RICHMOND, Va. -- The police headquarters in downtown Richmond was heavily fortified Thursday night, but protests remained peaceful as of 11 p.m. Thursday evening.
Monroe Park is where hundreds got their marching orders, and organizers made it clear that their message wasn't about the removal of Confederate monuments, but about equality, justice, and accountability for the police.
Among the demands listed to Mayor Stoney included the firing of a police officer who was captured in a video that witnesses say appear to show him spitting on a handcuffed protester on Monument Avenue.
But police say a frame-by-frame analysis of the video shows the officer was spitting on the grass, and not on the protester. RPD also said that the spitting was due to exposure to the tear gas which police had fired moments earlier.
A slow motion analysis shows the officers spitting on the grass and not on the detainee who was sitting on a nearby curb. The frequent coughing and spitting was due to exposure to tear gas.
— Richmond Police (@RichmondPolice) June 3, 2020
For a sixth night, protesters went North through Jackson Ward and hundreds blocked the road, at times laying down in front of Fourth Precinct on Chamberlayne Avenue.
While emotions ran high, it was a peaceful demonstration.
A human barrier of police, troopers and the National Guard was in position.
