A meeting of the Sacramento City Council was abruptly shut down for 15 minutes Thursday by a crowd of protestors demanding the establishment of a new and tougher police commission. One by one, the council members walked out of the room after the crowd was repeatedly told to stop interrupting to no avail.
“If you want to leave, leave! Go!” one of the protestors shouted.
Members of the dais did just that. The protestors, however, carried on the meeting in their absence. Once the council members returned, public comment continued, with attendees urging more accountability from police in the wake of officer-involved shootings.
Tensions have been running high in the city ever since the July shooting death of Joseph Mann. Civil rights advocates want to see greater civilian oversight of the department.
Read more about Thursday’s meeting here.