La Mesa Protesters Shut Down I-8 After Rally

LA MESA, CA — An estimated 1,000 protesters blocked Interstate 8 in both directions Saturday to demonstrate their outrage at George Floyd's death by a Minneapolis policeman.

As of 7 p.m., police ordered the dispersal of the crowd and social media reports from the scene show police fired tear gas after a protester broke a La Mesa Police Station window.

About 2:30 p.m., the crowd initially took over the La Mesa Police Department parking lot to protest an officer who detained a man at the Grossmont Transit Center Wednesday. Police arrested the man on suspicion of assaulting an officer, and the encounter was videotaped and appeared on social media.

The protesters chanted "Black lives matter" and carried signs such as "no justice, no peace," as they marched down University Avenue.

At first, the group was stopped when they tried to get on I-8 at the Baltimore Drive entrance by California Highway Patrol officers. But soon after, the protesters broke through the CHP line and continued marching eastbound on the freeway.

The CHP then halted traffic on I-8 eastbound, and when protesters began marching on the westbound side, traffic was then halted on that side of the freeway.

About 4:30 p.m., CHP officers wearing face shields stood in a line across the freeway and squared off with protesters, some wearing face shields. One protester with a bullhorn appeared to be asking the crowd to back away from the officers, which they did.

The protesters then left one side of the freeway and climbed over the center divider to get on the other side.

Scenes from the day were captured by those present and shared across social media, such as these compelling photos taken by Hunter Skillern.

Saturday's protest follows a Memorial Day incident in Minneapolis when police officer, Derek Chauvin, was videotaped pinning George Floyd to the ground with his knee on his neck, which eventually led to Floyd's death. Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter on Friday.

Outrage over Floyd's death built across the country and many protests have turned into rioting.

La Mesa officials said they are launching an outside investigation into the Wednesday incident.