Marina Peña, Chava Sanchez and Gina Pollack contributed to this story.
At least one person was injured during a protest against police brutality in downtown L.A. today, following the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed by a white police officer yesterday in Minnesota.
The L.A. protest was scheduled for 4 p.m. today, in front of Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey's office, and promoted by the L.A. chapter of Black Lives Matter.
“We’re calling for officers who kill people to go to prison and because Jackie Lacey, the district attorney, won’t do that, she needs to be voted out," said Dr. Melina Abdullah, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles.
Passing cars honked in solidarity, as hundreds of protesters walked through downtown with their fists up, chanting "When We Fight, We Win" and "Jackie Lacey Must Go."
Protesters eventually made their way from City Hall onto the 101 Freeway, blocking eastbound traffic.
That's when protesters surrounded a California Highway Patrol car, according to ABC7:
"As the CHP car tried to flee, a man rode on the car's hood for a few seconds, then fell off and appeared to hit his head as he fell to the ground. He then remained motionless as a crowd gathered around him."
WATCH: Protest march in downtown Los Angeles turns violent. One protester was injured after climbing on a CHP cruiser. A person broke the rear window and the officer drove off. (Video courtesy of ABC 7)
— KESQ News Channel 3 (@KESQ) May 28, 2020
More Details: https://t.co/z8mFtwmltU pic.twitter.com/NAh2vPG8fq
LAFD paramedics were on the scene responding to injuries.
LAist visual journalist Chava Sanchez captured a photo of LAFD officers putting the man into the back of an ambulance. The man who fell off the CHP vehicle was bloody, but his injuries did not appear to be life-threatening, Chava said.
Protesters, most wearing masks, shut down the 101 Freeway tonight near downtown LA to protest the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, who died after a police officer stood on his neck while detaining him pic.twitter.com/rgI36eXOys
— LAist (@LAist) May 28, 2020
Floyd, a black man, was killed by a white Minnesota police officer yesterday, sparking protests across the country.
The whole encounter was recorded on video and spread on social media. According to NPR, the video shows the white officer's knee planted firmly on George Floyd's neck, as Floyd calls out for help.
Here's what the protest looked like earlier today:
KPCC/LAist producer Marina Peña was also on the scene. She did not see the accident happen but said the freeway was totally blocked off and police cars and paramedics were everywhere.
After the freeway accident happened, protesters made their way to the nearby Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center, where organizers talked about fighting against a system that supports mass incaceration and police brutality.
A response could be heard from inside the detention center, where inmates were banging on the walls.
Earlier in the afternoon, actor and activist Kendrick Sampson spoke to the crowd, calling the system of policing in America "anti-black."
The mother of Kenneth Ross Junior, a 25-year-old black man who was killed by Gardena police in 2018, also spoke to protesters, adding that, like Floyd, her son was "killed by a white racist cop."
Other protesters noted the increased police presence at the event.
“We’re protesting the police and we’re surrounded by police and they’re here to intimidate us so we won’t do this,” said 35-year-old Black Lives Matter L.A. Organizer Tanissia Sprull. “We’re people, too, and there’s nothing wrong with being black and there’s nothing wrong with seeking justice for these families.”
READ MORE ABOUT GEORGE FLOYD JUNIOR:
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