Riots over law enforcement expanded to Tempe, Arizona, on Monday, with tear gas and projectiles exchanged after protesters defied police orders not to block a street, resulting in seven arrests and one cop injured.
The demonstration of about 200 reportedly began peacefully at about 5 p.m. but turned violent when marchers strayed into the street, ignored orders to return to the sidewalk, and began blocking traffic. Police at that point declared an unlawful assembly, ordered the crowd to disperse, and when that was disobeyed, unleashed tear gas.
The crowd responded with projectiles, one of which struck an officer in the face and required medical attention, local media reported.
The mayhem came two days after Seattle police declared a riot in that city and as protests and riots continued into a ninth week in Portland following the death of a Black man in police custody in Minneapolis on Memorial Day.
The Tempe demonstration was organized by Tempe Against Police Violence, Black Lives Matter Phoenix-Metro, Direct Action Arizona, and Young Democratic Socialists of America to protest the death of a Black man shot and killed by an Arizona State Trooper on May 25, the U.K.'s Daily Mail reported.
In that incident, the officer, George Cervantes, said, during a traffic stop, the suspect was pulling him into the car through the driver's side door window by his arm that was holding his gun. He said he feared the suspect would gain control of the weapon, and after ordering him to stop, shot in self defense.
"We want awareness, justice," organizer Darien Barrett said. "We want everything that we have been crying for. We want answers."
Protesters also called for police defunding, demilitarization of the police, and for the removal of drug-related and mental health calls from local police juristiction, Phoenix Fox affiliate KSAZ reported.
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