Protests broke out in Louisville, Kentucky, Wednesday after no murder charges were announced following a grand jury investigation into the police shooting death of Breonna Taylor.
But based on video footage from reporter Brendan Gutenschwager, who appears to be on the ground in Louisville, some demonstrators seem to be segregating themselves along racial and gender lines.
A video tweeted by Gutenschwager shows Black Lives Matter protestors ordered by a man with a megaphone to allow preference for black women to protest out in front of white and male demonstrators.
“No one is to cross in front of the Black women” Protesters have grouped the front lines by race and gender, with a line of Black women, followed by a line of Black men, followed by everyone else #Louisville #BLM #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/rdWsxBFWFm
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) September 23, 2020
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The video showed the man ordering into a megaphone, “Listen, no one is to cross in front of the black women. No one.”
“Everybody keep a steady pace, no one crosses in front of the black women,” the man added.
Gutenschwager reported that the protesters were segregated by race and gender, with black women in the front, followed by black men.
Others protesting were reportedly required to stay in the back.
Do you agree with the grand jury’s decision to indict Hankison?
Taylor, 26, was a black woman who was killed in Louisville by a police officer during the service of a no-knock warrant after her residence was suspected of being used for drug activity on March 13.
Shots were fired, injuring an officer, and Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and Det. Myles Cosgrove returned fire. FBI ballistics analysis showed Cosgrove fired the shot that killed Taylor.
Officer Brett Hankison discharged his weapon 10 times, The Washington Post reported, and was indicted on three charges of wanton endangerment Wednesday.
The officer was fired from the department in June.
The charges Wednesday fell short of what demonstrators sought for the officers.
The situation in downtown Louisville began heating up immediately after the grand jury decided not to recommend murder charges.
Protesters have organized a full front line now as they move through the streets #Louisville #BreonnaTaylor pic.twitter.com/WHmiwVM2DU
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) September 23, 2020
Tensions building up in #Louisville pic.twitter.com/JM8WqchgoM
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) September 23, 2020
The National Guard has been activated in the city.
The city began bracing for violence this week as the grand jury decision was awaited.
This is Louisville today. They shut the city down as we await the decision on holding the officers who murdered Breonna Taylor accountable.
Closed government buildings and boarded them up.
Shut down gas stations.
Barricaded the roads.
This can only mean one thing. pic.twitter.com/SHNzGJLCOJ— Laura Christie ✊🏽 (@Laura_Christie3) September 22, 2020
The LMPD issued an emergency declaration on Monday and began putting up vehicle barricades around downtown Louisville, according to The Hill.
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