© 2024 KRWG
News that Matters.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

After Stephon Clark Shooting, Sacramento Protests Grow More Diverse

SARAH MCCAMMON, HOST:

Now to Sacramento, where protests continued last night for a fifth day following the shooting death of an unarmed black man by police. Last night's demonstration was the largest confrontation yet between protesters and law enforcement. And the protests seemed to be getting more diverse, as Capital Public Radio's Bob Moffitt reports.

BOB MOFFITT, BYLINE: It's been two weeks since Stephon Clark was shot and killed by officers responding to calls of someone breaking car windows. Most of those protesting the shooting have been local members of the black community. They've filled city council chambers, marched through downtown and closed Interstate 5. But Saturday's event in South Sacramento was more diverse. Ruben Rodriguez was one of 200 protesters. He's Hispanic and came from an earlier event for Cesar Chavez Day.

RUBEN RODRIGUEZ: But it's time we show up. We show up in masses, and we let them know that this is wrong, you know? It's wrong. We've got to show the kids that. We've got to let them know.

MOFFITT: Tom Harra attends UC Davis. He's white with a mop of bright pink hair. He and a friend held a banner that said no justice, no peace.

TOM HARRA: We've just come to this point where we're like, yes, this is a systemic problem. And so, like, we need to have that conversation.

MOFFITT: Previous rallies were led by Sacramento Black Lives Matter, but this event was led by the ANSWER Coalition to Stop War and End Racism. People who've led protests in other parts of the country are also coming here.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: Say his name.

UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: Stephon Clark.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: Say his name.

UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: Stephon Clark.

MOFFITT: Thursday, it was Reverend Al Sharpton. Saturday, it was Alexander Clark, who came from Minnesota. His cousin Jamar was shot and killed in 2015 during a struggle with officers in Minneapolis.

ALEXANDER CLARK: I came out here from Minneapolis, Minn., and I felt like it was important...

MOFFITT: Saturday's protest turned into a march, which included an encounter with two Sacramento County sheriff's deputies in their vehicles. One woman was hit but not seriously injured as one officer attempted to drive away from the protesters. She was taken to a hospital and released. As the march continued, a California Highway Patrol helicopter circled overhead.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: (Unintelligible).

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #3: You heard them. Get out of here.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: Please disperse immediately.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: In a sea of red and blue lights, 60 officers in riot gear arrived. And after an hour, Alexander Clark told protesters to leave, and the march was over. For NPR News, I'm Bob Moffitt in Sacramento. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

Bob Moffitt