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Protesters return to downtown Lexington by marching and lying in the streets

The protest began peacefully with police blocking traffic.
Posted at 8:37 PM, May 30, 2020
and last updated 2020-05-31 18:10:41-04

LEXINGTON. KY. — Protesters in Lexington gathered in Triangle Park again Saturday evening after a protest earlier in the daybefore marching down Main Street; the protest continued for hours into early Sunday morning.

Lexington Police blocked off Main Street for the nearly 100 protesters to march through downtown.

A few minutes later protesters lay down in the intersection of Vine Street and Rose Street yelling "I can't breathe."

Minutes later the peaceful group continued to march shouting "Black Lives Matter" and "Don't shoot."

More than an hour after the start and after several laps around downtown, protesters lay down in the intersection of Main Street and Broadway continuing to chant "I can't breathe."

One protester, Arterio Holman, told LEX 18 he decided to march "because they killed a black man on camera and it's time for us to come out here and represent they are killing us out here."

Tavia Chester also protested downtown and explained why she chose to spend her night in the streets.

She said, "I'm here because all lives matter, all lives matter. 'I can't breath' is a real thing what's happening America. If everybody sits down and doesn't do anything we are all going to be stuck here and we can't keep going on like this. How many innocent children people have to die before we realize all lives matter?"

Just before midnight more protesters showed up and police presence increased.

Around 12:30 a.m. Sunday morning, Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers told LEX 18 he does not plan to call in more officers. He also confirmed police have not made any arrests or used any force.

Early into Sunday morning tensions continued to rise as one woman spit near an officer's foot and others confronted police.