Posted on 07/19/2016 6:38:11 AM PDT by mbarker12474
13 Black Lives Matter protesters arrested after blocking I-95S traffic Monday, July 18
By Shawn Maclauchlan, Senior Digital Content Producer and Chris Thomas, Anchor and Stephanie Robusto, Reporter
RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) -
I-95S is back open after Black Lives Matter protesters blocked off traffic near Belvidere on Monday.
At least a dozen protesters blocked off all southbound lanes around 5:45 p.m. and draped a sign on the overpass.
Several State Police cruisers, as well as Richmond Police and a helicopter, arrived on scene. Lanes reopened around 6:20 p.m.
"It's good for us," said Black Lives Matter supporter Melinda Watkins. "These white folks think they can rule the world. Especially VCU [Police]. They think they own the whole world, but they don't. God owns this world."
However, most of the protesters that stopped traffic on Monday were white. Organizers say it was planned this way. The protest was meant to show white people "putting their lives on the line for black people."
"Anytime you can't walk the street unless you have a cop running up on you then you are not safe," said Watkins. "I don't feel safe. Not with them."
"Yes. It is unfair that people are being stranded from going home, but it's also unfair that African American men are being killed on a daily basis by police officers," said Jameila Grant. "It's unacceptable."
Grant was leaving work and decided to join the protesters.
"I think it should have been done in the morning," said Grant. "Stop people from opening businesses and making money, because when money is being tapped into and it hurts the city, then a difference is going to be made. So absolutely. This is correct."
Police arrested 13 of the protesters at the scene. According to Deputy Steve Drew with the Richmond Police Department, "It does not appear that the majority of those individuals are from the Richmond metro area."
State Police say they charged the protesters that refused to get off the Interstate with being pedestrians on a highway and for impeding the flow of traffic.
"Its all about community policing, free speech, and their rights," said Drew. "They know the rules, but we cant have public safety jeopardized."
Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones also arrived at the scene. He was concerned about public safety being jeopardized if any emergency vehicles were trying to pass through stopped traffic.
"We respect the right of individuals to protest, however, we draw the line when the activities of life become handicapped. When you block an intersection, you don’t know if people are going to the hospital, or emergency vehicles need to get from place to place. So when that happens, it becomes a problem," said Mayor Jones.
That respect between officers and their community is one reason the Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones believes the river city is keeping calm in such a turbulent time.
"Richmond is a unique place. We've responded very well. We have good relationships with our police force and our police force has a good relationship with our community," said Mayor Jones.
But he believes there are better ways for your voice to be heard.
"I would participate in several different discussions, trying to process a very difficult time. Not just in Richmond, but the United States of America and the world," said Mayor Jones.
Traffic was backed up several miles throughout the city of Richmond.
""Anytime you can't walk the street unless you have a cop running up on you then you are not safe," said Watkins. "I don't feel safe. Not with them."
"Yes. It is unfair that people are being stranded from going home, but it's also unfair that African American men are being killed on a daily basis by police officers," said Jameila Grant. "It's unacceptable."
Way to win people over to your cause! Make them late for something.
What I note from the multiple pictures at the URL cited is that most of the ‘black lives’ in the demonstration are actually ‘white lives.’
It begs the question to me of “how really committed are ‘black lives’ to peacefully protesting injustice (by BLM)rather than go off on a foray of dispersed violence and murder?”
That photo shows the utter dependence of the terrorists on the good will of We the People. In a less civil society, they would have been squashed and nobody would have shed a tear.
Mandatory 1-year jail and $25,000 fine. No exceptions.
Jameila Grant is a liar.
Arrests along are meaningless.
Call me when their sceptic Dorkbamaholes are in jail for a couple of weeks.
Well said!
This is good as these AHoles are just pissing EVERYONE off
Clear them all out ASAP, no matter how many. They show up solely to be a distraction and cover for a cop killer.
Where the #### is this happening??
Literally dozens here would get out of the car and beat the #### out of a lousy 10 or 12 people.
They’re always ready to fight here as it is lol.
What parts of the country are people putting up with this? Manhattan, yeah.
Wouldn’t go over to well in Brooklyn or SI.
Crazy albanians and russians in BKLN would stomp them.
Two years and a $20,000 dollar fine. I think that’s the proper response. 2nd offense - 10 years and $100,000 dollar fine. 3rd strike and you’re out - for good.
Oh, and the Orlando shooter is purported to have been picked on for being muslim at work.
poor baby.
In the late 90s, I was in charge of about 70 people in graphics dept.
I used to tell the black and hispanic guys (not women) that htey had to use the seperate but equal water founain in the back :)
Sometimes they’d call me a mobster back. :)
Nothing was ever reported and a lot of those guys sent me cards and money and food and other gifts when I got sick and had to leave.
And this guy kills 50 people.
Ramming Speed !
Throw their asses in jail and be sure to fine them. This is against the law and is putting peoples lives in harms way.
Screw all the people exercising their rights, we're worried about emergency vehicles.
My brother is a long-haul trucker and he got caught up when BLM closed off the bridge on I-40 in Memphis. He gets paid by the mile, so for five hours he sat in his truck, burning fuel and not getting paid. I don’t think it made him any more sympathetic to the BLM cause.
Sorry, pedestrians DON"T have the right of way on a freeway. Shouldn't blocking interstate traffic be a felony? Throw them in jail.
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