Black Lives Matter activist, journalists reportedly arrested in Baton Rouge

2025-04-28 07:19:52admin

UPDATE (Sunday, July 10, 4:50 pm ET): McKesson was released on Sunday afternoon, according to multiple reports.

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Original story below

After a tumultuous and tragic week in the U.S., protesters have been arrested in Baton Rogue, Louisiana on Saturday.

DeRay Mckesson, the prominent Black Lives Matter activist, was detained while protesting the fatal police shooting of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge. The Baton Rouge Police Department (BRPD) confirmed the arrest to the Advocate. Calls to the BRPD were not immediately returned.

SEE ALSO: Activists walk a fine, painful line in wake of Dallas shooting

According to a video on Periscope, Mckesson was livestreaming the protest when he was taken into custody. He appeared to be walking down the street alongside protestors who were yelling "no justice, no peace, no racist police" as police lights flash in the background.

"You in them loud shoes, if I see you in the road, if I get close to you, you're going to jail," a man says. "I think he's talking to me ya'll," Mckesson comments.

Minutes later, the camera jerks as a man says: "This is the police. Don't fight me. Don't fight me." Other protesters continue to stream after his arrest and demand to know where he is being taken.

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Mckesson came to public attention in 2014 protesting police brutality after the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. He ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Baltimore in 2016.

In a video posted by Advocatereporter Maya Lau, a Louisiana State policeman defended the force's actions during the protest. "Well, they are clearly blocking the roadways. We respond to their actions," he said. "We welcome the protest, we want them to voice their opinions ... but we cannot have the roadway obstructed."

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WWNO, New Orleans Public Radio, tweeted that one of its reporters had been arrested. The Advocatereported the journalist was Ryan Kailath, who had shared a video from the protest.

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Mark Armstrong, a reporter with WBRZ News, also tweeted an image that he said showed a WAFB employee being arrested. WAFB has been contacted for comment.

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Protesters rallied Saturday at the convenience store where Sterling was shot, at the police department and at the state Capitol, resulting in 30 arrests.

Sterling was shot and killed Tuesday morning during an altercation with two officers.

Protests took place across America Saturday in the wake of the fatal police shooting of Sterling and Philando Castile in St. Paul, Minnesota, as well as the sniper attack on police officers in Dallas, Texas. All three events were captured in confronting smartphone video by bystanders.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.

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