Tonight at approximately 7:45 p.m., Lubbock Police Officers dispersed the “No Ban, No Wall” protest located at 19th and University for safety concerns of both the protesters and motorists in the area.
Our Field Services Bureau Chief had been in contact with the protest organizers since yesterday to ensure they understood the laws and safety concerns associated with large protests.
Starting at approximately 4 p.m., our officers began to monitor the protest location. Early on in the protest, we observed individuals stepping into the street creating a safety hazard. There were numerous times vehicles had to move quickly to avoid hitting individuals standing in the street.
Our officers warned the protesters multiple times to get out of the roadway. We also attempted to contact the protest organizers, with no response.
One female who was using a bullhorn continued to enter the roadway despite multiple warnings to step back onto the curb. For her safety and the motorists’ safety, our officers made the decision to arrest the female, 20-year-old Deema Alhesan, for obstructing a highway.
After she was detained, several other members of the protest began to yell and step into the roadway.
Due to the safety concerns and the possibility of protesters being struck by vehicles, the decision was made to disperse the protest.
Several of our officers then moved closer to the protest location to make sure the protest dispersed. While most of the officers were in their regular duty uniforms, a few of the officers who moved closer to the protest wore their protective helmets with face shields.
Regardless of the subject matter being protested, our main goal is to keep the peace and ensure the safety of the protesters, motorists and other individuals in the area.
After the crowd had dispersed, our officers met with the organizers to explain why these actions were taken and how we can work toward a safer assembly for future protests.
(News release from LPD)
