Protesters arrested by Lexington police during downtown demonstration

Five protesters were arrested Saturday during a demonstration in downtown Lexington calling for more police accountability and an end to systemic racism.

They were charged with single counts or some combination of disorderly conduct, inciting a riot or resisting arrest. Among those arrested were key organizers of past protests and Cooperation Lexington. A member of United Campus Workers of Kentucky and a supporter who joined Cooperation Lexington in the demonstration said the arrests were “unjust.”

According to Lexington police, the demonstrators arrested, and their charges were as follows.

• Jesus Gonzales Jr., second-degree disorderly conduct, inciting a riot
• April Taylor, second-degree disorderly conduct, inciting a riot
• Precious Taylor, second-degree disorderly conduct
• Sarah Williams, disregarding a traffic device, second-degree disorderly conduct, inciting a riot.
• James-David Woodhead, second-degree disorderly conduct, inciting a riot and resisting arrest

April Taylor and Sarah Williams have led numerous demonstrations in Lexington after Breonna Taylor in Louisville and George Floyd in Minneapolis were killed by police.

“They were asked not to block traffic and not to stand in traffic, and then they went ahead and proceeded to stand in traffic and that was the cause of the arrest,” Sgt. Donnell Gordon said Saturday.

The protest began at Courthouse Plaza in downtown Lexington, with members of Cooperation Lexington marching alongside members of the United Campus Workers.. Within a few minutes of the group starting out, participants were warned by police that if they marched in the streets, they would be arrested.

“We as a union stand with LPD accountability and the leaders of Cooperation Lexington,” said Brenna Foley, a demonstrator with the United Campus Workers. “The arrests of the leaders of Cooperation Lexington were unjust.”

Khari Gardner, a demonstrator at Saturday’s protest, said he felt the arrests were unjustified.

“It was really aggressive and unnecessary,” Gardner said. “They weren’t trying to make it a public safety issue or nothing.”

This story was originally published July 11, 2020 at 7:53 PM.