LOUISVILLE, Kentucky.
- The state legislator behind the police reform bill known as the
Breonna Law
again took to the streets on Friday to protest after being arrested along with a group of protesters the night before.
Representative Attica Scott, D-Frankfort, Kentucky, joined hundreds of people downtown on the third night of protests
after the state attorney general announced Wednesday that no charges will be brought against police for the murder of Breonna Taylor in March during a police intervention at her home.
"Every day this week the numbers have increased, especially after there have been unjust arrests," Scott said Friday, referring to the arrests of her and other citizens.
"It is beautiful, it is amazing and it is what we have been promoting for months: love, community and solidarity," he added.
A protester is detained by Louisville, Kentucky, police officers during a march on September 25, 2020.Eduardo Munoz / Reuters
According to the arrest report, she was "part of a large group" that was ordered to disperse and "did not."
"The subjects caused extensive damage in various locations, including the Louisville Public Library fire," the report states.
Scott faced charges of felony riot and illegal assembly, according to the report.
She refuted the accusations and stated that she was trying to defend the library.
US Representative John Yarmuth, D-Kentucky, posted on Facebook: "Harassing, indicting, arresting and charging her with setting fire to a library, apparently minutes before the curfew was in effect, is as stupid as it is false."
The Jefferson County, Louisville Democratic Party called for an investigation into Scott's arrest.
In a statement, they announced that Scott's adult daughter, Ashanti Scott, was also arrested Thursday night.
Taylor was killed in March when police executed a search warrant at her apartment.
Her boyfriend shot at the door and hit an officer.
Police responded to the fire and killed Taylor.
It was announced Wednesday that a grand jury charged a single officer who had shot a neighbor's apartment with reckless recklessness.
Protesters protested the decision that night in which two policemen were injured in a shooting.
On Thursday night, when protesters were seeking refuge in a church and police were on the move to make arrests, Scott was arrested.
Scott introduced the
Breonna Act
, a bill that would require police to use body cameras when serving warrants and hitting and verbally announcing during raids.
Protesters march in Louisville, Kentucky, on September 25, 2020.Eduardo Munoz / Reuters
On Friday night, Tamika Palmer, Taylor's mother, led a group of protesters in the city center.
Lonita Baker, an attorney for Taylor's family, applauded the community for showing their support and for demanding justice.
"It is what we needed. This amount of people who go out to the streets will become votes for the elections," Baker said.
Protester Nicole Aghaaliandastjerdi claimed that she was protesting for Taylor's family.
“I think the community here is very strong and we want Tamika Palmer and her family to know that we love her,” she stated.
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The protest was declared illegal, the police threw stun grenades, and citizens began to disperse.
The curfew was in effect until Monday morning, between 09:00 pm and 06:30 am.
Some protesters again headed toward the First Unitarian Church, where they successfully sought refuge on Thursday night.
"We will continue to present ourselves as long as justice is not done. When justice is done, we will stop taking to the streets," said protester Reena Paracha.
A Louisville police spokesman confirmed there were 23 arrests on Friday
.
More details about those arrests are expected to be released on Saturday.
Hours earlier, a man who allegedly pointed a laser pointer at a Louisville Metro Police Department helicopter was charged with violating federal law, prosecutors said.
Manuel Martin Salazarleija Jr., 25, of Louisville, told investigators that he believed the aircraft was being used to monitor the protests, according to the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Kentucky and the criminal complaint.
The helicopter was in the area to monitor a vehicle fleeing the scene of a robbery at Walgreens, according to authorities.
Salazarleija used the laser pointer from a third-floor bedroom window, according to authorities.
The officers suffered headaches that interfered with their ability to operate the helicopter safely, but both were fine, a police spokesman said.
Other cities also experienced another day of protests
.
In Oakland, California, police tweeted that bottles and cans had been thrown at officers as a crowd of more than 250 demonstrated.
Police said they made arrests for assaults on officers, but no damage to infrastructure was reported.
There were also protests in West Hollywood in the Los Angeles area and in San Diego where there were 10 detainees, respectively.
In San Diego, one was arrested for allegedly stealing a cell phone from someone who was recording protesters and two others for allegedly interfering with an arrest.
Chloe Atkins reported from Louisville and Dennis Romero from California.
With information from Wave3.
