Organizing peaceful protests

Organizing peaceful protests, 13 Action news talks to organizers in Las Vegas.

ORGANIZE A PEACEFUL GATHERING?JACKIE KOSTEK ANCHORINGBREAKING COVERAGE ALLWEEKEND...AND NOW LIVE UP IN CHOPPER13....AND JACKIE YOU SPOKE TOONE OF THE ACTIVISTS?TRICIA AND TODD, FOR THE PASTSEVERAL DAYS IN LAS VEGAS WE'VESEEN A TALE OF TWO PROTESTS.THE MASS MAJORITY OF PROTESTERSWE'VE SPOKEN TO SAY THEY WANTTHESE PROTESTS TO REMAINPEACEFUL AND MANY HAVE.WE'VE WATCHED GROUPS OFHUNDREDS MARCH UP AND DOWN THELAS VEGAS STRIP AND IN DOWNTOWNLAS VEGAS.BUT FOR THE PAST COUPLE OFNIGHTS WE'VE ALSO SEENSITUATIONS DEVOLVE - POLICEDEPLOYING TEAR GAS ANDSHOOTING RUBBER BULLETS ATPROTESTERS.PROTESTERS THROWING ROCKS ANDWATER BOTTLES AT POLICE.METRO SAYS THEY BELIEVE CERTAINAGITATORS ARE COMING INTO THESEPEACEFUL GROUPS, USUALLY AFTERTHE SUN SETS AND CHANGING THEMETRO SAYS THEY BELIEVE CERTAINAGITATORS ARE COMING INTO THESEHELPING TO GET THE WORD OUTTURNER WALKER III IS ATHIRD-GENERATION ACTIVIST.HE SAYS THE GOAL OF RECENTAFRICAN AMERICANS.FOR WALKER, THAT MEANSDEMONSTRATING PEACEFULLY ANDENGAGING IN OPEN CONVERSATIONSWITH OFFICERS ON THE GROUND."MY GOAL PERSONALLY WAS TO TRYTO COMMUNICATE TO AS MANYOFFICERS AND CAPTAINS WHY IFEEL LIKE MY BLACK LIFEMATTERED AND THE IMPORTANCE OFACCOUNTABILITY." WALKER SAYSTHAT HE HOPES OFFICERS HOLDTHEIR OWN ACCOUNTABLE AS HEHOLDS HIS FELLOW PROTESTERS."I WAS IN A SITUATION WHERE I'MTALKING TO POLICE OFFICERS ANDA FEW FEET AWAY FROM ME HERE'SA GUY AGITATING OFFICERS ANDTALKING TRASH TO OFFICERS ANDHE'S AGITATING THEM AND HE'SREALLY IN THEIR FACESINSTIGATING." WALKER SAYS HEAPPROACHED THE OTHER PROTESTERAND GOT INTO A HEATEDDISCUSSION."YOU'RE OUT HERE FOR ALL THEWRONG REASONS.YOU'RE OUT HERE FOR EVERYSINGLE REASON WE'RE NOT OUTHERE FOR." WALKER SAYS IFPROTESTERS ARE TRYING TO KEEPIT PEACEFUL AND MAKE THEIRVOICES HEARD, VIOLENCE ANDAGITATION WON'T BENEFIT THEM,ALTHOUGH HE UNDERSTANDS THEIRFRUSTRATIONS BECAUSE HE HASTHEM TOO.WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF OURCOUNTRY'S HISTORY OF SLAVERYAND SYSTEMIC RACISM, WALKERSAYS HE WILL CONTINUE SHOWINGUP FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE."I HAVE HOPE BUT I DON'T GET MYHOPES UP."THERE'S NO OFFICIAL BLM CHAPTERIN VEGAS BUT RATHER SMALLERGROUPS OF PEOPLE PLANNINGPROTESTS AND ADVOCATING FORCHANGE.AD LIBS JACKIE KOSTEK 13 ACTIONNEWS.TENSION....STRESS... AND...THE ABILITY TO MAKE ....THERIGHT DECISION....