A Detroit police SUV passed a group of protesters in a terrifying camera-captured clash, sending several flying off the hood as it sped through them.
The officer’s vehicle was surrounded Sunday night by protesters who claim it blocked a peaceful march against police brutality, according to witnesses.
Chanting “There is no justice, there is no peace,” some of the protesters appear to climb in front of the marked police car as it suddenly wobbles forward, the video shows.
“Oh my God!” a woman screams as a handful of protesters end up on the hood and in front of the SUV, which has its lights on.
The vehicle launches forward at least three times, sending protesters flying, with one apparently still on the hood when the SUV finally pulls away.
“The Detroit Police Department led 10-12 protestersI include myself, “wrote activist Ethan Ketner alongside one of the videos.
“Several people go to the hospital,” he said, condemning a “reckless driver who somehow has a license plate.” It was not immediately clear how serious the injuries were.
Another protester, Brendan Scorpio, tweeted: “Today I was hit by a damn police car for walking.”
Detroit police blamed the “shakers” for surrounding the SUV, and told Detroit News that the unidentified agent was saved after a rear window was “busted.”
“The officer tried to escape,” the department told the newspaper.
Ketner, however, claimed in a Facebook post that the protesters were the ones who defended themselves from a “clear act of aggression” when the car “entered the protest.”
“They did not need to pass us for emergency purposes because they had other officers on the other side ready,” he wrote.
Jae Bass, 24, told the Detroit Free Press that he was one of those who were thrown off the hood, suggesting there could also be more serious injuries.
“He just shot him down,” Bass said of the police driver. “We flew away. She ran over the arms, the feet of a couple of people.
Protest organizer Tristan Taylor told WDIV that the incident was a perfect example of “why we marched.”
“The police feel that their badge gives them the authority to do harm and damage under any circumstances,” he said.
Detroit police told the station they were investigating the incident.
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