George Floyd protests live updates: Here’s what to know in Raleigh, Durham on June 4
We’re keeping up with the latest information about Triangle-area protests in response to the death of George Floyd, a black man who died last week after being pinned by a Minneapolis police officer.
Curfew continues in Raleigh
Raleigh’s citywide curfew is in place for a fourth night. The curfew will start two hours later than previous days, running from 10 p.m. Thursday to 5 a.m. Friday.
Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin first announced a citywide curfew on Monday. Over the weekend, peaceful protests in the city escalated, with some protesters committing acts of vandalism and police using rubber bullets and tear gas on crowds.
Police investigating allegation against officer
Raleigh police are investigating an allegation made against an officer assigned to Enloe Magnet High School.
Jack Lowder, a former student, said officer Dennis Brandenburg previously told him: “You know how to catch criminals, right? You just play the national anthem and see who kneels.”
School officials are also looking into the accusations, which were posted online Saturday.
While some people have taken a knee during the anthem to protest police violence and racism, others think the action is disrespectful.
Wake County schools on Monday released a statement that said some students and staff members would be disciplined after posting “racist, vile, and thoughtless statements” about George Floyd protests.
Protests remain peaceful in Raleigh
The Wake County Sheriff’s Office made one arrest Wednesday as demonstrations in Raleigh remained peaceful for the third night in a row.
The fifth straight day of protests started in the early afternoon Wednesday with 150 protesters marching from Nash Square to the Governor’s Mansion, where they called on Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper to hear their concerns.
Another group called Young Americans Protest organized a demonstration around art in Moore Square near City Market, and social media posts showed hundreds of people lined Hillsborough Street from Pullen Memorial Baptist Church to Capitol Square earlier in the day.
Some also placed signs at the Confederate monument at the State Capitol and prayed for change.
Raleigh Police Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown spoke to demonstrators after the city’s 8 p.m. curfew and agreed to let them continue their march. She told some participants to use their leadership skills “’for the right cause’ instead of protesting,” The News & Observer reported.
“If you want to have a voice at the table, you gotta recognize what the rules are,” she said.
Deck-Brown also told protesters that “all lives matter.”
Raleigh video goes viral
A video showing a person stopping a man from further vandalizing a Raleigh barbershop has gone viral.
The footage, posted to TikTok, shows someone using a skateboard to smash a window at the business. When the man attempted to break another window, a person took away the skateboard while others told him to leave, the video shows.
It happened Saturday at Ray’s Hair Shop, owner Simon Garner told The News & Observer. That night, peaceful downtown protests escalated, ending in damage to some buildings.
Chapel Hill protest
A Black Lives Matter protest on Wednesday afternoon drew about 1,000 people to the UNC-Chapel Hill campus.
A peaceful demonstration was held at McCorkle Place, previously home to the Silent Sam Confederate statue that protesters toppled in 2018. Demonstrators also marched along Franklin Street.
Durham protest
Hundreds of people also participated in a peaceful protest in Durham on Wednesday night. Participants used spoken word poetry and called for policy changes following recent demonstrations.
Protesters gathered in front of Long Meadow Park before splitting into groups that went toward the city’s police headquarters and blocked the Durham Freeway near South Mangum Street.
Council members to review police response
The Raleigh city council on Tuesday asked for a report on the way law enforcement officials responded to protests in Raleigh.
During a tense exchange, council member Patrick Buffkin said he was against the timing of the request as the police department prepared for the second night of a curfew.
“The current mood of this city will not facilitate a productive conversation,” he said, according to The News & Observer. “To be blunt, we can’t address our race-equity problems while our city is burning.”
But council member Saige Martin said an investigation would help the city protect its residents and officers.
This story was originally published June 4, 2020 at 8:57 AM with the headline "George Floyd protests live updates: Here’s what to know in Raleigh, Durham on June 4."
