After peaceful march in Fort Lauderdale, a clash erupts at downtown parking lot

Under a blistering sun, at least 1,500 people marched Sunday afternoon from Huizenga Plaza to the Fort Lauderdale police station to protest the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers.

It was a peaceful event, but that didn’t last. Early in the evening, after the march had run its course, a clash erupted.

Police officers in riot gear gathered inside a parking garage near a park that had been the protesters’ staging area. A number of the protesters had parked in that garage. What happened next is not totally clear.

Fort Lauderdale’s police chief says an officer called for help. Another officer who responded was seen shoving a protester. Water bottles were tossed toward the officers. With little warning, police responded by firing tear gas canisters and rubber bullets.

A handful of protesters picked up the canisters and tossed them back at police. That set off a series of confrontations that lasted for the next two hours, until police announced they would arrest anyone who didn’t leave the area and the city imposed a curfew.

Afterward, Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Rick Maglione told reporters that an officer called for help shortly before the first skirmish broke out.

“There was an officer in need of assistance. Several officers responded to provide that assistance,” Maglione said. “That officer was in fear.”

Another officer caught on video pushing a woman after responding to the call has been suspended and is under investigation, Maglione said. Video of the incident appeared to show the crowd responding by throwing water bottles at police.

The march that preceded the confrontations took place late in the afternoon. When it converged on the police station on Broward Boulevard, protesters gathered directly outside the door, chanting “No justice, no peace,” and “Black lives matter.”

It was one of dozens of protests around the nation.

A police riot squad and anti-personnel vehicle had staged in the parking lot. They were not needed to keep the peace — at least not then.

Organizers grabbed loose rocks from the parking lot and hid them in the bushes to prevent escalation.

Someone took down the American flag from its pole and replaced it with one on which were written the words “Justice for some.”

As the marchers made their way to the police station down Broward Boulevard, they were led and trailed by officers in cruisers, SUVs and on motorcycles.

A couple of marchers briefly taunted the officers.

The protesters wore clothing and signs, including one bearing the message “That’s not a chip on my shoulder. That your foot on my neck.” — a quote from Malcolm X.

A couple of marchers fainted from the heat.

The protest, organized by the Black Lives Matters Alliance, had originally been scheduled to take place in Lauderhill, but was relocated to Fort Lauderdale.

The last-minute change did not deter protesters from attending.

Organizers emphasized non-violence and non-engagement with the police to attendees.

“This action is being led by black women,” Tifanny Burks, a co-organizer with Black Lives Matter Alliance of Broward, told the gathering at the staging area. “Trust our leadership...we know how to get results. You all need to fall in line with that.”

The crowd cheered so loudly she had to pause for nearly a minute before continuing her speech.

Kristen Herisse, 20, of Pompano Beach, said so many people showed up Sunday because “we are tired of sitting and talking.”

“Being black is a crime in America,” Herisse said. “Enough is enough.”

Volunteer medics distributed masks and water. A group of more than a dozen white attendees volunteered to serve as a physical barrier between people of color and police if necessary.

“I thought it was the best way to help,” said Nick Montecalvo, a high school debate teacher in Broward County. He said he hopes his students learn that protest is an effective means for change.

Protesters wore masks but social distancing was difficult in the park’s amphitheater. The coronavirus pandemic was not far from people’s minds. Members of the Palm Beach County Tenants Union attended the rally because they are concerned about a statewide moratorium on evictions that expires soon.

“We’re about to see a wave of police violence against black and brown tenants,” said Adam Wasserman of the tenants group.

As the crowd chanted, boats full of shirtless and bikini-clad partiers motored by on the New River blasting music

This story was originally published May 31, 2020 at 1:38 PM.