Post

Seattle: ‘Hands up, don’t shoot’

Hundreds of people gathered outside Seattle Police Department headquarters midday Saturday, where speakers from the NAACP and ACLU spoke to the crowd. “Hands up, don’t shoot,” the group chanted.

Later, protesters forced the closure of Interstate 5 through central Seattle, the Associated P. Police used flash bangs and pepper spray to clear demonstrators.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee tweeted Saturday he activated 200 members of the state’s National Guard.

Atlanta: 9 p.m. curfew established

Georgia’s governor declared a state of emergency early Saturday to activate the state National Guard. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms signed an executive order Saturday establishing a 9 p.m. curfew “as a result of the recent acts of violence demonstrated throughout the city.”

The curfew ends at sunrise Sunday.

Brian Kemp tweeted that up to 500 members of the Guard would deploy immediately “to protect people & property in Atlanta.” He said he acted at the request of Bottoms, who earlier appealed for calm.

At least three officers were hurt and there were multiple arrests in Friday’s protests, Atlanta police spokesman Carlos Campos said.

— Associated Press

Pittsburgh: Protests become ‘volatile’

Pittsburgh police deployed gas on a group of thousands of demonstrators Saturday after a peaceful protest against turned destructive.

Pittsburgh Public Safety declared the situation an unlawful assembly.

“This follows repeated acts of violence, property damage and looting of businesses, which is ongoing. Residents please stay home. Businesses should close. If you are Downtown, leave the area,” officials tweeted.

Pittsburgh Public Safety tweeted just before 6 p.m. that police had deployed gas after the protest became “volatile.”

— Daveen Rae Kurutz, The Beaver County Times

Tallahassee, Florida: Truck hits protesters

Scattered and largely peaceful demonstrations Saturday in Tallahassee were marred when a pickup truck allegedly hit a group of protesters.

Three white people in a red pickup truck with a Georgia license plate yelled at a crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters, then drove into the crowd, witnesses said. Some wound up on the hood of the car and may have shattered the windshield.

Tallahassee Mayor John E. Dailey later tweeted that “no one was seriously injured” and the driver of the vehicle was “immediately taken into custody.”

— Nada Hassanein, Jeff Burlew and James Call, Tallahassee Democrat

Petal, Mississippi: Mayor sorry for comments, won’t resign

Petal Mayor Hal Marx said he apologizes that comments he made have caused so much pain, but he denies his comments were racist, and says he won’t resign.

Marx came under fire Tuesday when he tweeted he “didn’t see anything unreasonable” in the incident that led to Floyd’s death.

“I admit that my comments on the recent tragic death of George Floyd in Minnesota were made in haste and not well-thought-out or expressed,” he said. “Because of this, my words were taken out of the context in which they were meant. For that, I apologize.

“I apologize to those who found them to be insensitive, and I apologize to the people of our city.”

— Lici Beveridge, Mississippi Clarion Ledger

Portland: State of emergency

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler announced a state of emergency Saturday morning after protests in the city intensified.

The state of emergency includes a curfew on Saturday beginning at 8 p.m. and running through 6 a.m. Sunday.

“Burning buildings with people inside, stealing from small and large businesses, threatening and harassing reporters,” he tweeted early Saturday morning. “This isn’t calling for meaningful change in our communities, this is disgusting.”

Wilmington, Delaware: Protesters block traffic

In Wilmington, Delaware, dozens of protesters blocked traffic on Interstate 95. Delaware State Police temporarily closed the interstate around 2 p.m. ET. At least one protester could be seen smashing the window of a police SUV, according to videos posted on social media.

Montgomery, Alabama: Largely peaceful protests at precinct, Capitol

Dozens gathered Saturday afternoon in front of a Montgomery police precinct before a gathering at the Capitol, where law enforcement blocked off traffic for a rally that lasted more than two hours.

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed on Friday called Floyd’s death a “lynching” in a virtual town hall before asking for a moment of silence for him at an afternoon press conference.

Police Chief Ernest Finley also spoke, calling Floyd’s death “very disturbing.”

— Melissa Brown, Montgomery Advertiser

Providence, Rhode Island: A chorus of 1,000 voices

A chorus of nearly 1,000 voices shouted Floyd’s name from the Statehouse lawn on Saturday.

“I’m tired of watching young black, brown, beautiful people dying,” said Gary Dantzler, an activist with Black Lives Matter Rhode Island, the group that organized Saturday’s rally. “White supremacy, we gotta end it.”

– Madeleine List, Providence Journal

Lake Worth Beach, Florida: No violence

Shouting “I can’t breathe” and “Hands up, don’t shoot,” about 250 demonstrators stopped traffic downtown on Saturday.

The march down Lake Avenue from Bryant Park to City Hall was orderly and largely peaceful.

– Joe Capozzi, Palm Beach Post

Sarasota, Florida: Teens decorate cars

At Sarasota City Hall, about 30 masked protesters from teens to seniors decorated their cars with messages condemning police brutality in light of Floyd’s death.

Emily Wunderlich, Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Peoria, Illinois: ‘Fired up! Ready to go!’

A crowd of a few hundred marched for about a mile and a half in Peoria on Saturday afternoon, from the riverfront to the city’s police station and the courthouse, alternating call-and-response slogans, including “No justice, no peace; no racist police” and “Fired up! Ready to go!”

Most attendees wore masks or other face coverings, which organizers urged to abide by the state’s standing public health orders.

The peaceful demonstration of just more than two hours included participants chanting not only Floyd’s name, but also the names of Peoria men Eddie Russell Jr. and Luis Cruz, who were killed in police-involved shootings over the past three years.

New Orleans: ‘We are here in solidarity’

A crowd of close to 1,000 people gathered across the street from New Orleans City Hall, carrying signs that read “No Justice No Peace” and “Say his name! George Floyd.” Groups of people prepared to march out in three rows through the streets of downtown to the police headquarters several blocks away.

“I’m here to make them see we are here with Minneapolis — we are here in solidarity as a community,” said Andrew Miragliotta, who went to the rally with his wife, Jenna Miragliotta. As organizers started leading the crowd in a chant of “No Justice No Peace,” Jenna Miragliottta said: “White silence is perpetuating this and it keeps happening. We are bringing our bodies, our voices to support and show up. Visibility matters.”

– Maria Clark, The American South

Visalia, California: ‘This is America’

Hundreds of protesters – from toddlers to adults – lined a highway, chanting “Black lives matter” and holding signs that said “justice for George Floyd” and “we will be the change.” One protester brought a portable speaker and played Childish Gambino’s “This is America.” Cars honked as they drove past.

– Vongni Yang, The Visalia Times Delta

Rochester, New York: ‘For over 400 years, we have been in pain’

Hundreds marched to the Public Safety Building in downtown Rochester on Saturday to honor victims of police brutality. Organizers asked participants to wear masks and practice social distancing.

“Four hundred years ago, a lie got told — the lie of white superiority and black inferiority,” said Melanie Funchess, the director of community engagement for the Mental Health Association of Rochester/Monroe County. “For over 400 years, we have been in pain.”

Some members of the crowd spray painted poles and other objects along the way; their actions were later denounced by organizers of the event. Rochester police were present at the rally, but did not intervene. Some were armed and carried shields.

– Sarah Taddeo, USA TODAY Network

Greenville, South Carolina: Organizers encourage unity

More than 200 people gathered in Greenville on Saturday morning for a peaceful protest.

Dalores Bowens, one of the organizers, said the goal of the protest was to highlight the risks that black people, and others, face at times from police. But the big aim, she said, was to encourage unity and have a peaceful expression of anger and frustration.