Protesters gathered at Utah State Capitol; building vandalized with graffiti
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (KUTV) — Crowds dispersed Saturday evening after a mostly peaceful day of protest at the Utah State Capitol.
At one point, several hundred people stood on the Capitol grounds but slowly dispersed throughout the day to move back to downtown where civil unrest took place with a Salt Lake City Police cruiser being flipped, burned and spiked with a street fire and a Thin Blue Line American flag ignited.
People at the Capitol said they’re protesting for equality after the death of George Floyd of Minnesota. They said they want their voices to be heard.
The Capitol was vandalized with profanity and comments towards police. Utah Highway Patrol Col. Michael Rapich said some arrests were made after warnings to the protesters to disperse because of a curfew proclaimed by Mayor Erin Mendenhall. However, he was unable to say how many arrests were made.
The first warning was issued at 9 p.m., an hour after the 8 p.m. curfew. A second warning was issued and then people began to be arrested.
The city-wide curfew is in place through Monday and protesters are not allowed on the Capitol steps during that time without potentially being arrested.
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