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OMAHA, NE - I am heading down to Omaha Police HQ where @WeAreProBLAC has organized a "Release the Footage" demonstration that's set to start at 6pm.
This demonstration has been organized in response to last night's police killing of #KennethJones
This demonstration has been organized in response to last night's police killing of #KennethJones
Follow this thread for updates throughout the evening.
Alright folks, I'm downtown. The action isn't supposed to start for another 15 minutes yet.
Moderate police presence in the neighborhood
Moderate police presence in the neighborhood
On the bright side, check out my new reflective press vest. Do I LoOk LiKe PrEsS, NoW, OPD??
Got a small crowd already gathered outside the police HQ - they've cordoned off the area with caution tape - officers are speaking with folks at the sidewalk who have business in the HQ. No one allowed in
Just released from OPD: https://twitter.com/omaha_scanner/status/1329937193637384197?s=19
The police report was read aloud to the protesters assembled here - they continue to demand transparency and the release of the bodycam footage to the public
Fairly solid assembled crowd here - and a gaggle of media. 30-35 people assembled so far. The event hasn't officially started quite yet, tho members of @WeAreProBLAC have arrived
Posted with permission
@WeAreProBLAC organizer giving interviews now
The crowd has doubled in the last 10ish minutes.
Folks are still showing up
Folks are still showing up
"Defund police! Fuck y'all!"
The crowd is heckling the assembled officers on the line outside the police HQ
Chants of "ACAB, ALL COPS ARE BASTARDS CAN'T YOU SEE?"
Honks of support from cars driving by
Honks of support from cars driving by
Young kids here heckling the cops here too (blocked out for privacy)
Some of the signs out here tonight.
This child is still heckling cops
"YOU'RE JERKS! YOU'RE LOSERS"
"YOU'RE JERKS! YOU'RE LOSERS"
Some chalk art
Good 50-60 here
"SAY HIS NAME, KENNETH JONES!"
Multiple officers assembled, at least one carrying a pepperball gun on his hip
Chanting continues
Cops refusing to give badge numbers to protesters - getting heckled
More protesers arriving.
"You guys are assholes, y'all are pigs! Where your donuts at! Shouldn't you be at home, instead of shooting us!"
"You guys are assholes, y'all are pigs! Where your donuts at! Shouldn't you be at home, instead of shooting us!"
"No justice, No peace!"
It's a super tense situation here. It appears some family may be here, and others who had their own family die due to police violence
Just a few cops out here
Heckling continues. "I'M UNARMED, SHOOT ME!"
Fire department appears to have honked their approval as they drove by
Maybe 75 here.
Maybe 75 here.
Crowd is growing out here
Hecklers driving by screaming at protesters. "FUCK YOU BASTARDS"
"No justice, no peace - take it to the streets and fuck OPD!"
Maybe 150 now - it's pretty tense. Tons of chanting and frontliners heckling the assembled cops
Omaha Indie Press Corps coming in clutch with damn good photos. These shots from @GoodMornRolla
Heckling continues
"SHOW US THE TAPE!"
"GET OVER HERE, BITCH!"
"SHOOT US WITH THOSE PEPPERBALLS, BITCH"
"GET OVER HERE, BITCH!"
"SHOOT US WITH THOSE PEPPERBALLS, BITCH"
The press release stated that the city reached out the family to offer condolences - Kenneth Jones's sister said that that was a lie.
No one from OPD or the city has reached out to the family of Kenneth Jones.
No one from OPD or the city has reached out to the family of Kenneth Jones.
Chants of "COPS ARE COWARDS!"
Credit: @GoodMornRolla
Still about 100 here
"THEY KILLED ZACHARY BEARHEELS TOO! FUCKING COWARDS"
"Whats the solution? Revolution! What's the reaction? Direct action!"
Sign here says "OPD WHY"
Projector image on a nearby building - "This isn't transparency, release the footage of the OPD execution of Kenneth Jones"
Cops try to get a protestor to leVe the street,get heckled into driving away
Folks here are extremely angry - tension is palpable. This is an energy I haven't seen in quite some time
They've been heckling cops nonstop for the last 2 hours
"If you stood by and watched, you're a terrible cop!"
"All power to the people!"
March on the move, heading diwntown in the street
Heading down to the old narket
Heading toward 13th
People on the streets clapping and joining chants
Heading south toward jackson on 11th
March continuing up jackson back toward opd hq
Got cops trailing behind
"We want justice nows the time! We wont wait for pigs to fly!"
March is now back at OPD HQ
The march has now terminated back at OPD HQ. Heckling continues
You can hear the heckling echoing off the HQ walls
Credit: @GoodMornRolla
"What do we want? Justice! When do want it? Now!"
Heckling continues. "OINK OINK OINK"
Tons of police staging
Hard to see but at least 6 cars staging, zip ties being pulled out
Getting tense. Got cops on multiple corners now
Protesters trying to stay tight to the street corner.
Shitty photo, but he's got a handful of zip ties
Cops showed up and protesters now trying to steel up against their sudden presence
Tons of police
Someone is blasting FTP from a car nearby
Cops just rushed and arrested a 20 yr old protester
Tense
Slow replies, will post video soon. It's escalated
Its bad. Checking in soon
Multiple arrests, mace, injuries. Unlawful assembly declared
Tense standoff between police and remaining protesters
We've got at least a couple folks maced at pointblank range
Protesters being attended to who were maced. Super tense
Videos uploaded later. Conflicting reasons why protestors were arrested
It sppears cops escalated because a protester tore down caution tape.
Police have mostly left. Bear Alexander, ProBLAC organizer and plaintiff in our @ACLUofNE lawsuit against the @OmahaPolice, was maced tonight
Maced so hard he was screaming in the street and vomiting after he was pulled away to be treated by medics
Moments after the first escalation
People still be stopped and arrested without reason why
Tons of video to upload. Crowd dispersed peacefully.
I am heading out of downtown. Will update when I land safely
I am heading out of downtown. Will update when I land safely
Minutes after Bear was maced, a tense, tense standoff ensued between protesters and police. In the background, someone began singing on a PA and jail support happening immediately for arrestees
More video of police brutalizing protesters during the escalation in Omaha earlier this evening as they demonstrated and demanded release of the bodycam footage of Kenneth Jones's killing by police
The original escalation from earlier.
An absolutely incredible image from @GoodMornRolla
To recap: 5 arrested, a main organizer maced point blank, and many others menaced by @OmahaPolice at demonstrations following the police killing of #KennethJones
Activists are still waiting for bodycam footage to be released and appeared unmoved after tonight's violence
Activists are still waiting for bodycam footage to be released and appeared unmoved after tonight's violence
From @Mr_Zyla:
5 arrested.
4 being released (3 already)
1 being detained until he’s before a judge. He had more serious charges
5 arrested.
4 being released (3 already)
1 being detained until he’s before a judge. He had more serious charges
Signing off for the night. I need to decompress.
Thanks for the support and solidarity for Omaha!
Thanks for the support and solidarity for Omaha!
