Petitions delivered to Durham Police Chief Jose Lopez
DURHAM (WTVD) -- Durham Police Chief Jose Lopez was presented with a special delivery late Friday afternoon.
About 60 people marched to the police department, several handing an officer copies of a petition and a list of their demands. The officer assured the protesters he would personally deliver the petitions to Chief Lopez.
The demonstration comes on the heels of a handful of protests in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. On Dec. 5, protesters marched through the streets, causing police to shut down the Durham Freeway and two intersections downtown.
Protesters claim police in riot gear pushed demonstrators to the ground while arresting 31 of them for failure to disperse.
Durham residents who drafted the petition are demanding the Durham Police Department train all officers in de-escalation crowd control, stop interfering with protesters' right to peacefully assemble, and to investigate incidents from the Dec. 5 demonstration. They claim excessive force was used.
"I think it's going to bring awareness that police brutality here in Durham, the excessive use of force, not just with the protesters but in general has to stop," said Rachel Storer, a protest organizer. "There has to be new rules and regulations."
Durham Mayor Bill Bell has told ABC11 that blocking traffic on the highway was unacceptable and protesters should be prepared to face the consequences for their actions.
Bell said he asked for a report on police response during recent protests, but Lopez has not commented on that request.
After the group presented the signatures Friday, they circled the police station and chanted for about 45 minutes.
