After night of looting and destruction, Arlington protest remains peaceful

During a protest Tuesday in Arlington, a white police officer approached an intersection on Cooper Street and dropped to one knee.

Protesters rushed forward to hug him, a show of appreciation for his support of the movement against police violence that has swept the nation.

Hundreds gathered near Arlington City Hall on Tuesday for the city’s second protest in response to the death of black Minneapolis resident George Floyd.

The event remained peaceful into the early evening, but it followed a day of protesting Monday that turned violent, escalating into the looting of a Walmart near AT&T Stadium and other businesses.

Six people were arrested, and police are investigating to find others involved, said Lt. Chris Cook, Arlington Police spokesman.

Arlington has not implemented a curfew, but the option isn’t off the table, Cook said.

On Tuesday, the protesters spent about an hour chanting various phrases and displaying signs to the cars driving by before making their way down Cooper Street, often stopping to kneel in intersections.

“No justice, no peace,” Fort Worth resident Jibri Burgess said before referring to the four responding officers in the Floyd case. “We need four convictions in this particular instance.”

The crowd came to a halt at the downtown library, kneeling in silence while Burgess spoke after being inspired by a fellow marcher, he said.

Reese Oxner @reeseoxner

 · 14h

Replying to @reeseoxner

The group has circled around UTA and continued to the Downtown Library.

Reese Oxner @reeseoxner

The protestors have stopped in front of the Downtown Library.

2:58 AM – Jun 3, 2020

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“The reason I stood up to speak today, man, was because the message that I was hearing from my black brother was that we need to continue doing the same thing we were doing when Martin Luther King Jr. was around,” he said. “But we can see in terms of racial progression, that nothing’s really happened since that time.”

The reason people always point to Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X is because there hasn’t been a lot of progress since that time, he said.

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“We haven’t gained any ground since then,” he said. “But black people are understanding that power isn’t given — It’s taken.”

Burgess said people are looting because they’re frustrated by the lack of change.

“They try to find a way through mainstream media to separate the protesters and the looters, when in fact, they’re the same group,” he said. “Because people at large are upset and they’re tired.”

He emphasized the need for black Americans to vote, distributing voter registration cards with other protesters.

The protesters continued to march on Cooper and around the edge of the UT Arlington campus, which had closed early.

Supporters stood on the sidewalks and handed protesters waters as they walked. Inclusion Coffee, located across from where the protest started, donated a few dozen iced coffees, waters and lemonades.

Chris Odgen, UT Arlington men’s basketball coach, said he came to the protest with some of his players because it was important to show their support. They wore practice jerseys that listed the names of black men or women who inspired them, as well as a quote from the late Kobe Bryant.

“Arlington is a very diverse community, as is UTA,” he said. “I’m very hopeful and think there will be a lot of peaceful protesting out here.”