Outrage Over Grand Jury's Handling of Breonna Taylor Slaying Spreads to Richmond

Anger and outrage spread throughout the country on Wednesday after a grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky handed down indictments against a single officer in the death of Bronna Taylor. Shortly after the charges were announced a flyer began circulating on social media promoting an evening demonstration starting in Monroe Park.

It’s unclear where the flyer originated however designs that were remarkably similar between major cities were shared almost instantly when the news broke. While we don’t know the creators of the coordinated promotional content we do know they were prepared in advance and ready to dispatch the marching instructions at the right time.

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Around 8 PM both demonstrators and Richmond police gathered in the Monroe Park area, demonstrators noted that the park’s lighting seemed boosted up several notches providing almost stadium like illumination on the grounds. By 8:40 nearly 200 people were in and around Monroe Park with a variety of chants breaking out among the participants. Law enforcement personnel were scattered around the outside of the park grounds and in nearby RPD vehicles.

Just before 9 PM the march departed from the park, first by way of Franklin Street then turning south onto Belvidere and finally marching west into the heart of the VCU Monroe Park campus. Marching past the new Gladding Residence Center demonstrators chanted “Out of your dorms and into the streets” as students looked on from above.

The crowd marched west on Main Street for nearly 12 blocks before they arrived at the intersection with North Meadow. Passing the District 5 restaurants some demonstrators antagonized patrons and chanted their displeasure with the establishment. On several prior occasions crowds have targeted the business with vandalism for their perceived racially motivated dress code and practices. On this evening there were no indications of vandalism as the crowd moved by and turned south on Meadow.

Taking Meadow Street south across the Downtown Expressway the crowd arrived at the Richmond Police 3^rd precinct and proceeded to demonstrated in front of the building adjacent to residential dwellings. Alarmed by the large crowds outside the understaffed precinct facility police arrived with reinforcements and formed a line along South Meadow Street.

For nearly half an hour police and protesters faced off in front of the building with tensions running high amongst members of the crowd as they were concerned with the presence of riot gear equipped police.  Around 9:50 PM demonstrators relented and turned around leading the march north on Meadow and through the Fan. Snaking through the residential Fan areas demonstrators chanted and informed residents that they were both colonizers and gentrifiers. Along the way a reporter noted a few incidences of vandalism with “Fuck Trump” spray painted in the roadway and a demonstrator stealing a Kim Gray For Mayor sign from a resident’s yard.

The March briefly passed along Monument and after arriving at Lee Circle proceeded north on Allen. Some in the demonstration wished to keep the march stationary at the circle but the energy of the night continued the crowd onwards. Arriving on Broad Street the crowd marched east closing lanes to traffic as they proceeded along. Out of an abundance of caution GRTC suspended transit services for the Pulse bus along the corridor.

The crowd continued their march east until arriving at North Jefferson Street where they shifted directions south towards their final destination of the night: Richmond Police Headquarters.

Arriving at RPD HQ at 10:50 PM demonstrators were greeted by a combined force of Richmond & State Police equipped with riot gear forming a perimeter around the structure. Demonstrators confronted police with chants and verbal accusations of violence. Despite the tense atmosphere actual activity remained fairly calm with the situation safe enough for local television reporters to perform live broadcasts from the scene for the 11 PM newscast.

From 11 PM-12 AM demonstrators and police faced off with law enforcement “requesting” demonstrators exit a nearby parking lot. Shortly after 12 AM a demonstrator was detained and arrested by police causing some anger from the crowd. Around 1:40 AM a prominent local Twitter user was taken into custody and arrested causing another small scuffle along the police lines. Shortly thereafter RPD established a police line with tape and advised crowds not to cross it.

With cooling temperatures and a lack of action crowds gradually dispersed between 2 and 3 in the morning with only the most dedicated demonstrators remaining. Overall the evening of demonstrations concluded peacefully with no discharge of tear gas or pepper spray and only three arrests made by police.

Read More:

• CBS 6 - Richmonders march to protest Breonna Taylor decision
• Commonwealth Times - Richmonders protest grand jury decision in Breonna Taylor case
• Richmond Times-Dispatch - Hundreds of protesters march in Richmond after Ky. officers not charged in Breonna Taylor's death
• Richmond Times-Dispatch - Three arrested during Richmond protest after Ky. officers not charged in Breonna Taylor's death
• WRIC 8 - 3 arrested after protests near Richmond Police Department headquarters