Peaceful protest begins with prayer outside Tulsa police headquarters

Sabrina Wilson, 30, met with police officers before taking the rest of the group across the street for a conversation.

Brittney Reagle, 25, asked Capt. Malcolm Williams if she could pray over him. He obliged, and he asked if he could pray for her.

The group kneeled in front of the police building on Sixth Street near Denver Avenue, and members prayed aloud for peace and for protection of the police officers. Williams then prayed for those gathered to protest racism and police killings.

Protests have been staged in Tulsa and nationwide since Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police last week. Four officers there have been charged in connection with his death.

In Tulsa, most protesting has been peaceful, but there has been instances of tension between protesters and police. That didn’t happen Wednesday night.

Another group of local protesters, including some with familiar faces from the Monday and Tuesday night protests near 71st Street and Memorial Drive, gathered outside the Tulsa County jail in the northern part of downtown. They eventually converged with the other group outside police headquarters.

About 10:30 p.m., the group, then approaching 100, began marching east along Sixth Street but paused at Denver Avenue when police pulled over a car in front of the former YMCA Building. About a half dozen TPD cars were at the scene within minutes.

There was some shouting and heckling, and one person ran to the cars, but the protest leaders ordered the group to “take a knee.” Most did.

After a few minutes the police left, and the protesters continued along Sixth to Main Street, turned north and zigzagged through downtown to the Center of the Universe, a landmark near Archer Street and Boston Avenue.

The plan apparently was to peacefully disperse from there, and most did after midnight.  

Featured video

Gallery: People gather to protest outside the Tulsa Police Department