MEMPHIS, Tenn. — UPDATE: (1:12 a.m.) The protest has ended and crowds have dispersed. Police now have four protestors in custody.
UPDATE: (1:00 a.m.) Police are taking some protestors into custody after begging them to go home. “This is your final warning," they said.
UPDATE: (12:49 p.m.) This photo and video show a shoe store window being smashed by protestors during the demonstration. No items were reportedly stolen.
UPDATE: (12:42 p.m.) MPD is trying to clear the scene. They are asking all protestors to go home.
UPDATE: (12:20 p.m.) More tear gas is being deployed near Bass Pro Shop as police start to bring out the horses. The crowd is chanting, “Hands up, don’t shoot!"
UPDATE: (12:07 p.m) Crowds have split into smaller groups and are moving South down Front street and headed towards the UofM law library.
UPDATE: (11:32 p.m.) Rubber bullets along with tear gas were fired at protestors.
UPDATE: (11:12 p.m.) The National Guard and police are staged near the I-40 bridge.
Apparently, tear gas was deployed at Bass Pro and people are using milk to relieve the pain.
Some police can even be seen with bats in their hands.
UPDATE: (10:56 p.m.) Protesters coming face-to-face with police on Beale Street.
The MPD headquarters and City Hall are being boarded up against rioters.
UPDATE: (10:20 p.m.) The National Guard is now mobilized across the state, per Governor Lee.
Protestors are back in front of the NCRM.
UPDATE: (10:12 p.m) Protestors scatter from Crump Blvd and are possibly headed to Beale Street.
UPDATE: (10:00 p.m.) Humvees have been brought out by troopers to Front Ave and First. It’s been three hours since the march started and there are still no reports of violent activities.
UPDATE: (9:20 p.m.) The march on I-55 has come to a pause and the group is now in the French Fort neighborhood.
UPDATE: (9:04 p.m.) Protesters are marching north on I-55 at Mclemore.
“How do you feel? I know you feel it. Your momma shed tears, your grandmother shed tears, your ancestors shed tears. How do you feel," one protestor said.
UPDATE: (8:30 p.m.) I-55 is now blocked off. Some people are saying the police have mace out and is ready to spray. Still, no violence yet.
UPDATE: (8:18 p.m.) Protesters are on the Arkansas bridge. Police are blocking off the area in riot gear and are demanding for them to stop. They are chanting, “This is what democracy looks like." One man said, “We are not afraid, we will not back down.”
UPDATE: (8:11 p.m.) They’re on I-55 and appear to be headed to Tom Lee Park.
UPDATE: (8:02 p.m) Protestors are back at the Civil Right Museum where they began an hour ago. Some of the extremist groups are going against one of the city’s activists, Devante Hill, saying they should take a different approach and shut things down.
UPDATE: (7:35 p.m.) Police helicopters are now outside circling South and Front St. as protestors march.
UPDATE: (7:33 p.m.) Some of the protestors split up and are in front of Peabody and Front St.
UPDATE: (7:00 p.m.) The protest/conference has started. Demonstrators began with a 9-minute kneel, chanting “Black Lives Matter”.
Sunday night marks the fifth night of protesting in Downtown Memphis, but this time, they wanted to speak to the people in charge.
Activists wanted a face to face meeting with mayors Strickland and Harris, the district attorney, the Memphis police director, and Shelby County Sheriffs.
A press conference was scheduled at 7:00 p.m. at the National Civil Rights Museum.
FOX13 will have live coverage.
Saturday night was the fourth night of peaceful protests in Memphis.
It started at 6:30 p.m. at the National Civil Rights Museum and ended a little after 9 p.m.
About 500 people gathered and as they marched through the streets, MPD was at each intersection blocking traffic.
A couple of hours later things escalated on Beale Street.
Video footage showed police in riot gear with barricades between them and people.
The barricades fell causing tension, however, we’re not sure if those involved were among those protesting earlier, but some were arrested, per police.
Shelby County commissioner Tami Sawyer tweeted that a group of people waited outside in the parking lot of 201 Poplar for the protestors to be released.
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