RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - Despite the rumors of Monday night's protest in downtown Rapid City getting out of hand, protesters expressed their point of view peacefully.
A protest created by a young lady by the name of Carly Siers attracted hundreds of people as they marched from the circuit courthouse to Main Street Square to ending at Memorial Park.
Throughout they held signs and chanted phrases in reference to "Black Lives Matter" to laying down on the ground saying "I can't breathe." Some of the final words George Floyd said before he died.
At one point, Rapid City police shut down St. Joseph Street and redirected traffic when the protesters stopped at the courthouse.
Some business owners stood or sat outside their doors appearing to be guarding their shops just in case.
Once in awhile, minor altercations between protesters and drivers. But police broke up those incidents quickly.
Siers said her only intention was to have a peaceful demonstration to practice their first amendment right.
"It's very important because if we don't stay peaceful we will all start getting arrested and I don't want that," Siers said. "I want it to be as peaceful as it can and this is my movement, it's supposed to be peaceful, I wanna be peaceful these are my people and I'm fighting for them. I'm being the voice of the unheard."
At Monday night's Rapid City council meeting, Mayor Steve Allender brought up a new item on the agenda in regards to some concern about the protests turning into riots.
Council members passed an emergency resolution unanimously to enact a curfew if needed. It will have a sunset clause of 60 days.
Siers said she plans to host another similar protest on Tuesday night.
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