Two groups of protesters gathered near the Provo police station Wednesday night, one to show support for systemic change to American police departments and another to show support for the police. The protest was peaceful. (Photo credit: Alex Cabrero KSL5 TV)
PROVO— Two groups of protesters gathered in downtown Provo on Wednesday night near the Provo police station.
This follows a protest Monday night in Provo that escalated after police say a protester pulled a gun and shot a driver who was near the protest. Provo police say that two people are under arrest in connection with the Monday night shooting.
Combined, there were approximately 200 people at the events according to KSL.com. Those included armed individuals, as well as others there to protest the deaths of Black Americans.
That group chanted things like “Black Lives Matter,” “No Justice, No Peace,” and “I can’t breathe.”
The group of protesters were carrying firearms and wearing camouflage. Some of them carried “Trump 2020” signs in addition to displaying American flags.
Lastly, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) had a few people at the protest to document and observe the event with cameras and microphones.
There were some exchanges between the two groups, but reportedly nothing escalated beyond that.
Provo Mayor Michelle Kaufusi announced Wednesday there will be a large police presence along with the protesters. The police will be visible to the public to show protection of the businesses, private communities, and public properties in the surrounding areas.
The protests in Provo may disrupt traffic flow so it is advised to avoid downtown as much as possible. City authorities said there will be no tolerance for violence or disruptive performances during protests.