Several demonstrations have taken place in Grand Rapids, Michigan, after the shooting of a black man by an officer of a white police department, according to local media.
As a result of the Grand Rapids Police Department’s decision to disclose numerous video clips relating to an officer’s confrontation with Patrick Lyoya earlier this month, including two that show the fatal shot, demonstrations began on Wednesday.
After a short pursuit and a battle with the police, Lyoya, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, was slain in the front yard of a residence in Grand Rapids.
WZZM reports that barricades were put up outside the Grand Rapids police station on Wednesday night after recordings of the event were posted. Hundreds marched downtown, yelling and demanding that the department reveal the officer’s identity.
Lyoya’s cause has been championed in a number of demonstrations and rallies. Dozens of protesters gathered outside a City Commission meeting on Tuesday night to demand justice. On Friday, residents of Grand Rapids met at Rosa Parks Circle for a community gathering. The protesters marched to the Grand Rapids Police Department headquarters in order to make their concerns known.
Protests in recent years have been sparked by the killings of black individuals by police, including George Floyd. According to The Washington Post, there have been 255 police shootings in the United States so far this year.
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