Protests continue in Salt Lake City on Saturday

People were gathering in front of the Utah Capitol Saturday evening, in an eighth straight day of protests in Salt Lake City.

About 200 people held signs that read “Don’t Shoot” and “Black Lives Matter,” and cheered as passing cars honked and waved in support. A vigil is scheduled for Bernardo Palacios-Carbajal — a 22-year-old man who was shot and killed by Salt Lake City police two weeks ago.

“Justice for Bernardo!” some yelled as Utah Highway Patrol troopers milled around the Capitol grounds, which have been closed for most of this week after it was vandalized during last Saturday.

Protesters had gathered earlier in the day at City Hall in downtown Salt Lake City and at the University of Utah.

Outside City Hall, a crowd of at least 100 people listened to community activists, teachers, students, religious leaders and Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall. The crowd then marched to the city’s Public Safety Building, where they were met by police Chief Mike Brown.

At the University of Utah, hundreds drove from Guardsman Way to the U.'s public safety building. Cars covered with Black Lives Matter messages were filled with protestors holding signs demanding justice and police reform, as passing motorists honked their horns to show support.

Palacios-Carbajal was killed in the early morning of May 23 after police responding to a call of a gun threat chased him for several blocks when he ran from a motel. Body camera footage released Friday afternoon showed the officers encountered Palacios at the Utah Village Motel, 271 W. 900 South, just after 2 a.m. One officer yells, “Show me your hands!” as Palacios starts to run away.

The officers chased Palacios-Carbajal for several blocks, and he stumbled several times before two officers fired at least 20 shots at him while he was trying to run away.

It doesn’t appear from the body cam videos from the three officers that Palacios-Carbajal ever pointed a gun at them. Police say a weapon was found near him after he was shot.His family has called for accountability, and elected leaders asked for a speedy investigation of the police’s use of force.

“We’ve committed to each other that we will be friends. And through that friendship, we develop. And trust leads to love.” — Chief of police Mike Bornw??? Libby

from The Salt Lake Tribune https://ift.tt/3cGyYam