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Ikonomova writes: "Detroit police rammed a crowd of demonstrators with an SUV Sunday night then sped forward, squealing their tires and sending two who were hanging on the hood flying."

Detroit police drove an SUV through a group of protesters on Sunday night. (photo: Twitter)
Detroit police drove an SUV through a group of protesters on Sunday night. (photo: Twitter)


Detroit Police Ram Protesters With SUV

By Violet Ikonomova, Deadline Detroit

29 June 20

 

etroit police rammed a crowd of demonstrators with an SUV Sunday night then sped forward, squealing their tires and sending two who were hanging on the hood flying.

The incident occurred after 9 p.m. at Waterman and Vernor in Southwest Detroit, protester Anthony Scannell tells Deadline Detroit. Video posted to social media showed demonstrators closing in around the vehicle just before they were rammed, with two hopping on the hood. Police later said a window of the cruiser was broken by demonstrators, though it was not immediately clear if that happened before or after the officer began to drive into the crowd.

The Free Press reports the men hurled continued marching afterward. At least two others were hurt and treated by medics, with one "severely bleeding" from his arm, Scannell said.

Another demonstrator who posted video of the incident, Ethan Ketner, wrote that 10-12 people were "struck by this reckless driver who somehow has a badge."

A Detroit police spokeswoman said the department is investigating and could not immediately provide further details.

Demonstrators encountered the police vehicle and three others blocking the intersection as they returned from a series of speeches in Clark Park, Scannell said. Police spokeswoman Sergeant Nicole Kirkwood said the officers were there to ensure protesters walked in a specific direction.

Jae Bass, one of the men on the hood, tells the Free Press he tried to stand in front of the police SUV to stop it before it endangered protesters.

"In response to that, he just floored it," Bass said. "He went super fast. Me and a couple of other organizers that were with me, just went flinging off. We went flying off. He ran over a couple people's arms, feet. He ran over her phone. I think I was the last person on the car. I was just holding onto the car. I could feel him speeding up and then he did one of these and he flinged me off the car."

Video showed a second police vehicle activate its siren afterward and drive past the demonstrators without rendering aid.

The protest was reportedly peaceful in the lead up to the police violence. Peaceful demonstrators have gathered nightly in Detroit for about a month now, led by the group Detroit Will Breathe. Sunday's demonstration included activists from more than 20 groups.

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