Columbia police officers meet, kneel with peaceful protesters
Protesters and law enforcement came together on Thursday, as Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook met with activists outside the department’s headquarters to talk and kneel in memory of George Floyd and others killed by law enforcement.
Dozens of protesters marched to the Columbia PD building for the sixth day of demonstrations in the city over systemic racism and police violence seen around the country, according to multiple media reports.
While barriers were set up across the square from the headquarters, Holbrook and several officers first knelt on the steps of the building before coming over and speaking directly with protesters. The department’s social media accounts posted video of the engagement.
Thursday’s peaceful demonstrations come as officials prepare for a second weekend of protests after the death of Lloyd, a black man who was died in Minnesota when a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. His death sparked nationwide outrage and renewed scrutiny of the deaths of black Americans in police custody.
Locally, protesters in South Carolina have also called for accountability in the death of 17-year-old Joshua Ruffin, a Columbia teen who was shot and killed by a Columbia PD officer in April. Prosecutors are reviewing his case now.
In addition to meeting with protesters, Holbrook also spoke Thursday at a press conference where he joined Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott to announce the arrests of four men for inciting a riot this past Saturday.
“I’ve struggled to find the right word for this from the beginning,” Holbrook said at the press conference. “I’ve never claimed we’re perfect, but we’re always going to strive to be the very best ... We know that we have to heal and we will continue to do our job while we do that.”
Thursday marked the first time in nearly a week that protesters visited the CPD building. Last Saturday, a hostile protest erupted at the location where officers using riot shields, non-lethal shotguns and tear gas. Protesters that day threw water bottles and bricks at officers and business windows and set several police cars ablaze.
Governor Henry McMaster also said Thursday that the state “welcomes” protesters and demonstrations for police accountability, but warned that any violence was not acceptable.
