The New Black Panther Party clashed with police Wednesday afternoon during a march on the anniversary of the fatal police shooting of a black man.
The New Black Panther Party, along with other protesters, marched from the grocery store where Alton Sterling was shot last July to the Baton Rouge Police Department headquarters.
WATCH:
Situation escalate. Tazers out and cuffs on. One cop tazed too. Sterling’s aunts screaming on ground. pic.twitter.com/fmC0QJUCbA
— Emma Discher (@EmmaDischer) July 5, 2017
Protesters stood outside a barrier Baton Rouge police constructed in front of their headquarters. The situation escalated quickly when some protesters tried to cross it despite police commands not to do so. Officers used stun guns and Tippmann PepperBall guns to stop the protesters from crossing through the barrier.
Four men and three women were eventually arrested and charged with misdemeanor entering and refusing to leave, and resisting an officer, Sgt. L’Jean McKneely, the police spokesman for the department, said.
“We didn’t hinder them when they were up underneath the tree. We didn’t hinder them when they were across the street,” McKneely said.
New Black Panther Party National Spokesman Malik Maumau blamed the police for escalating the situation.
“We were not disruptive,” Maumau said. “We did not go to hurt anyone. We did not go to damage any property. We were orderly. We went in. We had seven individuals … women who were tased and shot with paintballs.”
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