Editor’s note: This live blog was updated throughout the day on May 30 with updates on the protests that took place in Indianapolis. The cover photo for the blog has since been updated with a photo from the May 30 protests.
10:30 p.m. ET:
We have ended our coverage of the protests for today. We encourage you to remain safe if you are on the streets downtown and that you check out Indianapolis media for more updates on the protests.
10:26 p.m. ET:
What is believed to be gunshots have been heard near Ohio Street in Downtown Indianapolis.
10:23 p.m. ET:
Reports from one of our reporters said that people had been arrested outside of the City-County Building.
The protest has gone back to being peaceful as the protesters marched down Mass Ave. When the protesters turned down Delaware Street, our reporter said that the number of protesters had gone down dramatically.
Several cars have also begun to honk in solidarity with protesters downtown.
9:08 p.m. ET:
Tear gas was deployed at the City-County Building.
8:14 p.m. ET:
Protesters have marched on Monument Circle, the Indiana World War Memorial and at the intersection of Meridian and Vermont. Protesters have asked that everyone remain peaceful during the protests and took a moment of silence for those who had lost their lives from police brutality.
Protesters also shared that after 7 p.m., police had orders to disrupt and disperse the crowd and could be arrested. Chants sharing a phone number for those who are in need of bail also began.
5:33 p.m. ET:
University of Indianapolis President Robert Manuel sent out an email to students, faculty and staff to inform the campus community that the university will be a resource. Manuel opened the email with “So much is happening in our world right now that it is hard to focus on any one item,” continuing with how much time the university has spent on being safe with the spread of the Coronavirus. Manuel continued saying that today the focus on the injustices that have been happening throughout the country.
“Today, we must focus on the recent injustices that are occurring around the country that interfere with our black population’s right to live free and fulfilling lives,” Manuel said.
In the email, Manuel said that with Vice President and Chief Inclusion and Equity Officer Amber Smith they will “…collect those powerful advocates, start connecting as a community, and design the public engagements we need to have a positive impact on our society.”
Manuel announced in the email that there will be a Town Hall on Thursday, June 4 titled “Profiled: The Plight of the Blacks in America” at 3 p.m., with more details to be released by the Office of Equity and Inclusion to come later.
Included with the email were links to resources provided to UIndy students, such as University Chaplains, the Office of Equity and Inclusion and the Office of Student Affairs. A link to how to help Minneapolis was also provided in the email.
2:57 p.m. ET:
During a press conference on Saturday afternoon, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Chief Randal Taylor said that multiple people were injured and that business and city property was damaged during last night’s protests.
Three officers and three protestors were injured overnight. 27 people were arrested in connection to the protests overnight, according to Taylor. 30 businesses were damaged and five IMPD police vehicles were also damaged.
With protests occurring in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and across the country, here’s some helpful tip sheets from the ACLU and Amnesty International about your rights, how to stay safe during protests and what you should do if you are detained.
ACLU: https://www.aclu.org/sites/default/files/field_pdf_file/kyr_protests.pdf
Amnesty International: https://www.amnestyusa.org/pdfs/SafeyDuringProtest_F.pdf
2:32 p.m. ET:
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb released a statement on the protests around 1:20 PM this afternoon. Holcomb said that it was counterproductive to injure the innocent in response to an injustice. The Indiana State Police has been asked by Holcomb to “fully support and make resources available” to communities across the state to ensure that Indiana’s citizens, and their property, remain safe.
Downtown Indy, Inc. released a statement on last night’s violence, saying what happened last night did “remarkable and senseless” damage to properties downtown that will cost millions of dollars to rebuild and restore.
The Greenwood Park Mall in Greenwood, Indiana was closed at 12 p.m. today due to recent events, Greenwood Police announced in a statement.
Early this morning, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett addressed last night’s protests.
Hogsett also asked that people avoid the downtown area so that officials could assess the damage.
Last night, demonstrators came to the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Monument Circle in Downtown Indianapolis to protest the deaths of black citizens by law enforcement. Demonstrators were protesting the deaths of Dreasjon Reed in Indianapolis, Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky and the recent death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, according to The Indianapolis Star.
The protests in Indianapolis were part of a nationwide trend of protests that occurred in other cities, such as Atlanta, Louisville and Minneapolis, according to IndyStar.
Cover Photo by Tony Reeves
Clarification: May 31, 2020 at 1:35 p.m. — The byline of this blog has been adjusted to clearly reflect the authors of the updates.
