LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Dozens of people were arrested at protests in downtown Little Rock over the death of George Floyd, the governor said Wednesday as demonstrations continued in Arkansas’ capital city.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson said 79 people were arrested late Tuesday after protests outside the Capitol and the governor’s mansion marked the fourth night of demonstrations over the Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody.
Floyd died May 25 after an officer pressed his knee into his neck for almost nine minutes even after Floyd stopped moving and pleading for air. Hutchinson on Tuesday declared an emergency in response to the protests.
Unlike the previous three nights, State Police did not use tear gas to disperse crowds of protesters, and Hutchinson said the night was more peaceful despite the arrests. Col. Bill Bryant, the State Police director, said officers began arresting people after at least one business was damaged following the protest outside the governor’s mansion.
Wednesday’s demonstrations included a group of protesters outside Little Rock City Hall, and some demonstrators began to gather again at the Capitol late in the afternoon.
Little Rock Police Chief Keith Humphrey said the 79 people were arrested on charges of obstructing government operations and were released after being taken to the Pulaski County jail. All of the people arrested were from Arkansas.
Mayor Frank Scott on Tuesday imposed an 8 p.m. curfew because of the demonstrations and the coronavirus oubreak. North Little Rock’s mayor imposed an identical curfew on Wednesday.
Two reporters from Little Rock television station KATV and another from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette covering the protests were detained, even after showing their press credentials. They were later released.
The detentions were criticized by press groups, including the Arkansas Press Association.
“The APA condemns these actions and calls on authorities to put a stop to these dangerous tactics that undermine the freedom of the press,” the group said in a statement late Tuesday.
Hutchinson said he thinks reporters should be protected, noting that a Democrat-Gazette reporter was assaulted covering the protests Monday night, and said he understands they have a job to do covering the protests.
“They should not be arrested, but they have to be identified and when they’re identified as a journalist obviously they should go about their business,” he said.
___
Follow Andrew DeMillo on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/ademillo
Please read our comment policy before commenting.