WATCH: Protester leaps in to PROTECT cop making arrest as tensions spill over at BLM rally
Amid all the madness that has swept across the United States there have been some moments where people’s humanity has shone through. The latest example saw an activist leap to protect a cop who was being attacked by protesters.
The incident took place in Charlotte, North Carolina, during the 11th straight day of demonstrations against police brutality and racism that were sparked by the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis.
This was the lead up the incident. Protesters encircled Capt. Koch calling for him to leave. As he walked away, protesters followed him. pic.twitter.com/s9jRAQiGPM
— Nick de la Canal (@nickdelacanal) June 8, 2020
Video footage from the scene of the incident shows a group of demonstrators encircle the police officer, Captain Brad Koch, and jeer in his face while imploring him to leave the area. After indicating that he wasn’t perturbed by their taunts Koch began walking away and was followed by the demonstrators.
One protester then shoved the cop in the chest and Koch tackled him in a bid to make an arrest. That caused the tension to boil over and several demonstrators began attacking the police captain. With Koch clearly in a vulnerable position one protester leaped in to defend the cop and quickly cleared away the angry crowd.
Just now: Another scuffle between protesters and CMPD Capt. Brad Koch outside government center pic.twitter.com/W3SryKKNgH
— Nick de la Canal (@nickdelacanal) June 8, 2020
Koch had been marching and speaking with protesters for more than a week before the incident on Monday. He’d also been targeted the previous night, in a confrontation that left one officer injured and resulted in two arrests.
Local news outlet WFAE reports that the man rushed to Captain Koch’s defence because he had gotten to know the cop over the course of the demonstrations and believes that he is being unfairly targeted by the protesters.
He is not with CMPD. He says he’s with a small group of protesters called the ‘Freedom Fighters’ who don’t agree with some of tactics used by Charlotte Uprising. Says he’s gotten to know Capt. Brad during the protests, and he doesn’t deserve to be targeted.
— Nick de la Canal (@nickdelacanal) June 8, 2020
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said that the incident led to one person being arrested for assault on a government official, resisting a public officer, and disorderly conduct. It is also asking for the public’s help in identifying other people involved in the confrontation.
“We hate to see anyone get injured. It is especially concerning to see one of our members attacked while going above and beyond in the line of duty. Captain Koch has been front and center in coordinating with the protesters to ensure their Constitutional rights are protected,” the Fraternal Order of Police said in a statement to the WSOC news outlet.
Also on rt.com Driver plows through BLM protesters in Indianapolis, then makes a run for it (VIDEOS)The police added that Koch has been taken off the line and away from demonstrators until further notice, out of “an abundance of caution.” It said that 19 police officers have been injured and 125 arrests have been made since the beginning of the protests in Charlotte.
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