A Virginia state senator is facing two criminal charges following an incident during a June protest at a Confederate monument in Portsmouth, Va., Police announced Monday.
State sense. Louise Lucas (D) was accused of conspiracy to commit a crime and injury to a monument of more than $ 1,000 during the June 10 demonstration, Portsmouth Police Chief Angela Greene said during a press conference.
During the June 10 demonstrations, the Confederate monument was vandalized and dismantled, leading to the serious injury of one male protester when parts of the statue fell on him. local TV station WAVY-TV 10 report.
The department also charged three Portsmouth NAACP representatives, a Portsmouth School Board member and members of the public defender’s office.
“What is important to note is that of all the incidents that occurred across our nation, our incident was the only incident that resulted in a man being seriously injured,” Greene said during Monday’s briefing.
“That it is my hope that my community truly understands that no member of the Portsmouth Department of Portsmouth condoned the criminal acts that occurred on June 10,” she added.
Police issued the warrants after collecting written, video and audio evidence of that day, the police officer said.
Greene added that police are “actively” investigating the case and asked for the public’s help in identifying 13 other people documented on photos.
Lucas and her lawyer Don Scott did not immediately return a request for comment.
Camera video of police officers obtained by WAVY-TV 10 showed Lucas telling police he could not stop the protesters.
“I’m telling you, you can not arrest her,” she said in the recording.
Local attorney Tim Anderson had pleaded guilty through a petition for Lucas to recall the protest, to which the state senator responded with a $ 20 million lawsuit, according to the local station.
Protests erupted nationwide in May and early June in response to the death of George Floyd as a Minneapolis police officer. Protesters across the country are calling for the removal of Confederate monuments, which sometimes take matters into their own hands through vandalism or destruction.
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