'We went flying off': Police officer drives into crowd as protesters surround car

A Detroit police officer is seen driving into a crowd of protesters surrounding his car on Sunday, June 29, 2020 (Video screenshot)

By Andrew Trunsky
Daily Caller News Foundation

A Detroit police SUV drove into a crowd of protesters Sunday evening after they surrounded the car, according to video of the incident shared on Twitter.

The car briefly accelerated into the crowd of approximately 15 people before stopping, sending some protesters onto the ground and the hood of the car, according to the video. Once stopped, it accelerated with people still on its hood, according to the video posted to Twitter by activist Ethan Ketner.

Detroit Police Department drove into 10-12 protesters including myself. Multiple people are going to the hospital. #NoJusticeNoPeace #detroitpolice #GeorgeFloyd #BreonnaTayor #PoliceBrutality pic.twitter.com/etj3a6ejzN

— Activist Ethan Ketner (@DJEazyTwist) June 29, 2020

Protesters can be heard screaming as they chase the car. The incident sent multiple protesters to the hospital, according to Ketner.

Jae Bass, who claims he was one of the protesters thrown from the car, said that he had originally stood in front of it to separate the car from the other protesters.

“In response to that, he just floored it,” Bass told the Detroit Free Press.

Did this police officer do the right thing?

“He went super fast. Me and a couple of other organizers that were with me, just went flinging off. We went flying off. He ran over a couple people’s arms, feet. He ran over her phone. I think I was the last person on the car. I was just holding onto the car. I could feel him speeding up and then he did one of these and he [flung] me off the car,” Bass said.

The Detroit Police Department did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request to comment, but Detroit Police Chief James Craig said the department would address the incident at a press conference Monday afternoon Facebook page.

The incident is not the first clash between demonstrators and police, as protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes, have led to high tensions and violence in cities nationwide.

This story originally was published by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

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