Peaceful protests turn tense
After a peaceful night of protesting ended, a confrontation with police on Beale Street lead to the arrest of some lingering protestors. A group then gathered outside of 201 Poplar May 31, 2020 to demand the release of those arrest during the altercation. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
Protestors gathered outside of 201 Poplar May 31, 2020 to demand the release of several other protestors arrested earlier in the night. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
Commissioner Tami Sawyer speaks to group of protestors gathered outside of 201 Poplar reminding them to stay calm and stay the course while awaiting the release of their friends arrested earlier in the night May 31, 2020. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
Protestors locked hands outside of 201 Poplar while demanding the release of fellow protestors arrested earlier in the night May 31, 2020. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
A Shelby County Sheriff's deputy puts on his riot gear while looking at group of protestors gathered outside of 201 Poplar May 31, 2020. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
The largest in a series of four daily marches over the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis drew a crowd that grew to 500 on Saturday, May 30, through Downtown Memphis. (Bill Dries/ Daily Memphian)
The latest in the series of four marches so far began Saturday from the National Civil Rights Museum and saw calls for action in the wake of George Floyd's death in police custody in Minneapolis. The Memphis march was peaceful. But hours later a smaller group of people clashed with police at Beale and Main after the entertainment district closed for the night.
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Bill Dries
Bill Dries covers city and county government and politics. He is a native Memphian and has been a reporter for almost 50 years covering a wide variety of stories from the 1977 death of Elvis Presley and the 1978 police and fire strikes to numerous political campaigns, every county mayor and every Memphis Mayor starting with Wyeth Chandler.
Drew Hill
Drew Hill covers the Memphis Grizzlies and is a top-10 APSE winner. He has worked throughout the South writing about college athletics before landing in Memphis.
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