Black Lives Matter protesters gathered outside the Public Safety Building downtown following their news conference at City Hall today...facing what appeared to be an equal number of police officers.
There was some blocking of streets at Exchange Boulevard and Court Street, and BLM organizer Ashley Gantt was detained after entering the Public Safety Building. She was released after a short time and returned to the demonstration. Demonstrators briefly stopped a pickup truck from driving down the street but eventually let the driver go on. Demonstrators rattled chain of barriers, but police faced off with the demonstrators and held them up.
Pepper spray and pepper balls were fired into the crowd.
Police asked people to avoid the Exchange and Court area.