Rapid City Police officials say they received a request for a permit for a “Police Brutality Awareness Walk” through downtown. The event was set to take place this Friday starting and ending at the Rapid City Civic Center.
The Lakota Nation Invitational is also taking place at the Civic Center. In a press release Chief Karl Jegeris says the demonstrators planning this event also organized a past protest against the Regional Hospital. Police officials say numerous public safety issues arose at that event.
Jegeris says he wants to keep the LNI peaceful so he's denying this permit.
Anthony Bordeaux is a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and one organizer of the “Anti Police Brutality March.” He insists the last march was peaceful and that protestors will keep this event peaceful as well. Bordeaux says organizers are now assessing their options.
“And we’re pretty much going to get together and figure out what options we do because it might be violating our civil rights for them to interfere and deny it. We might need to get the ACLU involved and that is the route were willing to take,” says Bordeaux.
UPDATE: Police and protest organizers are now planning to meet. Click play below to hear more.