This video is the 1st of a series of videos covering the protests and riot aftermath in Indianapolis post the murder of George Floyd. All footage was shot on Friday evening and Saturday morning May 29th and 30th.
The BLM protests started out like most protests I’ve covered over the last few years in Indianapolis. Their numbers were small. They chanted many of the usual chants. There were megaphones being passed around. People who drove by honked to show support.
By the time I was leaving to go home and have dinner with my family and friends, the protesters were growing in number and had already shouted a couple police officers down from their perch on Monument Circle.
Later in the evening, the tear gas started coming out. What had been a peaceful protest morphed into Indy’s first night of riots.
Windows were smashed. Businesses plundered. People got beat up by both the police and civilians.
The next morning, I headed down to see the aftermath and check on my office. It was worse than I thought. My office, however, had been spared thanks to the building owner and his associates who provided armed security.
As I skateboarded around, the smell of fresh plywood and tear gas residue filled the air causing tears to slowly stream from my eyes. Angry tenants and building owners didn’t have much to say. One store manager told me to get the f#@k out after I asked him what he thought about things. High emotions and helplessness left many others speechless with very little to say.
It wasn’t until I got to the Circle and met Whitney and Marc that the words started flowing. Both had a lot to say about not only the protests and the riots, but about our country’s past and why we where we are now as a country and a divided people.
As they talked, I listened. Giving a voice to those who are often taken out of context or never given a chance to express their feelings and frustrations was one of my original ideas in the creation of my alter ego, the Indianapolis Skateboard Journalist. I hope this video fills in some of the gaps left behind by local coverage.SHOW LESS