Published on Mar 31, 2014
Riot police clashed with protestors
in Albuquerque, N.M. who were angry over police violence. In response to
the March 16 shooting and killing of a homeless man, the protests
started peacefully but later became violent as night came. Heavily armed
riot police using tear gas and batons forcefully ended the protests.
Lindsay France speaks with RT's Ramon Galindo about the problematic
record of the Albuquerque Police Department leading up to the protests.Find RT America in your area: http://rt.com/where-to-watch/
Or watch us online: http://rt.com/on-air/rt-america-air/
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Albuquerque police-shootings protest turns into 'mayhem'
A
protest over deadly police shootings turned from peaceful into
"mayhem", Albuquerque's mayor said late on Sunday, as officers in riot
gear clashed with demonstrators.
People are angry over Albuquerque police's involvement in 37 shootings, 23 of them fatal, since 2010. Critics say that is far too many for a department serving a city of about 555,000.
The US Justice Department has been investigating the department for more than a year, looking into complaints of civil rights violations and allegations of excessive use of force.
Alexander Siderits, 23, said he was participating in the protest because he was "fed up" with how police treat citizens. "It has reached a boiling point, and people just can't take it anymore," he said.
An Associated Press reporter saw gas canisters being thrown and Albuquerque police and Bernalillo County sheriff's deputies charging at the crowds, which had mostly dispersed by late Sunday.
Mayor Richard Berry said one police officer was injured, and at one point protesters trapped police in a vehicle and tried to break the windows, the Albuquerque Journal reported.
Read More Here
People are angry over Albuquerque police's involvement in 37 shootings, 23 of them fatal, since 2010. Critics say that is far too many for a department serving a city of about 555,000.
The US Justice Department has been investigating the department for more than a year, looking into complaints of civil rights violations and allegations of excessive use of force.
Alexander Siderits, 23, said he was participating in the protest because he was "fed up" with how police treat citizens. "It has reached a boiling point, and people just can't take it anymore," he said.
An Associated Press reporter saw gas canisters being thrown and Albuquerque police and Bernalillo County sheriff's deputies charging at the crowds, which had mostly dispersed by late Sunday.
Mayor Richard Berry said one police officer was injured, and at one point protesters trapped police in a vehicle and tried to break the windows, the Albuquerque Journal reported.
Read More Here
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New Mexico governor calls for calm as FBI investigates Albuquerque police
A
day after hundreds of people clashed with Albuquerque riot officers
over police shootings, New Mexico's governor said Monday that she
understands the public's frustration but called on protesters to remain
calm while US officials investigate.
Mayor Richard Berry said Monday that one officer twisted his knee but no protesters were hurt during the 12-hour demonstration on Sunday, despite the use of tear gas on the crowd. Four people were arrested in the melee, police chief Gorden Eden said Monday.
Berry said officials monitoring events from an emergency operations center decided to use the gas after some people walked onto a freeway, endangering themselves. Eden says people laid down on the highway.
On Sunday, protesters marching back and forth between downtown and the University of New Mexico blocked traffic, tried to topple street signs and called for the police chief and other city officials to resign, authorities said.
Governor Susana Martinez watched the protests on television.
"Albuquerque is going through a tough time, and they'll figure it out through the investigation," the governor said. "We want that to be thorough. We want confidence in the investigation, but I just don't want to see anyone harmed."
Mayor Richard Berry said Monday that one officer twisted his knee but no protesters were hurt during the 12-hour demonstration on Sunday, despite the use of tear gas on the crowd. Four people were arrested in the melee, police chief Gorden Eden said Monday.
Berry said officials monitoring events from an emergency operations center decided to use the gas after some people walked onto a freeway, endangering themselves. Eden says people laid down on the highway.
On Sunday, protesters marching back and forth between downtown and the University of New Mexico blocked traffic, tried to topple street signs and called for the police chief and other city officials to resign, authorities said.
Governor Susana Martinez watched the protests on television.
"Albuquerque is going through a tough time, and they'll figure it out through the investigation," the governor said. "We want that to be thorough. We want confidence in the investigation, but I just don't want to see anyone harmed."
Read More Here
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Police chief vows reforms after violent protest
By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN, Associated Press
Updated 8:29 pm, Monday, March 31, 2014
- Riot police launch tear gas toward activists in downtown Albuquerque, N.M. following a 10-hour protest around the city, Sunday, March 30, 2014. Hundreds of protesters marched past riot police in Albuquerque on Sunday, days after a YouTube video emerged threatening retaliation for a recent deadly police shooting. The video, which bore the logo of the computer hacking collective Anonymous, warned of a cyberattack on city websites and called for the protest march. Photo: Russell Contreras, AP
Chief Gorden Eden
spoke to reporters after more than 300 people took to the streets
Sunday, calling for him and other city officials to resign. The protest
turned violent that evening, when people began hunting down officers,
throwing rocks and bottles, and spitting on officers, he said.
The chief says officials decided to disperse the crowd with tear gas after a man pulled out an AK-47, others blocked traffic by lying down on Interstate 25 and unruly crowds trapped people and officers in cars. Protesters also started attacking each other, impeded emergency crews and blocked the entrance to a hospital.
There was only one minor injury, an officer who hurt his knee, Eden said. Four protesters were arrested during the 12-hour demonstration.
Justin Elder, 24, followed the protest as a passenger in a car and held a sign that read, "APD: Dressed To Kill."
"That's what this police force is about," Elder said.
Sunday's protest and another last week were in response to the 37 shootings Albuquerque police have been involved in since 2010, 23 of them fatal, including the recent case of a homeless camper killed after he appeared to be surrendering. By comparison, police in the similarly sized cities of Denver and Oakland have been involved in fatal and non-fatal shootings totaling 27 and 23, respectively.
The chief says officials decided to disperse the crowd with tear gas after a man pulled out an AK-47, others blocked traffic by lying down on Interstate 25 and unruly crowds trapped people and officers in cars. Protesters also started attacking each other, impeded emergency crews and blocked the entrance to a hospital.
There was only one minor injury, an officer who hurt his knee, Eden said. Four protesters were arrested during the 12-hour demonstration.
Justin Elder, 24, followed the protest as a passenger in a car and held a sign that read, "APD: Dressed To Kill."
"That's what this police force is about," Elder said.
Sunday's protest and another last week were in response to the 37 shootings Albuquerque police have been involved in since 2010, 23 of them fatal, including the recent case of a homeless camper killed after he appeared to be surrendering. By comparison, police in the similarly sized cities of Denver and Oakland have been involved in fatal and non-fatal shootings totaling 27 and 23, respectively.
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