Last Updated on February 27, 2021, 8:28 PM | Published: February 26, 2021
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City Police Department (OKCPD) has released their edited compilation of 911 recordings, helicopter images, body cam footage, and written narrative of protests May 30 and 31, 2020.
Protests over the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor centered at N.W. 23rd and Classen starting around 6 p.m. on Friday, May 30 and continued through the evening of Saturday, May 31.
Some in the large crowds both nights vandalized businesses around the OKCPD Headquarters and then around the Jail and Headquarters area. Other locations in the City, especially the 23rd and Classen intersection were also vandalized.
Later in the evening of May 30, at least half of the crowd left the Jail/Headquarters area once police started firing tear gas at protesters. The most passionate remained and scuffled with police throughout the evening deep into the early morning of May 31.
Our report of the evening: Peaceful protest devolves into broken glass, police confrontations, tear gas
On Saturday, May 31, more protests occurred around the OKCPD Headquarters and Jail.
Protesters set off fireworks during both evenings.
Some protesters taunted police near the Jail and OKCPD Headquarters later the evening of June 1 after a peaceful march of thousands went from N. Kelley and N.E. 36th to the Oklahoma Capitol at N.E. 23rd and Lincoln. Those actions were not planned by Black Lives Matter – OKC.
The Reverend T. Sheri Dickerson told Free Press before the May 30 protest that Black Lives Matter – OKC had nothing planned for the evening or until the rally on Sunday, June 1. Protests on May 30 and 31 seemed to be more spontaneous and organized on social media by other parties.
Dickerson was at the May 30 protest however and can be heard saying to officers early at 23rd and Classen “I didn’t even plan this,” when they asked her to try to get people out of the street. Dickerson told Free Press on Friday that she warned officers who were trying to get her to help that they were “escalating this.”
Some video released
The OKCPD has not released unedited individual body cam video or pole-mounted video taken by police both days.
Instead, the following heavily-edited compilation was release around 2:30 p.m. Friday.
Accompanying news release
The following is a screenshot of the entire news release sent to media around 2:30 p.m. February 26:
Founder, publisher, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Brett continues to contribute reports and photography to this site as he runs the business.
