A tense interaction between BLM protesters and restaurant patrons played out in Louisville during the Kentucky Derby on Saturday. It started when BLM protesters, some who were armed, stormed the outdoor patio of the La Chasse, an upscale European restaurant.
A restaurant employee called police and told dispatchers "that multiple armed protesters entered the restaurant property, which included outdoor dining space," police spokeswoman Alicia Smiley told Fox News.
The marchers were continuing to bring attention to the police-involved death of Breonna Taylor last year.
A reporter with the Louisville Courier-Journal recorded the hectic situation. People on both sides can be seen shouting at each other. One BLM marcher is armed with what looks to be a rifle. An older patron of the restaurant points a small pistol at the marchers.
One woman, who is also armed, is seen trying to tell the marchers to move away from the restaurant.
For those who have asked, yes this man appeared to be armed, as were a few protesters. It was a tense few minutes. #Louisville pic.twitter.com/BAw7r99KMf
— Hayes Gardner (@HayesGardner) May 2, 2021
Protesters have returned to their starting point and have now dispersed.
— Hayes Gardner (@HayesGardner) May 2, 2021
"During the encounter both patrons and protesters brandished firearms," Smiley said to Fox News. "This incident occurred after the arrests of southbound protesters in the area on the 1500 block of Bardstown Road. The arrests of that group were made after protesters repeatedly blocked the roadway despite officers giving multiple verbal requests for them to utilize the sidewalk."