COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS (ABC4 News) – There were multiple arrests during a demonstration in Cottonwood Heights Sunday afternoon.
It was as 100 to 200 people gathered to protest the 2018 deadly officer-involved shooting of Zane James.
“Zane’s 22nd birthday was yesterday so we had a memorial at the mural downtown for victims of police violence,” said Tiffany James, Zane’s mother.
James says groups that gathered included Our Streets SLC, Black Lives Matter and #DanceRevolution. “We planned with them to do a peaceful protest and a march down to the corner which is just about three blocks away where Zane was shot,” she said. “Within two blocks, we have police that surround us on both sides. Police from Cottonwood Heights. Four cars in the front. Two cars in the back and they’re telling us to disperse.”
It was for the March for Justice event at Mill Hollow Park, but during the demonstration police and protesters clashed.
“We’ve been doing this for two months now, and this is the first time we’ve ever received some sort of physical response from law enforcement,” said Parker Yates, a protester.
Cottonwood Heights City Councilwoman Tali Bruce was among the crowd.
In a video in Facebook, she said “I’m going to seek medical treatment. I was punched hard in the throat by an officer.”
Bruce told ABC4 it was a Cottonwood Heights Police officer that was involved in the incident.
“They were up at the pavilion and everything was fine,” said Lt. Dan Bartlett. They decided they were going to march up the road. Not letting traffic thru. At that point, we came and intervened telling them they needed to stay on the sidewalk.”
Police say protesters were given several warnings, and when they resisted arrest that’s when things got “ugly.”
“They were punching, and kicking and spraying stuff everywhere.”
Police say some officers were injured.
