Crowd Chanting 'Stephon Clark!' Takes Over Sacramento City Council Meeting
SACRAMENTO (KPIX) -- Protesters took to the streets again in Sacramento over the fatal police shooting of Stephon Clark.
The shooting happened March 18, when Sacramento officers responded to a report that a man had broken car windows and was hiding behind homes. Clark was shot and killed in his grandmother's backyard.
After days of protests, Tuesday the crowd blocked fans trying to get into the Sacramento Kings game after shutting down the City Council meeting.
The victim's brother, Stevonte Clark took over the meeting in dramatic fashion, chanting Clark's name and then jumping onto the Mayor's council desk, demanding those in attendance chant Clark's name even louder.
The scene erupted into more chaos from there. Others joined him at the council dias. Mayor Darrell Steinberg, possibly in a move to restore order, offered Stevonte Clark a microphone.
"Do you want to take the microphone sir?" asked Mayor Steinberg. "Yes, that one over there."
Still, the chaos continued, becoming an emotional tirade inside council chambers.
The mayor then called the council meeting into recess while Stevonte Clark took center stage, dancing while protesters inside the chamber shouted his brother's name.
Stevonte Clark did voluntarily leave the chambers with the group that he arrived with and the council then returned.
The tense public comment ensued.
"You guys sitting up here talking about they gonna need some training, you don't need no training you make them accountable," said one person.
As more emotional public comment unfolded inside chambers, protesters outside the chambers rushed in through security gates, crowding the City Hall lobby until the mayor eventually ended the public meeting early, citing safety concerns.
Later, the Sacramento Kings released this statement.
"The safety of our guests is our number one priority. Due to law enforcement being unable to allow ticketed fans to safely enter the arena, the doors were closed to maintain guest and public safety."
