Dozens of demonstrators gathered near The Venetian hotel on the Las Vegas strip on Sunday, protesting the death of Tashii Brown, who died after police used a Taser on him seven times before an officer put him in an unauthorized choke hold for longer than a minute earlier this month. The gathering used the slogan “Black Lives Still Don’t Matter,” to convey the message that community members do not feel equal in the eyes of the law.
The peaceful protest turned violent after a man wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat grabbed a woman by the neck and sent her to the ground, according to The Las Vegas Review Journal. The man had reportedly tried to get cars to drive down the street where the group of roughly 75 passengers were standing, and then went after the woman when she wouldn’t move. Fellow protesters then attacked the man.
Police arrested several people, including one who was suspected for carrying a weapon and another who was allegedly fighting. Others were charged for allegedly blocking traffic.
“We want them to come out here, have a voice, carry signs,” said Capt. Sasha Larkin. “You can absolutely come out here and share your viewpoint. The only thing that we ask is that you don’t block the travel lanes, and, of course, we will not tolerate any acts of violence on our streets or on the Strip.”
[Image via KLAS screengrab]
