MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — Several dozen protesters marched to the Rutherford County jail, upset over their treatment in what was meant to be a peaceful protest Sunday night.
Protestors marched along New Salem Road and Bridge Avenue. They say they're upset about how one man was arrested shortly after being trampled by the very mounted deputies they confronted Monday afternoon.
The man was released shortly before protesters marched to the jail, but they decided it was still in their best interest to share their frustrations with sheriff's deputies.
Protestors were given a police escort to the jail and were told they had to stay to one area away from the jail entrance and off the main street. They were given two hours to share their grievances before deputies would remove them from the property.
”They set this boundary with the same people that trampled over a man. The same people are standing on the other side," said Lamont Lockridge, president of the the Black Student Union at MTSU. "They gave us a two hour curfew so the same force that you see right here after the two hours are over, they are going to trample these protestors who are doing nothing but peacefully protesting just like we did yesterday,” said Lockridge.
Lockridge and others say they watched officers the night before throw tear gas at protesters who they say were only made aware of a curfew when it was too late.
"They put us in this dangerous situation and they wonder why all over the world you are seeing people respond violently. There's a difference. Looting isn't violence, that is looting. That is destroying property. When you see these fights and stuff, it is because the police are treating us violently," said Lockridge.
Much of the crowd left shortly before the two hour deadline, but organizers say they intend on more demonstrations soon with dates to follow.
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