Protests continue in New York City and nationwide in the wake of a Staten Island grand jury’s decision not to indict NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo in the death of Eric Garner. The jury was reportedly never asked to consider lesser charges that may have changed the end result. Last night into early Sunday morning, protests in Berkeley California turned violent and led to six arrests.
The ongoing protests, which have generally been peaceful, took a turn for the worse when, according to Berkeley police spokeswoman Jenn Coats, a group of protesters decided to damage and loot businesses. Officers tried to disperse crowds by resorting to tactics seen in the handling of Ferguson protests such as smoke and tear gas.
Coats also said protesters threw “rocks, bricks, bottles, and pipes” at officers in addition to damaging squad cars. One Berkeley police officer was hit with a sandbag and had to be treated for a dislocated shoulder.
[via ABC]
