TACOMA, Wash. (AP) – The demonstrators set off a huge fire, damaged buildings and marched with signs on Sunday night in response to a police car passing a crowd in Washington state the day before, leaving at least two people injured.
Protesters gathered near the intersection in Tacoma, where the police car passed a crowd of pedestrians responding to a reported street race on Saturday night. The video of the incident was widely shared online and appeared to show at least one person being run over.
Both wounded went to hospitals with injuries not considered potentially fatal. Since then, one person has been released, the media reported.
On Sunday night, protesters gathered in a park, then marched through the city center, where windows were smashed and spray paint was streaked across several buildings. Several items were set up to create a barricade on the street where a large trash can was set on fire. Protesters also passed through Pierce County Jail.
There were no injuries reported at the demonstration, police said in a tweet, adding that the protest was released around 11 pm.
The police officer involved in Saturday’s incident is a 58-year-old man who has been in the department for 29 and a half years, Tacoma police said. He was surrounded by a crowd after arriving at the supposed street race. People started hitting the vehicle, and the officer feared for his safety. The policeman advanced through the crowd, stopped and called for medical help, the police said.
The officer was placed on paid administrative leave.
The protesters told the media that they want the policeman to be fired and criticized the city for what they considered a lack of transparency.
The Tacoma Community Police Advisory Committee scheduled a virtual meeting for Monday at 6 pm to discuss the incident.
The Pierce County Force Investigation Team is investigating Saturday’s incident. The team is made up of police officers from across the county and community representatives, The Seattle Times reported.
Police also said on Sunday that while police were watching the protest, three people appeared to be trying to climb onto the roof of a building in the city center. Two were armed with a revolver and knives and were arrested. The third fled.
Tacoma is located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Seattle.