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Demonstrators assemble in front of Richmond Police Headquarters

Posted at 11:48 PM, Jun 14, 2020
and last updated 2020-06-15 08:05:35-04

RICHMOND, Va. -- A group of demonstrators gathered in front of Richmond Police Headquarters in downtown Richmond Sunday night through early Monday morning.

The group gathered in response to videos surfacing online showing a Richmond Police SUV pushing through a group of protesters Saturday night.

Some of the group climbed a billboard across from the police station and tagged it with a message for the chief of police.

"So now we've got people on the billboards," reporter Laura French said. "I can't make out what they are saying, but we came here because there was a lot of tension."

French said there was a line of police officers in front of the building.

A police helicopter could be heard circling overhead.

The crowd called for police accountability during an 8 p.m. demonstration in Monroe Park just over 24 hours after a Richmond Police SUV pushed through a group of protesters near the Lee monument.

"Last night I was struck by a police vehicle. And if I had fallen a few inches further than I did... I might not be here," a man told the crowd at the Sunday night rally.

Police said officers in their SUV were "trapped by protesters" before being attacked near the Lee statue in Richmond Saturday night.

Sources said the officer who was attacked was punched.

Mayor calls for 'full investigation'

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney is calling for a "full investigation" after the incident involving a police officer and demonstrators.

"I have spoken with the Commonwealth’s Attorney and have requested she investigate and expedite this review, along with several other cases from the past two weeks," Stoney said.

Additionally, the mayor said the officer involved has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the commonwealth’s attorney's investigation.

Councilman Mike Jones (9th District) called the incident unacceptable in a tweet late Sunday.

"I hate to state the obvious - you can’t drive a vehicle into a crowd of citizens," Jones wrote. "It is not acceptable and we are all awaiting for the report. This can not be tolerated."

Saturday night's protests, which followed the peaceful 5,000 Man Marchand RVA Youth Rally earlier in the day, marked more than two weeks of unrest, both in Richmond and nationwide, in the wake ofGeorge Floyd's death in Minneapolis.

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