Charlotte Protests Spiral Overnight, Prompting Review By CMPD

CHARLOTTE, NC — Peaceful protests spiraled into chaos after dark in Uptown Charlotte Tuesday night as Charlotte police broke up crowds with pepper balls and flash bang stun grenades, according to reports.

The incident sparked intense criticism and a pledge by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department to review the incident to ensure proper protocol was followed.

Thousands of protesters convened in Uptown Tuesday to denounce the death of Minnesotan George Floyd who died while in police custody last week during an arrest as demonstrations continued for another day in the Queen City and around the nation.

Floyd, 46, died Monday after being stopped by Minneapolis police investigating a reported forgery. Video from the scene showed former police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on a handcuffed Floyd's neck as Floyd cried out, saying he couldn't breathe.

Floyd's death has sparked days of protesting and street violence in every major city in the country, including several in North Carolina.

Late in the afternoon Tuesday, thousands flocked to the Charlotte Government Center for a peaceful protest sponsored by the NAACP and Kidz Fed Up.Demonstrators crowded together, some wearing masks, holding signs above their heads. They chanted, "Hands up, don't shoot," and "I can't breathe."

"This is what democracy looks like," they yelled.

"There is currently a lawful protest taking place that began at the Government Center," Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said of the event. "CMPD officers are working to facilitate the protest and allow for the expression of all viewpoints."

Hours later, after dark, tensions between protesters and police flared.

Around 10 p.m., CMPD reported on social media that fireworks were being thrown at officers, and that a large group was walking through Uptown.

"While some are being lawful some have begun throwing bottles of water at officers," CMPD said. "Violence is escalating putting protesters and officers in danger."

Some in the crowd began shining lasers at officers and a "chemical agent" was thrown at a bike officer, who was treated at the scene, CMPD said.

CMPD said officers gave dispersal orders, then deployed "riot control agents" to disperse the crowd.

Those riot control agents included flashbang stun grenades, pepper balls, according to video posted to social media of an incident where tensions flared between protesters and police.

"Police have trapped protesters in a parking garage and begun hitting them with flashbangs and pepper balls unprovoked," Queen City Nerve posted.

Footage from the incident shortly after 10 p.m. shows protesters corralled in a street as police moved in.